Nebraska Baseball Holds Off South Dakota State

Nebraska baseball gave up a 4-0 lead Wednesday afternoon at Haymarket Park, but did enough to walk away with the win.

NU beat South Dakota State, 5-4. The Huskers improved to 7-5, while the Jackrabbits fell to 4-8.

The Game
The Stats
What's Next
Nebraska Baseball's 2026 Schedule

The Game

Just like on Tuesday against Omaha, Nebraska jumped all of South Dakota State in the first inning. After a Mac Moyer walk and a Joshua Overbeek single, Dylan Carey knocked an RBI double down the left field line. Carey and Overbeek both scored two batters later on a Cole Kitchens single to left.

In the second inning, Case Sanderson's sacrifice fly to center pushed Moyer across for another run.

On the defensive side, Pryce Bender was solid through 4.0 innings. He was replaced by Tucker Timmerman to open the fifth, who struggled with a walk, a wild pitch, and a pair of doubles to give up two runs.

Nebraska pitcher Pryce Bender did not give up a run to South Dakota State on Wednesday. | Nebraska Athletics

Timmerman settled in to pitch a clean sixth inning, getting relieved by Colin Nowaczyk to start the seventh inning. A 1-2-3 seventh was followed by an out to open the eighth. But a single and a home run tied the game, forcing Will Bolt to bring in Kevin Mannell.

Mannell got a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning, but the game was tied, 4-4.

In the bottom of the eighth, Moyer led off with a double down the left field line. Two batters later, Carey drove him in with his own double to left field.

Up by one run, Mannell worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to seal the win.

The Stats

Nebraska's four pitchers combined to allow four runs, all earned, on 10 hits, walking two and striking out eight. Mannell got the win for 1.2 innings at the end of the game.

The Husker hitters tallied 11 hits, led by the astounding 5-for-5 day from Carey. He had two doubles and two RBI, scoring one run himself.

Nebraska left 13 runners on base, while South Dakota State stranded seven.

Box score

What's Next

Nebraska stays home for the Big Ten opening series with Michigan State this weekend.

The Spartans are 3-7 after back-to-back losses to James Madison and Winthrop. MSU started the year 2-0, with a pair of wins over then-No. 8 Louisville, adding just a win over Albany since then.

First pitch times from Haymarket Park will be 2 p.m. CST on Friday, 1 p.m. CST on Saturday, and 12 p.m. CDT on Sunday. The entire series will stream on B1G+.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

Nebraska Baseball's 2026 Schedule

Feb. 13 Nebraska 12, UConn 2 [7 inn.] (MLB Desert Invitational)
Feb. 14 Nebraska 7, Northeastern 4 (MLB Desert Invitational)
Feb. 15 Nebraska 9, Grand Canyon 1 (MLB Desert Invitational)
Feb. 16 Stanford 11, Nebraska 6 (MLB Desert Invitational)
Feb. 20 Louisville 4, Nebraska 2 (Amegy Bank College Baseball Series)
Feb. 21 Kansas State 3, Nebraska 3 FloCollege (Amegy Bank College Baseball Series)
Feb. 22 Nebraska 10, Florida State 1 (Amegy Bank College Baseball Series)
Feb. 27 Nebraska 9, Auburn 8
Feb. 28 Auburn 15, Nebraska 4 [7 inn.]
Mar. 1 Auburn 12, Nebraska 3
Mar. 3 Nebraska 8, Omaha 5
Mar. 4 Nebraska 5, South Dakota State 4
Mar. 6 vs. Michigan State 2 p.m.
Mar. 7 vs. Michigan State 1 p.m.
Mar. 8 vs. Michigan State 12 p.m.
Mar. 11 North Dakota State 6 p.m.
Mar. 13 vs. Maine 6 p.m.
Mar. 14 vs. Maine 2 p.m.
Mar. 15 vs. Maine 12 p.m.
Mar. 17 at Wichita State 6 p.m.
Mar. 18 at Wichita State 2 p.m.
Mar. 20 at Michigan 3 p.m.
Mar. 21 at Michigan 1 p.m.
Mar. 22 at Michigan 12 p.m.
Mar. 24 at Kansas State 6 p.m.
Mar. 27 vs. Indiana 6 p.m.
Mar. 28 vs. Indiana 2 p.m.
Mar. 29 vs. Indiana 12 p.m.
Mar. 31 at Creighton 6 p.m.
Apr. 3 vs. Penn State 6 p.m.
Apr. 4 vs. Penn State 2 p.m.
Apr. 5 vs. Penn State 12 p.m.
Apr. 7 vs. Kansas 6 p.m.
Apr. 10 at Oregon 7 p.m.
Apr. 11 at Oregon 4 p.m.
Apr. 12 at Oregon 2 p.m.
Apr 14 vs. Creighton 6 p.m.
Apr. 17 vs. USC 6 p.m.
Apr. 18 vs. USC 2 p.m.
Apr. 19 vs. USC 12 p.m.
Apr. 21 at Kansas 6 p.m.
Apr. 24 at Illinois 6 p.m.
Apr. 25 at Illinois 3 p.m.
Apr. 26 at Illinois 1 p.m.
Apr. 28 vs. Kansas State 6 p.m.
May 1 at Ohio State 5 p.m.
May 2 at Ohio State 2 p.m.
May 3 at Ohio State 12 p.m.
May 8 vs. Iowa 6 p.m.
May 9 vs. Iowa 2 p.m.
May 10 vs. Iowa 1 p.m.
May 12 at Creighton 6 p.m.
May 14 at Minnesota 6 p.m.
May 15 at Minnesota 6 p.m.
May 16 at Minnesota 1 p.m.
May 19-24 Big Ten Tournament

Home games are bolded. All times central.