Nebraska Baseball is blanked 8-0 by Iowa, dropping the series
It was cold, it was dreary and the weekend funk hanging around Nebraska baseball didn’t lift on Saturday afternoon. The Huskers were shutout for the first time since April of last year (also against Iowa) as the Hawkeyes downed Nebraska 8-0.
Head coach Will Bolt’s squad was outhit 10-5 and stranded nine runners on base. Amidst periodic snow flurries, the Huskers suffered yet another disappointing loss in Iowa City. Nebraska is 21-13-1 on the year to go along with a 7-4 conference record.
Both Hawkeyes and Huskers went down in order during the first inning. Nebraska tallied its first hits in the second as Charlie Fischer singled to shortstop and Ben Columbus provided a two-out base hit. Fischer decided to try his luck and advance to third base but he was thrown out easily ending the Husker threat.
Jace Kaminska sailed through the first two innings without issue until the Hawkeyes broke through in the third with a single from Michael Seeger. Iowa quickly capitalized with a two-run blast by Ben Wilmes and took a 2-0 lead. Raider Tello added another two-out RBI with a single as the Hawkeyes plated three runs on four hits in the inning.
Nebraska’s offense continued to sputter in the fourth. Huskers reached base in three of the first four innings but three of Nebraska’s four total base runners got aboard with two outs. Strikeouts became a factor as well. The Huskers posted five strikeouts in the first four innings and three were looking punchouts.
Behind 3-0 Kaminska issued a leadoff walk to begin the fourth spelling the end to his outing. Jackson Brockett entered in relief for Nebraska and allowed an RBI single from Seegers who stretched Iowa’s advantage to 4-0.
Garrett Anglim became the first leadoff Husker to reach with a single in the fifth. Yet, Nebraska failed to plate a run once again as the next two batters grounded out and Efry Cervantes had a base hit robbed via a diving catch by Iowa’s Kyle Huckstorf.
Iowa threatened again in the home half putting runners on second and third with two outs. The Huskers turned to Michael Garza to pick up the final out and he coaxed a flyout to escape the jam.
Following another empty inning at the dish for Nebraska’s offense, Garza returned to the hill in the bottom of the sixth. The fifth-year senior allowed a leadoff double and the Hawkeyes were off to the races. Iowa plated four runs in the frame on a pair of two RBI doubles to grab complete control and an 8-0 advantage.
The Huskers loaded the bases in the eighth inning, but with two outs Gabe Swansen grounded into a fielder’s choice. Nebraska put another pair on base in the ninth but once more a fielder’s choice ended the rally sealing the Hawkeye victory.
Nebraska has some serious questions regarding the starting rotation
At one point this year, Nebraska’s Friday and Saturday starters were the team’s greatest strength. Now, Kaminska and Emmett Olson may be the Huskers’ greatest question mark.
Olson and Kaminska own a disturbing combined line through their last four starts. The two top arms have allowed 18 earned runs on 17 hits in just 9 1/3 innings. That’s a 17.36 ERA. Bolt said Kaminska wore down during a third inning in which he tossed 36 pitches.
“He had a couple of extended at-bats that he wasn’t able to finish off,” Bolt said. “He had a big two-out home run and like I said there were some extended at-bats in there that took the gas out of him.”
Whatever the issues are for Olson and Kaminska, Nebraska needs them solved fast. The Huskers play six games in the next eight days this upcoming week. The bullpen can’t afford another early exit from either starter. The two have gone 2 1/3 innings on average in their last four showings.
How do the Huskers respond?
Nebraska has had an incredibly rough weekend in Iowa City. Nothing has gone to plan and the Huskers have taken a beating in all three phases.
The baseball vices that have plagued Nebraska from time to time have shown up in force in the first two games of the series. The Huskers have struck out 24 times, hit .133 with runners in scoring position, batted .181 with runners on base and issued 18 walks. Unlike at other points in the season, it isn’t just a single issue playing out through one game but rather all four at once.
Given Nebraska’s postseason positioning, a sweep on Sunday would put the Huskers behind the 8-ball in the Big Ten standings.
Confidence may be the biggest question of all entering the series finale. Matthews looks shaken at shortstop and has committed an error in three consecutive games counting Tuesday’s suspended showdown with Creighton. Meanwhile, Nebraska’s bats look completely out of sorts and need something to stabilize momentum.
“It was terrible and it couldn’t have been any worse,” Bolt said of his team’s approach at the plate. “I thought it was a really, really uncommitted offensive approach today. We had an opportunity to drive a couple of runs in but there weren’t a lot of base runners to be had.”
Bolt said before his team left on Thursday that this weekend could be a turning point series for both squads. That can be for good or ill. The Huskers need to find a way to win on Sunday to keep this season from trending in a dangerous direction.
What’s next for Nebraska baseball?
Nebraska hopes to salvage the series with Iowa on Sunday afternoon. The Huskers Radio Network will carry the game over the air and it can be streamed on BTN+ at 1:05 p.m. CT.
The Huskers wrap up their road trip on Tuesday with the series finale against Omaha. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. CT at Tal Anderson Field.
