Before the game the crowed cheered loudly as the seniors took the field with their families. However most of the cheers were silenced throughout the game, where the Spartans lost to the Huskers, 4-1.
“Everybody’s frustrated,” head coach Jake Boss Jr. said after the game. “(Nebraska) is a good ball club ... the margin for error is very slim against a good ball club.”
The game started on a defensive note with no hits from either team in the first inning.
In the second inning, a swing off the bat of Nebraska second baseman Pat Kelly landed the Huskers their first hit, which was immediately followed by another hit from right fielder Austin Darby.
A sacrifice bunt by Nebraska first baseman Blake Headley advanced both runners into scoring position and shortstop Steven Reveles hit an RBI to make the score 1-0, Nebraska.
The Spartans took control of the third inning, shutting down Nebraska’s lineup with three up and three down.
MSU retaliated strong in the batter’s box in the bottom of the third. A long fly ball by junior shortstop Ryan Richardson put him on second base. After advancing to third from a groundout by freshman second baseman Johnny Nate, sophomore third baseman Justin Hovis hit a high fly ball, allowing Richardson to score and tie the game, 1-1.
The Spartans and Huskers continued the defensive battle, with neither team allowing runs in the fourth or fifth innings.
In the sixth inning, Nebraska third baseman Jake Placzek was walked by right-hander sophomore Justin Alleman. This set the Huskers up for a two-run homer by left fielder Michael Pritchard to put Nebraska up two runs to the Spartans.
In the bottom of the seventh, Spartan right fielder Jimmy Pickens was walked by Nebraska left-hander Aaron Bummer and advanced to second from a base hit by senior catcher Joel Fisher.
Richardson made it to first on a fielder’s choice to third, but landed Pickens in a rundown between third and home. Pickens was eventually tagged out by Nebraska third baseman Jake Placzek and a fly out by Nate finally retired the spartans with no runs in the seventh inning.
In the final inning the Huskers increased their lead to 4-1 with a double by Reveles followed by a RBI single by designated hitter Ben Miller.
The Spartans took the batter’s box in the bottom of the ninth hoping for a rally. Junior first baseman Ryan Krill was walked, but thrown out at second on a fielder’s choice. With only one player on base, Nate hit a fly out to end the game.
