Sunday Magic persists as Huskers rally to salvage series

WICHITA, Kan. - As many times as Nebraska looked destined to finish second, a shot of adrenaline kept it going. And when the race took an extra lap, NU turned into a five-year-old on a sugar high.

The Huskers withstood just enough punches to rally from five down in the game and two down in the ninth to take Wichita State to extra innings, and in the 10th, a big swing and some inspired baseball helped Nebraska (6-5) outlast the previously undefeated Shockers 10-9.

After another grand slam put the result seemingly in hand, the Huskers rallied. And after four full innings without a base hit, the Huskers rallied. Each hit led to another, and Nebraska’s offense finally broke through to avoid a series sweep and extend its Sunday undefeated streak to 15 games dating back to May 8, 2016.

“They kind of stepped on our throats there with the grand slam, and our guys just kept battling," head coach Darin Erstad said. "They just kept chipping away and it's nice to see an identity-building type of day."

For the first time on the weekend, Nebraska scored in the first three innings. Batting leadoff for the first time this season, sophomore Mojo Hagge slapped a third-pitch single up the middle and touched home when Scott Schreiber hit a bouncer over the heads of the Shocker shortstop and third baseman.

Nebraska would add another in the third to tie the game foreshadow what would become a wild, back-and-forth contest.

The Wichita State offense got to Nebraska starter Matt Warren early and often, scoring in each of the first six innings and chasing him off the mound in the fourth, when Omaha native Alec Bohm hit his second grand slam of the weekend, the third of the series for the Shockers.

Following Wichita State’s first three multi-run homers of the weekend, Nebraska scored a total of one run in the following innings. Facing a 7-2 deficit in Sunday’s fifth inning, the Huskers refused to go quietly.

Three straight singles loaded the bases with no outs for Angelo Altavilla, batting cleanup for the first time this season. The Husker junior threatened a grand slam of his own, but Dayton Dugas snagged the fly ball at the warning track to limit Altavilla to a sacrifice fly.

After new pitcher Clayton McGinness walked Schreiber, Nebraska scored four on a wild pitch and back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 7 with a five-run inning.

“(That type of inning) starts with one,” said junior Jesse Wilkening, who had a two-RBI double in the fifth and the go-ahead home run in the 10th. "It starts with one person and it trickles down from there. It's contagious, you could say."

The Shockers were unfazed by the rally. A leadoff walk and a pair of bunts set up an RBI groundout to reclaim an 8-7 lead in the bottom frame, and the home team would tack on another on a single in the bottom of the sixth for a two-run advantage.

Meanwhile, Nebraska couldn’t muster any carryover from the fifth against Wichita State right-handers Chandler Sanburn and Tyler Davis. Between one out in the fifth and the second batter of the ninth, the Huskers went four full innings without a hit to put them in desperation mode in the final inning.

With an infield single and a stolen base, Nebraska looked ready to string together a rally to cut into the two-run deficit. Instead, Zac Repinski did it on one swing.

The Husker senior took a big cut for his sixth hit of the weekend, making pure aluminum contact and blasting a no-doubter over the left field wall to tie the game.

“We were fighting all game, we were fighting back, and that was just unbelievable,” Repinski said.

With Nebraska’s pitching staff reeling, junior Mike Waldron stepped in to throw two perfect innings before handing the ball to Jake Hohensee, who staved off a runner on third to send the game to a 10th inning.

From there, all Wilkening needed to see was a pair of low and outside pitches before turning on an inside fast ball for the go-ahead home run to the bleachers in left.

With a 10-9 advantage, Hohensee was nails in the final frame, forcing four ground balls and working around a throwing error to retire the side and the game.

“We were looking for pieces to step up,” Erstad said. "Mike Waldron got his velocity back up where it is and his command was fantastic, so now it's building off of that. Hohensee's been solid for us and made a couple quality pitches to keep the winning run at third base (in the ninth)."

Nebraska staged its largest comeback since April 2, 2016 and overcame an 0-for-17 start to the weekend with runners in scoring position. The Huskers finished Sunday 5-for-8 in the category.

In avoiding the series sweep, Nebraska survived a weekend in which three pitching starts allowed five runs or more. Wilkening’s 3 RBIs on the day extended his team lead and propelled the Huskers to a much-needed victory.

“It's huge,” Repinski said. "They're a heck of a ball team, they're really good. It's huge that we could pull out one win against them and salvage the series."

1st - There's something about Sundays.

All it took was a pair of furious rallies against a Super Regional contender, but Nebraska remains undefeated in its last 15 Sunday contests.

Last year, it was Jake Meyers' pitching command that put Nebraska in position to be a great Sunday club, but this Sunday was not a good start from Matt Warren. Seven runs in just 3.1 innings of work puts any team in a hard position to find victories. However, facing many of the Shocker relievers a second time helped Nebraska find its groove at the plate. To the tune of a season-high 10 runs, the Huskers chased multiple Shocker relievers off the mound and even got a few on starter Connor Lungwitz.

Watching the previous two games this weekend, it was near impossible to see where the offense would come from against such a sharp defensive club. Nebraska found offense in every way imaginable, from manufacturing runs to pounding doubles to blasting homers. It's impossible to pinpoint exactly what makes the Huskers so good on the sabbath, but the final games of series continue to be theirs.

2nd - Starting pitching was a major issue this weekend.

Nebraska's starting numbers on the mound this weekend were a bit unsightly, to say the least. In three combined starts, the Huskers spanned just 11.1 innings, giving up 17 runs on 21 hits and only striking out nine, with six coming from Alvarado. That's not going to get it done, especially with a depleted bullpen.

Nebraska's issues this weekend stemmed from a loss of composure with runners on base. Even in a loss Sunday, Wichita State outhit the Huskers significantly with runners on base, with the weekend gap even wider. With two first time starters, that lack of composure is understandable if still frustrating, but Warren, a sixth-year senior and experienced starter, had perhaps the worst outing of the three.

Nebraska won't face many teams with a 1-through-9 like Wichita State this year. Even so, Alvarado needs to figure out some of the yips, Fisher has to get his location down, and Warren can't hang as many breaking balls. These are the three main options Nebraska has that are built up to starter length. It needs to make the best of three pitchers with high potential.

3rd - Hohensee is nails in the closing role.

One pitcher consistently living up to his billing is closer Jake Hohensee, converted from his Friday starting role a year ago. What more could you ask from him? In his longest appearance of the year, the senior was unfazed with two crucial runners in scoring position, keeping the game tied in the ninth and closing out the win in the 10th.

Luis Alvarado and Chad Luensmann were great in the closing role a year ago, but there were questions about Alvarado's control and Luensmann relied on forcing ground balls. Hohensee, a power pitcher fueled by a fiery approach, throws strikes, and he throws them low in the zone. He's a good communicator on the mound and moves with a sure glove.

In five appearances on the year, Hohensee has three saves, a 0.00 ERA, a .143 opponents' batting average, just one walk, and after today, a win. Erstad and Silva converted him to a closer to improve his professional prospects. Here's guessing the scouts are taking notice.

Bringing it home - This could be Nebraska's turning point.

Discussing college baseball with a Major League scout Sunday morning, he said he hadn't seen many teams with the look "like a football team" that Wichita State has. That look translates to the field with a team that can sling it all over the yard.

Nebraska had its opportunities on Friday and Saturday to compete for wins, but Sunday looked like the best offensive effort the Shockers could muster. They were sharp in fielding and monstrous in hitting, pounding out 14 hits and scoring in each of the first six innings.

But the Huskers came to play, and the fifth and ninth innings showed an eye-opening amount of resolve. Seeing the third grand slam of the weekend go over the wall was likely demoralizing, especially because the Huskers had played well to that point. In a stark contrast to Friday and Saturday, they responded immediately, producing on seven straight at bats and not wasting any time tying the game.

The ninth inning turn of events was even more perplexing, as the Huskers' body language was sinking after 12 outs without a hit. Out of nowhere, Zac Repinski - one of the smaller players on the team - blasted a home run that might have crossed the street behind the scoreboard. Nebraska's ability to manufacture momentum out of thin air was something of legend, and the players undoubtedly inspired each other with their resiliency.

Darin Erstad wouldn't admit that his guys will enjoy this one, but Jesse Wilkening and Zac Repinski knew after the game that a win like this can turn the tide.

"It was a big deal," Wilkening said. "It was an identity day for us, and we were down in the ninth inning and came back.

"That's huge for our club right now, and we're going to enjoy it."