Baseball 2001
Husker Comeback Falls
Short in 6-5 Loss
March 20, 2001
Wichita, Kan. -- Fourth-ranked Nebraska nearly overcame a six-run
deficit, but Wichita State third baseman Brian Burgamy went 2 for
4 with a homer and five RBI, as the Shockers downed the Huskers, 6-5,
in front of a crowd of 4,269 at Eck Stadium Tuesday evening.
Burgamy delivered a two-run
double in the third and hit his second homer of the season, a three-run
shot, in the fifth, providing the Shockers (11-8) nearly all the offense
they would need to defeat NU (16-5) for the first time since 1997.
The WSU win also avenged an 8-7 setback to the Huskers earlier this
season.
WSU took a 2-0 lead in
the bottom of the third, scoring a pair of runs on Burgamy’s
two-run double. Second baseman Brandon Green and first baseman Logan
Sorensen led off the innings with consecutive singles before Nebraska
starter Jamie Rodrigue retired the next two batters. With two outs,
Burgamy lined a 2-1 Rodrigue offering down the left field line, plating
Green and Sorenson.
The Shockers increased
the lead to 6-0, scoring four in the bottom of the fifth. Singles
by Tanner Welch and Justin McCardy put runners on first and third
and chased Rodrigue. Burgamy, who went 0-3 in the first meeting, greeted
Hale with a three-run homer to center, giving the Shockers a five-run
cushion. Wichita State added another run later in the inning off Hale
as Randy Walter walked, stole second and scored on Ryan Owen’s
RBI single.
Rodrigue, who had beaten
the Shockers in his last two outings, allowed five runs on seven hits
in 4.1 innings to drop to 2-2 on the season.
Shocker starter John Tetuan,
who entered the game with a 0-1 record and a 14.40 ERA, held the Huskers
in check, allowing just three hits through the first five innings
to pick up the win to improve to 1-1 on the year.
Nebraska, which had not
been shut out since the 1998 season, finally mounted a comeback in
the top of the eighth. Adam Stern led off the inning with a triple
to right off Shocker reliever Reuben Kerbs before Matt Hopper walked,
putting runners on first and third. Dan Johnson singled up the middle,
scoring Stern with the first run. After a fielder’s choice, Jeff
Blevins cut the lead to 5-2 with an RBI single to right, knocking
Kerbs out of the game. The Shockers put in closer Steve Haines, who
had not allowed an earned run in his seven previous appearances, but
Jed Morris’ third homer of the season, a towering shot to deep
right, cut the WSU lead to 6-5.
In the ninth, the Huskers
put the winning run on first base as Johnson drew a two-out walk before
Cole singled, putting runners on first and second. Haines ended the
Husker threat, striking out Jeff Blevins for the final out, to record
his third save of the season.
Stern and Morris each had
two hits for the Huskers in the losing effort, while four Shockers
had two hits each in the win.
Nebraska returns to action
on Friday, March 23, when the Huskers play host to Missouri in a three-game
conference series. Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:30
p.m.
& 
