NDSU collects third win versus Power Five team this year
The North Dakota State University baseball team, exploding for five runs in their first at-bat, held on for a 6-5 non-conference win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Lincoln, Nebraska’s Haymarket Park. Six Bison pitchers also contributed to the win by striking out 16 Huskers over the game. The win was NDSU’s fifth straight, this season’s longest streak. The 16 strikeouts are the most in a game since the Bison struck out 16 at Omaha on March 16, 2019.
Max Loven made the start for the Herd and threw five of those strikeouts over the three innings he pitched. Carson Jacobs, who pitched the sixth and seventh innings for the Bison, earned his first win by holding Nebraska scoreless while collecting four strikeouts against three walks. Jacobs is now 1-4. Nebraska’s starter, Kyle Perry (0-1), took the loss.
NDSU’s Max Loven delivers a pitch against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Neb. on Wednesday night. Loven and his Bison teammates defeated the Cornhuskers 6-5 in non-conference play.
Photo Courtesy | Dennis Hubbard
The Bison started their run parade in the first with a pair of singles from Cadyn Schwabe and Peter Brookshaw. Druw Sackett then had the big blow as he homered off of Nebraska starter Kyle Perry giving the Bison a 3-0 lead just three batters into the contest. But the Bison were not done. The next batter, Terrell Huggins, then reached on a bunt single. He then scored on Garrett Hill’s sac fly to right. Will Busch then hit another sacrifice fly to right, scoring Jack Steil, who had reached on a fielder’s choice to end the NDSU scoring. The Cornhuskers came to bat in their half of the first inning down 5-0.
The Bison added the sixth and game-winning run in the third thanks to untimely Husker errors. After reaching base on a single to left, Steil advanced to second on a wild pitch, then advanced to third on a passed ball and finally, scored on another Nebraska wild pitch. The second unearned run for the Husker pitching staff made it 6-3 in favor of NDSU.
In the ninth, Nebraska attempted a comeback. Behind 6-3, the Cornhuskers made their move. UN’s third baseman, Dylan Carey, reached on a fielding error by NDSU’s second baseman Davis Hamilton. Bison reliever Skyler Riedinger then got Nebraska’s Cole Evans to strike out swinging for the second out. But shortstop Bryce Matthews took Riedinger downtown over the centerfield fence to make the score 6-5. Riedinger then showed his mettle by striking out Casey Burnham to end the game and give NDSU their third win over a Power Five program this season. The win also keeps the Herd’s winning streak alive at five.
The Bison will continue their road trip and resume league play as they head to Greeley, Colorado next to face the Northern Colorado Bears in a three-game Summit League match-up on Friday through Sunday.
NDSU returns home to Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo the following weekend where they will host the Omaha Mavericks in another Summit League series starting on Friday, May 12th. Student tickets are available at gobison.com/students.