Offense cools down as Nebraska drops series to Minnesota

The Nebraska baseball team (19-27) struggled to drive in baserunners as Minnesota (14-31) won Sunday's game 3-1 and took the series 2-1. This is the Huskers' fourth straight conference series loss.

On the mound to start for NU was Jackson Brockett, who brought his stuff early working three straight scoreless innings from the jump. The Gophers hit the ball just one time in those three innings and Brockett struck out five batters. The fourth inning is when Minnesota finally got onto the starter with a leadoff double that eventually came around to score.

The Big Red offense responded quickly with back-to-back doubles from Core Jackson and Gabe Swansen to tie the game at one run a-piece.

Brockett kept dealing for Nebraska and after five and a third innings, the freshman's day was done. The lefty allowed just four hits in that time and struck out seven Gopher batters. Dawson McCarville took over and got out of the sixth inning, but the Gophers broke the deadlock in the seventh inning. A home run to left field for Minnesota gave them the lead and Chandler Benson came to the mound.

Benson got out of the seventh, but similar to McCarville, he got into trouble in the eighth, allowing two baserunners on second and third with one out. CJ Hood made his way to the mound to try and get out of the jam, but an infield groundout scored another for the Gophers and Minnesota took a 3-1 lead.

The Husker offense recorded no more hits in the game, and fell in this series, making their hopes of playing in the Big Ten tournament that much further from their reach.

Jackson Brockett gave Nebraska everything he could in this game. The freshman looked like an experience started out on the mound in this game as he dealt his first three scoreless innings. Even when Minnesota scored in the fourth, it had to be manufactured, and the lefty kept his composure. Brockett gave NU five and a third innings, allowing just one run on four hits, and seven strikeouts. For a freshman to put out that performance, the team must be frustrated that they couldn't come out of Minnesota with a win in this one.

The Husker bats were cold. Just five hits were recorded in the entire game, and only one time did Nebraska put more than one baserunner on at a time. That time was in the fifth inning when Gabe Swansen drove in the only run of this game for the Big Red. When facing one of the teams at the bottom of the standings in the Big Ten, Will Bolt expects more out of his offense to string together some strong at-bats.

Nebraska is back in Big Ten action next weekend at Illinois. The Huskers take on the Illini in the first game of three on Friday at 6:00 p.m. Saturday will be the second of the series at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday will be the finale at 2:00 p.m.

All three games can be streamed on B1G+ or heard on the Huskers Radio Network.