NDSU baseball falls to Nebraska 4-3

On Wednesday night in Lincoln, Neb., the Nebraska Cornhuskers used three runs in the bottom of the third inning to lead them to a 4-3 victory. The Cornhuskers (14-21) used a total of six pitchers to limit the usually productive NDSU offense, allowing no runs over the last six innings.

North Dakota State’s Cadyn Schwabe started the scoring for the Bison in the second inning with an RBI single to grab the 1-0 lead. The Huskers quickly responded thanks to Griffin Everitt’s solo home run to right field in their bottom half of the inning.

With the score now 1-1, Druw Sackett put two more runs on the board for the Bison when he cranked a two-run homer. In the bottom half of the third, and the Bison ahead 3-1, the Huskers scored three runs off Bison starter Ben Smith, giving Nebraska a 4-3 lead. The Bison put Sackett and Peter Brookshaw on base in the seventh, but Husker reliever Corbin Hawkins left them stranded getting the one batter he faced in the inning to fly out to right.

The lone bright spot in the Bison offense was infielder Druw Sackett, who went 3-4 with a double and a home run, his sixth multiple-hit game of the year. In all, the Bison collected seven hits on the night, but they were shut out after the third inning by Nebraska’s relief pitchers.

NDSU’s Ben Smith (0-2) made his fifth start of the season and gave up four runs, three of them earned while collecting two strikeouts over three innings pitched. Four Bison pitchers combined for a one-hitter the rest of the way, but the damage had been done.

The Bison (21-12, 9-3 Summit) will continue the road trip with a series against Summit League foe Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday and Saturday. The Golden Eagles (22-12, 7-2 Summit) sit atop the Summit League standings just percentage points (.778 vs .750) ahead of the Bison. Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and game one of Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start.

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