After struggling in midweek games last season, Nebraska passed its first test of the 2024 season on Tuesday, picking up an 8-6 road win over Wichita State on the back of veteran pitcher Will Walsh and an opportunistic, new-look lineup.
The junior left-hander tossed 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits, while striking out two and walking one. Walsh struggled out of the gates, but limited damage and found his footing to get deep into the game.
Walsh hit the first two batters he faced, and allowed a one-out RBI single, but got a flyout and groundout to end the frame with Nebraska trailing just 1-0. Nebraska head coach Will Bolt said getting out of the first inning largely unscathed was big for his team.
It could have easily been a crooked number, but he navigated like a veteran and let our offensive get to them,” Bolt said.
Nebraska (10-4) kept grinding away on offense, putting runners on base in the first and second, though the Huskers came up empty. In the third, the Huskers finally broke through with four runs. Cole Evans singled with one out and then scored on Tyler Stone’s two-run homer to center.
Nebraska re-started the rally with singles by Garrett Anglim and Clay Bradford. With runners on second and third and two outs, Ben Columbus lined a two-run single to left to put Nebraska up 4-1.
Nebraska scored three more in the fourth thanks to a pair of Wichita State errors. Rhett Stokes led off the inning with a single and Riley Silva reached via error with nobody out. Stone grounded a tailor made double-play ball to second base, but Wichita State threw wide of second, allowing Stokes to score. Silva then scored on a sac fly RBI by Garrett Anglim to make it 6-1 Nebraska. With the bases loaded and two outs, Columbus walked to force in another run and give Walsh a comfortable 7-1 lead.
Walsh faced two over the minimum going into the sixth, when a single and two-run homer cut Nebraska’s lead to 7-3. Walsh gave up another single, but coaxed an inning-ending double play. Walsh earned the win, improving to 1-0 on the season.
The Huskers tacked on a valuable insurance run in the seventh when Evans knocked a two-out single to score Dylan Hufft, who led off the inning with a walk and later stole second. Evans, batting in the No. 3 spot Tuesday, went 4-for-5 to lead the way for Nebraska. Columbus was 2-for-3 with two walks and three RBI. Nebraska was opportunistic on Tuesday, but also left 14 runners on base and went 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
“That extra run felt a lot better late in the game,” Bolt said.
Things got tense late, as Wichita State put together three straight RBI singles to cut Nebraska’s lead to 8-6. Nebraska closer Casey Daiss entered the game with runners on first and second and got a groundout to end the threat.
“He’s out there looking like it’s a Sunday in the park,” Bolt said of Daiss. “He’s got a slow heartbeat and he just throws strikes.”
In the ninth, Wichita State brought the tying run to the plate with two outs, but Daiss shut the door to earn the save.
Nebraska and Wichita State will play again Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT, with the Huskers starting freshman Ryan Harrahill.
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