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Gabe Swansen's Hot Bat Pushes No. 24 Nebraska Baseball Past No. 16 Vanderbilt

With the memory of Greg Sharpe in their hearts, the Huskers put together an early season upset in the desert.
Kaleb Henry|
Nebraska outfield Gabe Swansen swings at a pitch against Vanderbilt in the MLB Desert Invitational on Feb. 15, 2025.
Nebraska outfield Gabe Swansen swings at a pitch against Vanderbilt in the MLB Desert Invitational on Feb. 15, 2025. | Nebraska Athletics

"FOR SHARPIE"

That's what the final score post from Nebraska baseball said after the No. 24 Huskers (1-1) upset the No. 16 Vanderbilt Commodores (1-1) Saturday, 10-4. This was the second day of the MLB Desert Invitational for both teams in Scottsdale, Arizona.

On the same day that the news of the passing of longtime Nebraska football and baseball broadcaster Greg Sharpe came out, the Huskers put together a solid performance against a perennial power.

"We were playing for something a little extra special today," Nebraska outfielder Gabe Swansen told the MLB Network crew after the game.

With three runners on, Swansen put Nebraska on the board in the first inning with a bases-clearing double. He added an RBI with a double in the third inning before blasting a two-run shot to left field in the seventh.

Vanderbilt was never able to keep pace with Swansen, getting a one-run homer in the first before adding another run later in the inning. The Commodores plated one more run in each of the fifth and eighth innings before getting sat down in order in the final inning.

Nebraska's pitchers had a solid day keeping the Vandy hitters guessing. Despite giving up a pair of runs in the first, Ty Horn settled in to go 4.0 innings, striking out six. Jalen Worthley got the win for his 1.2 innings of relief, notching one strikeout while allowing a single hit.

Even with Swansen hammering the ball all over the park, Tucker Timmerman may have been the toughest guy on the diamond Saturday. Timmerman went 2.1 innings, allowing one earned run on two hits and striking out two. But it was his final out that had Husker fans in fear for his wellbeing.

With two outs in the eighth inning, Timmerman took a hit up the middle off of his face. The ball bounced to Case Sanderson at first to record the final out, but Timmerman was face down on the dirt for a while. Eventually, he walked off on his own with a bloody towel over his nose and his left eye swollen shut.

Luke Broderick pitched a clean ninth inning for the save.

The Huskers had eight hits on the night, led by Swansen's 3-for-4 outing with six RBIs. Cayden Brumbaugh also notched a multi-hit game, going 2-for-5.

The opening weekend for Nebraska continues Sunday against San Diego State (1-1). First pitch at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, is set for 6 p.m. CST. The game will be streamed at MLB.com.

Box score

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MORE: Greg Sharpe Was the Voice of the Huskers for an Entire Generation of Nebraska Fans

MORE: Greg Sharpe, Voice of the Huskers, Passes Away After Battling Cancer

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Published | Modified
Kaleb Henry
KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans. He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team where he discussed NCAA legislation as SIUE's representative to the Ohio Valley Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 

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