Gallery: Huskers Secure Regional Game One Win Over South Dakota State

No. 20 Nebraska kicked off NCAA Regional play on Friday afternoon with a solid performance, using strong pitching and late-game power to beat South Dakota State 4-1 in front of 7,828 fans at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

The win puts the Huskers at 43-15 for the season, while South Dakota State falls to 24-32. Nebraska finished with four runs on nine hits and made one error. The Jackrabbits scored once on seven hits and had no errors.

Strong pitching from starter Carson Jasa and closer J’Shawn Unger helped Nebraska control South Dakota State’s offense all game. The Huskers also got big hits from the middle of their lineup, with Dylan Carey and Jett Buck each hitting home runs in the eighth inning to add important insurance runs. Carey led the Huskers at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a solo home run that padded the lead late. Buck also had a good day, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and two runs scored. Trey Fikes and Mac Moyer each drove in a run, and Case Sanderson and Joshua Overbeek each added a hit.

Jasa turned in another strong performance on the mound, adding to his impressive season as a redshirt sophomore. He improved to 10-2 this year, giving up just one run on five hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out eight, walked two, and kept the Jackrabbits from building any momentum.

This win made Jasa just the 13th pitcher in Nebraska history to reach 10 wins in a season. He’s the first Husker to do it since Johnny Dorn in 2007. Jasa left in the seventh inning, Nebraska brought in one of the nation’s top closers. Unger came in with runners on base and kept the Huskers ahead, finishing the last 2.2 innings. He gave up just two hits, struck out four, and didn’t walk anyone, earning his 13th save of the season. That ties him for the third-most saves in a single season in program history.

After three scoreless innings, Nebraska got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Buck started the rally with a leadoff double to left field, putting pressure on South Dakota State. Overbeek then singled to left, giving Nebraska runners on first and third with no outs.

Fikes then delivered the first run of the game, lining an RBI single to right field that brought Buck home and gave Nebraska a 1-0 advantage. After Rhett Stokes successfully advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, Moyer lifted a ground ball to second base that scored Overbeek from third, doubling the lead to 2-0.

The Huskers appeared to be in complete control behind Jasa’s pitching, but South Dakota State mounted its biggest threat of the afternoon in the seventh inning. The Jackrabbits collected three hits in the frame and looked poised to potentially erase Nebraska’s lead. However, the Husker defense came up with two enormous plays at the plate to limit the damage.

The first out came when Nebraska cut down a runner attempting to score on a fielder’s choice bunt. Later in the inning, Buck showed off his defensive abilities from left field. With runners aboard, a South Dakota State hitter lined a single to left, but Buck quickly fired the ball toward the infield, where Nebraska completed a relay that resulted in another runner being thrown out at home plate.

Despite those defensive gems, the Jackrabbits eventually pushed across a run on a two-out RBI single to left field, trimming Nebraska’s lead to 2-1 heading into the late innings.

The Huskers responded immediately in the bottom of the eighth and left little doubt about the outcome. Carey led off the inning by crushing a solo home run to left field, extending Nebraska’s lead to two runs and energizing the home crowd. Later in the frame, Buck delivered another big swing, launching a home run to right-center field to make it a 4-1 contest.

Those extra runs were plenty for Unger, who retired South Dakota State in order in the ninth to seal the win. The Huskers earned their first Lincoln Regional victory and moved on in the winner’s bracket.

Nebraska takes on South Dakota State in the Lincoln Regional opener. | Amarillo Mullen

Rhett Stokes (9) and Dylan Carey shake hands before their game against South Dakota State. | Amarillo Mullen

Carson Jasa struck out eight in 6.1 innings. | Amarillo Mullen

Dylan Carey gloves a ground ball. | Amarillo Mullen

Dylan Carey points to the Husker dugout after a single in the third. | Amarillo Mullen

Tucker TImmerman smiles in the Husker dugout. | Amarillo Mullen

Jett Buck celebrates a double to lead off the fourth. | Amarillo Mullen

Joshua Overbeek celebrates a single to move Buck to third. | Amarillo Mullen

Joshua Overbeek scores on Mac Moyer's RBI groundout to give Nebraska the 2-0 lead in the fourth. | Amarillo Mullen

Carson Jasa celebrates a scoreless inning. | Amarillo Mullen

Dylan Carey connects for a single to lead off the fifth. | Amarillo Mullen

J'Shawn Unger came on to pitch in the top of the seventh and finished the game. | Amarillo Mullen

Dylan Carey flips his bat after hitting a solo homerun in the eighth. | Amarillo Mullen

The Huskers celebrate Dylan Carey's homerun. | Amarillo Mullen

Jett Buck rounds the bases after a solo homer to get the Huskers another insurance run. | Amarillo Mullen

J'Shawn Unger celebrates Nebraska's win over South Dakota State. | Amarillo Mullen

Joshua Overbeek (4) and Rhett Stokes celebrate their game one win. | Amarillo Mullen

The Huskers will face the winner of tonight's game between Ole Miss and Arizona State tomorrow evening. | Amarillo Mullen

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