Huskers win series in dominant fashion

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Nebraska tied its season-high in points for the third time this season in a 16-4 thrashing of Maryland in the rubber match Sunday afternoon at Hawks Field in Haymarket Park.

Nebraska (25-12, 8-4 Big Ten) scored 16 runs on 16 hits, while Maryland (25-16, 6-9 Big Ten) had four runs on six hits and four errors.

Cayden Brumbaugh fell a home run away from the cycle and went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, three RBI and three runs scored. Tyler Stone had a 3-for-5 afternoon with a home run and two RBI. Riley Silva drove in three runs and had two hits, while Cole Evans and Joshua Overbeek each recorded two hits. Ben Columbus, Garrett Anglim, Case Sanderson and Dylan Carey each scored a goal.

Will Walsh improved to 4-2 on the season in a 5.1-inning outing and on Sunday became the first NU pitcher to throw five-plus innings in a start. Walsh allowed four runs on six hits and retired seven Terrapins in 5.1 innings.

Kyle Froehlich pitched 0.2 innings in relief, recording a pair of strikeouts along the way. Kyle Perry pitched a shutout inning in the seventh to cap off the run-rule victory.

The Huskers wasted no time jumping on the Terrapins on Sunday, as Stone drilled a 381-foot two-run homer down the right field line to give the Big Red a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.

A solo homer in the top of the second inning cut NU’s lead in half, before the Husker offense scored a trio of runs on three hits and a Terrapin error to extend the lead to 5-1 through two. Sanderson walked on a full count, while Evans singled the first pitch to right, putting runners on first and third base with no outs.

Sanderson scored on a passed ball on a play in which Carey struck out, Evans stole second base and then advanced to third on an error by the Maryland pitcher who received the baseball. Back-to-back RBI singles from Brumbaugh and Silva gave the Huskers a four-run lead.

Nebraska scored five runs with seven hits and a pair of errors by the Terrapins to make it 10-1 in the fourth inning. Five straight hits early in the inning put the Huskers ahead by eight. Carey led off the inning and scored on a play in which Overbeek reached on a bunt-single and took second on a wild throw by the Terrapins.

Brumbaugh followed Overbeek with an RBI triple down the leftfield line, while an infield RBI single by Silva plated Brumbaugh. Silva went to second in the action on an errant throw by the Terps, and Columbus continued the hitting parade for the NU offense with an RBI single to right to score Silva.

Maryland finally recorded a clean sheet after five straight hits from the NU offense. A two-out double to left-center by Sanderson put runners on second and third base, while Evans singled deep into the hole at shortstop for an RBI single that brought home Columbus.

Walsh put the Terrapins down in order in the fifth, before Brumbaugh’s RBI double to left extended the lead by 10 for the Big Red.

Terrapin’s offense came alive in the top of the sixth inning with four hits, including a trio of RBI singles to make it a seven-run game heading into the bottom of the sixth.

The Huskers answered with five more runs on two singles and an error, increasing the lead to 16-4. Caron led off the inning with the pitch hit, while four straight walks from the Maryland pitching staff kept the bases loaded for the NU offense and added two more runs.

Silva lifted an 0-1 pitch to left for a sacrifice fly to score Evans. A wild throw by the Terps on the sacrifice fly moved the runners to second and third base on the play, setting up Anglim’s two-RBI single to left field to make it a 16-4 game through six innings.

Perry took the mound in the seventh and shut down the Terrapins to preserve the 16-4 run-rule victory for the Huskers.

Nebraska continues its homestand this week, welcoming Kansas to Hawks Field at Haymarket Park on Tuesday, April 23. First pitch between the Huskers and Jayhawks is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.