HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkats split a doubleheader with defending Big 10 champion Nebraska on Saturday, taking Game 1 before an early hole was too much to overcome in the nightcap at Don Sanders Stadium.
The Kats (2-1) and Huskers (1-2) will conclude the 4-game series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at The Don. The game can be followed via Statbroadcast or heard live on KSHU 90.5 FM.
Game 1
Sam Houston 5, Nebraska 1 (7 innings)
Coltin Atkinson was on his game in his season debut, showing why he was a preseason all-WAC choice with a stellar start against the Cornhuskers.
The Porter native gave up an unearned run in the second inning before blanking the Huskers for the next four frames before
Lance Lusk picked up a shutout seventh for the win in the 7-inning affair.
Atkinson finished with seven punchouts and walked just one, while allowing only four hits in his 6.0 innings of work on his way to his first win of the year.
The Huskers took an early lead on an RBI single from Luke Sartori, but an inning later RBI from
Clayton Chadwick,
Tyler Davis,
Easton Loyd and
Trent Touchet put the Kats out in front for good. Sam Houston would add an insurance run in the fifth on a 2-out RBI single to score
Justin Wishkoski who had led off the inning with a triple
Sam Houston finished with eight hits in the game with Wishkoski scoring twice, helping hand the loss to Husker starter Shay Schanaman who struck out four, but allowed five runs in just 4.0 frames.
Game 2
Nebraska 12, Sam Houston 9
The Cornhuskers scored nine runs in the first two innings, and despite a valiant effort by the Bearkat bullpen, rode that early explosion to the Game 2 win.
Nebraska touched up SHSU starter
Matt Rudis for eight of those runs before
Logan Hewitt ame in and went the next 4.0 frames, striking out five and not walking a batter while allowing two runs of his own.
Rudis was saddled with the loss, while Nebraska reliever Mason Ornelas got the win in relief of starter Dawson McCarville.
Touchet led the offensive output with a 2-for-4 game that included a walk and a 2-run homer in the ninth inning. Wishkoski finished with three hits of his own, while
Luke Repka had a 2-run double in the eighth as the Kats scored six times in the final two frames to make things interesting.
