Nebraska baseball uses six-run sixth to down South Alabama in series finale

After falling behind 6-1, Nebraska baseball turned the tables on South Alabama by scoring 11 unanswered runs en route to a 12-7 victory.

The win brings the Huskers to 9-4 on the season with wins in eight of the last 10 games. Head coach Will Bolt’s squad used 15 hits, 10 of which came with two outs, to overcome five errors and the early deficit. Meanwhile, Nebraska batters struck out just four times and drew nine walks.

“Stick to the process,” shortstop Dylan Carey said of the team’s ability to hit with two outs. “One out, no outs, two outs, it’s the same thing. Just go up there ready to attack at all costs. That’s what we did and got the win out of it.”

Here’s more on the comeback along with notes on the bottom third of the Husker order and the key to Sunday’s series win.

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The initial game script in the series finale played out almost identically to Friday’s 11-3 South Alabama win. Two errors on routine plays allowed one run to score and set up Lucas Ismaili for a three-run blast, his second of the weekend. Another Nebraska error and a dropped third strike led to two more Jaguar runs in the third as the South Alabama advantage stretched to 6-1.

Right-hander Mason McConnaughey entered for starter Ty Horn in the fourth and tossed three innings of scoreless relief.

“To me, Mason McConnaughey is the difference in the game though,” Bolt said. “When the game is in the balance, you’ve got to have a guy you can go to that’s got stuff. We’re not playing defense, we got some strikeouts. That was the difference in the game was Mason stabilizing it.”

McConnaughey’s efforts gave Nebraska’s sputtering offense a chance to break through in the fifth. Three of the first four Huskers to the plate recorded hits including a RBI double from Anglim. A pinch-hit walk from Will Jesske reloaded the bases before Dylan Carey picked up an RBI via a full-count walk. Stokes’ eighth hit of the weekend was a two-RBI single that tied the game at 6-6.

Nebraska blew the game wide open with a lengthy two-out rally in an inning later. Josh Caron sparked the run with a four-pitch walk and the next six Huskers recorded hits. A two-RBI double off the bat of Cole Evans gave Nebraska its first lead and Carey’s two-run blast to left bookended a six-run sixth and 12-6 lead for the Huskers.

Joseph Sullivan began the seventh with a solo bomb off of Kyle Perry, but Nebraska’s bullpen locked out the Jaguars from then on. Timmerman tossed the final 2 1/3 innings without allowing a run and striking out four.

With a winning weekend in hand, the Huskers turn their attention to the first midweek game of the season. An area that was the death knell for the 2023 squad’s postseason hopes.

“We are far from a finished product, we are far from perfect but we’re finding ways to win games,” Bolt said. “The message is just going to be very, very consistent. If we want to be the team we’re capable of being, you just show up and play nine full innings or however many innings you’re supposed to play. Doesn’t matter what it looks like, just stay in the fight.”

Resilience emerging as a potentially key characteristic for the 2024 Huskers

It seems like Nebraska has played from behind almost all season. In spite of missing two Opening Day starters in the infield and a host of early miscues, the Huskers found a way to win another after trailing at the outset.

“We’ve talked a lot about being resilient,” Anglim said. “No matter the score, no matter what’s going on in the game, never giving up and staying in the fight. It’s really cool to see the team come together like that and trusting our guys.”

McConnaughey also touched on the Huskers’ resilience. He produced his best appearance as a Husker in a critical moment striking out a game-high seven batters in three innings. As a freshman starter at Cloud County Community College, McConnaughey recorded 93 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings.

“The thing with Mason is he really doesn’t care what he does,” Bolt said. “He’s literally the most humble, hardworking confident kid that you could possibly want and that’s what helps you win. There’s no ego there. It’s not, ‘You brought me here to start. Why am I not starting?’ It’s, ‘Oh, you’re starting a freshman in front of me. I’ll come pick him up if I need to.'”

It seems confidence is at a high-water mark right now from bats to bullpen. Overcoming a five-run deficit springing from your own self-inflicted wounds and winning a third consecutive series has a way of doing that.

“A big word with us is trust,” McConnaughey said. “We trust everybody coming into the game to go in and shutdown. We hope they have that same confidence as well. We understand that the offense, its rolling right now. Even if we’re down in a game, we understand that those boys will come back. They’re resilient, they’re gamers and they’ll compete.”

Does Nebraska’s order have a bottom third?

According to Bolt, the answer is no.

“I don’t know that there’s a true top and bottom of the order,” Bolt said. “It’s a bit unorthodox at times with what we do. A guy like Stokes, who we brought here knowing was a good hitter. He was a JUCO All-American and he hit a lot of doubles and triples and drove runs in. He’s starting to get more comfortable and confident. Dylan Hufft was a leadoff hitter for a JUCO World Series team. He’s starting to get confident.”

The numbers this weekend support Bolt’s sentiments. Nebraska’s bottom third went a combined 20-for-33 (.606) for the series. Stokes is a large piece of the Huskers’ success. The junior from Roswell, New Mexico finished 9-for-12, with four doubles and five RBIs over the last three days.

On a day when Riley Silva and Josh Caron were a combined 0-for-7, a bump in production like that is a clear difference maker.

What’s next for Nebraska baseball?

Nebraska baseball opens a five-game week with a visit to Wichita State on Tuesday night. The Huskers will play the first of two with the Shockers at 6:00 p.m. CT while Wednesday’s game will have the same start time.

The games will be streamed on ESPN+ and can be heard on the Huskers Radio Network.