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The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns, coming off their thrilling midweek win over Texas Southern, were looking for a Top 25 win by welcoming the Cornhuskers of Nebraska to town for a three-game series. The Cornhuskers jumped out to a 4-1 lead before adding a pair more thanks largely to four Louisiana errors in a 6-1 victory for Nebraska.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Cayden Brambaugh got things rolling for the Cornhuskers early with a single. Two batters later, Dylan Carey got runners on the corners with just one out for Case Sanderson, who got an RBI single to left center, but a throwing error allowed Carey to score as well and make it an early 2-0 lead for Nebraska.
Louisiana got half of it back on a Lee Amedee solo home run to right field in the second inning.
However, Nebraska got the two-run lead again on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly from Hogan Helligso that scored Max Buettenback to make it 3-1. Later in the inning, Brumbaugh legged out a single that scored Jesske to make it 4-1 Cornhuskers.
Nebraska threatened further in the sixth with two runners on and one out, but relief pitcher Parker Dillhoff induced a ground ball that resulted in the first double play of the season to get out of the frame.
Jesske led off the eighth with a double and advanced to third on a groundout before scoring on an error from Amedee at second base to make it 5-1 Nebraska. After loading the bases, a sacrifice fly from Carey scored another run to extend the lead again at 6-1.
Jose Torres singled in the bottom of the eighth for the Cajuns before advancing to third on back-to-back groundouts. Then, a called strike three left Torres 90 feet from home to end the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth and trailing by five runs, Louisiana got their leadoff batter on base as Trip Dobson walked, but the Cajuns couldn’t make anything happen in a 6-1 final.
BIG NUMBER: 4
Louisiana committed four errors on the night leading to Nebraska’s extra opportunities to scratch across six runs in the contest.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Mason McConnaughey
Nebraska’s Friday night starter went six complete innings and gave up just four hits and one run while striking out six Cajuns.
UP NEXT: Louisiana and Nebraska will play in a doubleheader at M.L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park with first pitch of Game 1 taking place at 1:00 p.m.