Drew Carey, Nebraska Baseball @ Minnesota, Game One 2024 // Nebraska Athletics
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Dylan Carey’s go-ahead two-run blast in the seventh inning powered Nebraska to a 10-7 win at Minnesota on Friday night at Siebert Field.
Nebraska (29-15, 11-5 B1G) totaled 10 runs on 14 hits and an error, while Minnesota (20-20, 6-10 B1G) tallied seven runs on 11 hits with three errors.
Carey finished 3-for-4 with a home run and a trio of RBI, his third three-hit game of the season. Rhett Stokes also produced a three-hit game, while Case Sanderson extended his on-base streak to 16 games. Ben Columbus and Josh Caron each drove in a pair of runs, while Cole Evans reached in three of his five plate appearances.
Brett Sears made his 12th start of the season, tossing five innings and allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits with five punchouts. Jalen Worthley earned the win despite allowing a pair of runs across his ninth multi-inning relief appearance of the season. Casey Daiss tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to record his team-leading fifth save of the season.
After the Gophers plated a run in the opening frame, Nebraska responded in the second with three consecutive two-out singles to draw back even.
Evans singled through the left side and advanced to third base on a hit to left field by Sanderson. Carey then punched an 0-2 pitch through the left side to put the Huskers on the board and tie the game at one.
Sears worked around a pair of baserunners in the bottom half, allowing NU’s offense to grab a 2-1 lead beginning with back-to-back singles from Silva and Caron. With runners on the corners, Columbus lined an RBI single to center field to plate Silva and give the Big Red their first lead.
After a plunked batter to begin the third frame, Sears retired six straight batters, three via a strikeout, to keep the Huskers in front by a run after four innings.
Nebraska finally broke through in the fifth, plating four runs on four hits to take a 6-1 advantage over the Gophers. Stone singled to right field, scoring Caron who reached on error, and advanced to third base after a fielding error in right field.
Columbus then recorded his second RBI of the night with a sacrifice fly to give the Huskers a three-run lead. Following an Evans’ walk, Sanderson plated him on a double down the left-field line and scored later in the frame on a fielding error, the Gophers’ third miscue of the inning.
Minnesota answered with a pair of solo home runs in the bottom half of the inning, as Brady Counsell and Ike Mezzenga left the yard. The Gophers drew two walks to begin the sixth frame and forced NU to turn to Worthley, who allowed a pair of run-scoring doubles which evened the game at six.
Ben Columbus, Nebraska Baseball @ Minnesota, Game One 2024 // Nebraska Athletics
The Gophers wouldn’t hold the lead for long as Evans worked a walk to leadoff off the seventh, before Carey launched a 382-foot homer into left field to put Nebraska back up 8-6. It marked the infielder’s fifth home run of the season, and his first since April 14th against Rutgers.
A solo home run off Worthley cut the Husker lead to one in the seventh inning as the Gophers continued to fight.
The Big Red added two insurance runs in the top half of the ninth frame on a two-run single from Caron, before Daiss retired six of his seven batters faced to earn his team-high fifth save of the year.
Nebraska and Minnesota continue the weekend series tomorrow at 3 p.m. CT at Siebert Field. Saturday’s matchup can be seen on B1G+, while fans can listen to Dave Gustafson and Ben McLaughlin call the action on the Huskers Radio Network.
