Nebraska Athletics photo
Husker Offense Blows Up Northwestern to Finish Weekend Sweep
In a series Nebraska baseball couldn’t afford not to sweep, the Huskers left no doubt, sending a stadium-record seven home runs into the jet stream and winning 18-5 over Northwestern to sweep the three-game set.
NU’s offense has displayed plenty of muscle this season, so Sunday’s power surge was not entirely wind-aided. But it was windy – really windy – at Hawks Field in Lincoln, and the Husker bats took full advantage. Nebraska (21-11-1 overall, 7-2 Big Ten) hit more home runs off Wildcat pitching than they had in any game in 24 seasons.
Junior shortstop Brice Matthews and sophomore left fielder Gabe Swansen smashed two dingers apiece. Junior second baseman Max Anderson, sophomore designated hitter Garrett Anglim and senior first baseman Charlie Fischer each knocked one out of the park, too.
From the mound, sophomore lefty Will Walsh was a steady presence. Making his second straight Sunday start, Walsh earned the win with five scoreless innings, striking out five, walking just one and only allowing two fifth-inning hits.
Of Nebraska’s 20 hits, 14 went for extra bases, the most for NU since 2010. Anderson and Swansen started the party in the first inning with doubles, Anderson scoring senior right fielder Casey Burnham and Swansen scoring Anderson and Anglim. Matthews then went deep in the second with junior center fielder Cole Evans aboard. Sophomore catcher Josh Caron drove in Fischer in the third. Then Matthews hit his second big fly of the day, making it 7-0 after four innings.
Fischer smacked his long ball in the fifth, followed by Caron’s RBI single. Northwestern (5-26 overall, 3-6 Big Ten) finally scored on a solo shot in the top of the sixth. Nebraska responded with five runs in the home half, including three from Anderson’s bomb over the right center field fence. Anglim and Swansen both jacked solo HRs in the sixth, giving NU a 14-1 lead.
After Griffin Everitt drove in fellow senior Efry Cervantes, Swansen left the yard for the second straight inning, this time with two runners on base. Swansen had a career day, finishing 4-for-5 with two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs. The four-run seventh ended the Huskers’ scoring at a season-best 18 runs.
Jake Bunz, Brett Sears, Caleb Clark and Will Rizzo each contributed an inning in relief of Walsh. Northwestern hit another solo HR in the eighth and a two-out, three-run double in the ninth for the final 18-5 tally.
Both Matthews (.409) and Anderson (.417) completed the weekend over .400. The two Husker stars continued to lead the way at the top of the lineup, collecting three hits apiece on Sunday and seven total hits each in the three wins over the Wildcats.
Nebraska will host Creighton in the second game of their season series on Tuesday. The in-state matchup is set for a 7 p.m. first pitch.