Courtesy Nebraska Athletics
Trailing 6-1 going to the top of the ninth, the No. 24 Nebraska baseball team stormed back with six runs in the top of the ninth to defeat Minnesota, 7-6, Friday in Minneapolis, Minn. The win clinched the weekend series for the Cornhuskers (40-14, 22-7 Big Ten) and further bolsters their resume to host regionals for the first time since 2008.
Things looked grim going to the ninth for Nebraska, trailing by five runs. But with the bases loaded and one out, Jett Buck ripped a single to center to cut the deficit to 6-2. A balk scored Drew Grego to cut the Golden Gophers’ (30-22, 11-18 Big Ten) lead to 6-3. With two outs, Jeter Worthley followed with a two-run single up the middle, bringing the Huskers to within one, 6-5. Then Dylan Carey singled to left, tying the game at six. Worthley scored on a wild pitch after that, giving Nebraska the 7-6 lead. J’Shawn Unger came out of the bullpen for the bottom of the ninth and allowed just a two-out single to earn his 10th save of the year.
Minnesota took the lead with two in the second, then added one in the fifth and one in the sixth to build a 4-0 lead. The Huskers tallied one in the eighth, but the Gophers seemingly put the game away with two runs in the eighth to push the lead to 6-1 going to the ninth.
Worthley paced the NU attack, hitting 2-for-5 with three RBI and a homer.
Nebraska and Minnesota will wrap up the regular season Saturday in Minneapolis. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m., with pregame coverage at 12:30 p.m. on KLIN.