Baseball

May 5, 2001

Johnson's Homer Completes Doubleheader Sweep of OSU

LINCOLN -- Dan Johnson had three hits, including a two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning, as fourth-ranked Nebraska took a doubleheader from Oklahoma State, defeating the Cowboys, 9-7 in the opener and 10-8 in 11 innings in the nightcap early Sunday morning.
 
Johnson's homer, his 18th of the season, off OSU reliever Daniel Rew (1-2) broke an 8-8 tie and sent the remaining fans, who weathered a 44-minute rain delay and stayed over eight hours, home happy at 12:24 a.m., as NU improved to 37-12 overall and 18-6 in the Big 12, while the Cowboys dipped to 35-17 overall and 13-13 in conference play.
 
"It was a curveball in," Johnson said. "He fooled me the first time (in the 10th inning), so I was looking for it the second time. It was just one of those things."
 
"Dan came up with two outs and got the home run which was really huge for us," Nebraska Coach Dave Van Horn said. "It was a hard-hit ball against the wind and as soon as it was hit, I really thought it had a chance."
 
Thom Ott, who pitched the final two innings in game one to record his seventh save of the year, pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in the nightcap to improve to 4-2 on the season.
 
The Huskers, who trailed 8-3 in the top of the seventh, scored three in the bottom of the seventh and tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the ninth off OSU relief ace Joe Weaver. Jed Morris' RBI double scored John Cole to put NU within 8-7 before Jeff Blevins' sacrifice fly off to left plated the tying run.
 
In all, the Huskers pounded out 18 hits in the nightcap, including three each by Johnson, Morris and Cole, who extended his hit steak to 14 games. Matt Hopper also went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI in game two.
 
In the opener, John Cole hit a two-run homer as Nebraska scored three runs in the sixth inning to break a tie and beat Oklahoma State 9-7.
 
Cole went 2-for-4 with three RBI and his sixth homer of the year to lead a 10-hit NU attack.
 
Nebraska opened a 5-2 lead after two innings and led 6-4 following Jeff Blevins' third inning homer, his second of the year, as the junior third baseman went 2-for-2 in the opener.
 
But Oklahoma State rallied to tie the game at 6-6 in the top of the sixth. After Cole's home run broke the tie, the Huskers added one more run in the inning when Matt Hopper singled in Adam Stern.
 
Nebraska starter Shane Komine (11-1) allowed six runs on eight hits and struck out eight in seven innings. The win was his eleventh straight, the second longest winning streak by a pitcher in NU history.
 
Ott entered in the eighth inning to earn his seventh save. He is now one save away from Steve Boyd's school record of 14.
 
OSU reliever Nick McCurdy (5-4) pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up four hits and four runs to take the loss.
 
The Cowboys had 11 hits, including two each by Jimbo McAuliff, Paul Powell and Rob Watson.
 
The Huskers and Cowboys conclude the three game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., as Brian Rodaway (2-1, 3.67) takes the hill for the Huskers.

Source: University of Nebraska Sports Information