The Wildcats, who improved to 15-10 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12, trailed 8-6 before scoring three runs off NU relievers Steve Hale and Waylon Byers, who took the loss to fall to 1-2 on the season. Osmar Castillo’s RBI single put KSU within 8-7 before Maloney, who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, took a 2-1 offering by Byers and belted his eighth homer of the season.

“This is a tough one to take because we did not play well,” Nebraska Coach Dave Van Horn said. “The bottom line is that we should have won that game. We had a two-run lead with six outs to go and we couldn’t do it.”

Kansa State’s comeback thwarted a rally by the Huskers, who came back from a 6-4 deficit with three runs in the seventh and another in the eighth. In the seventh, Jeff Blevins’ two-run double off Kansas State reliever Franco Pezely (4-0) plated Jed Morris and Matt Hopper to knot the score at six before before Blevins, who went 1-for-5 and drove in three runs, eventually scored on a wild pitch.

The Huskers added another run in the eighth, as Will Bolt singled and moved into scoring position on a fielder’s choice. The Husker shortstop then stole third and scored as KSU catcher Jeremy Rogers’ throw went wildly into left field.

The lead would be short-lived, as KSU scored three times in the bottom of the win for its fifth comeback victory of the season. The Huskers, who dropped to 16-8 overall and 6-4 in conference play, have now dropped six of their eight games by one run.

The Huskers, who had won their last 18 Big 12 series openers dating back to March 31, 2000, nearly withstood a rocky outing from All-American Shane Komine, who was not involved in the decision. The Husker right-hander, who entered the contest with a 5-0 record and a 1.17 ERA, allowed six runs on five hits in five innings. He struck out five, but walked a season-high four and hit another in his shortest outing since going six innings in the season opener.

NU got out of the box quickly, scoring three runs off KSU starter Ross Hawley. After consecutive walks to Jeff Leise and Drew Anderson, Morris, who had two of Nebraska’s six hits, gave the visitors a 1-0 lead with an RBI single up the middle. Two batters later, Anderson scored on Blevins’ grounder to second before Justin Seely delivered an RBI single that scored Morris for NU’s third run of the frame.

After Kansas State scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the first, Nebraska pushed the lead to 4-2 in the second on an RBI single by Anderson that scored third baseman Brandon Eymann. Hawley, who allowed six runs on four hits, but walked seven, then settled down and did not allow a run until the seventh.

The hosts would come back in the bottom of the frame, using a run-scoring single by Maloney and a fielder’s choice RBI by Travis Doty to tie the score at four.

KSU took its first lead in the fourth on Maloney’s second hit of the afternoon, a RBI single to left center scored Brett Williams to give the Wildcats a 5-4 lead. Ty Soto gave the hosts a two-run cushion one inning later, as he lofted a two-run homer to right for his first homer of the season off Komine.

Hale came in the sixth and pitched well, holding KSU off the scoreboard until the eighth, when Brad Anzman, who came around on Castillo’s RBI single off Byers two batters later, led off the frame with a pinch-hit single up the middle.

The Huskers and Wildcats continue the series Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Southpaw Jamie Rodrigue (4-0, 1.44 ERA) will take the hill against KSU left-hander Brock Smith (1-2, 4.82 ERA) and the game will be broadcast on the Pinnacle Sports Network.

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.