Story by NU Athletic Communication
Nebraska fell 7-1 to USC in the rubber match of the weekend series on Sunday afternoon at Great Park in Irvine, Calif.
Nebraska (10-13, 2-7 Big Ten) scored one run on seven hits and two errors, while USC (14-9, 4-5 Big Ten) totaled seven runs and 11 hits.
Case Sanderson and Dylan Carey led the Big Red at the plate with two hits apiece. Gabe Swansen recorded a double, while Robby Bolin and Will Jesske had one hit each.
Jackson Brockett fell to 0-2 on the season after surrendering four runs, two earned, on six hits and a walk across 3.2 innings. Gavin Blachowicz allowed two runs on three hits across 1.1 innings of work, while Pryce Bender tossed two frames, giving up one run on two hits. Jalen Worthley worked a scoreless eighth inning to conclude the action for the NU pitching staff.
The Trojans scored runs in the first two innings to jump out front 2-0. A misread fly ball fell for a one-out double in the bottom of the first, before an RBI single through the right side broke the scoreless tie.
A one-out single, followed by a fielder’s choice, had a runner on first with two outs for USC in the bottom of the second. The lead doubled to two for the Trojans with an RBI double down the left-field line.
USC capitalized on a one-out throwing error from the Huskers to grow the lead to four in the bottom of the third. A single through the left side and a groundout to first placed runners on and second and third with two outs, setting the table for Richard Tejeda’s two-RBI single to the right-center gap that gave the Trojans a 4-0 advantage.
The NU offense threatened in the top of the fifth when singles by Jesske and Sanderson had runners on first and third with two outs, but the Big Red couldn’t plate their first run and cut into the deficit.
Back-to-back solo homers over the left-field fence to open the bottom of the sixth extended the Trojans’ lead to six, while a one-out solo homer in the bottom of the seventh had USC out front 7-0 through seven innings.
The Huskers plated their lone run of the afternoon in the top of the eighth inning. Riley Silva was plunked to begin the frame, and Sanderson singled through the right side to put runners on first and third with no outs.
Brumbaugh lifted an 0-1 pitch to center field for a sacrifice fly, allowing Silva to come home from third and make it a 7-1 game.
The Big Red had runners on second and third with no outs in the ninth after consecutive hits from Carey and Swansen, but the next three Huskers were retired in order to preserve USC’s 7-1 win on Sunday.
Nebraska travels to Manhattan, Kan., for a midweek matchup at Kansas State on Tuesday, March 25. First pitch between the Huskers and Wildcats is set for 6 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium on ESPN+.