LINCOLN, Neb. – The Columbia baseball team picked up its first win of the season, topping Nebraska 3-2 in game two of a double-header Saturday. The Cornhuskers rallied for a 7-3 triumph in the opener in game one.
The Lions (1-6) will look for a series split against Nebraska (4-8) Sunday, March 8 at 1 p.m. (ET). The game can be seen live on BTN+.
GAME 1 | Nebraska 7, Columbia 3
The Lions received three hits out of junior
Josh Nicoloff in the opener and led 3-0 before a five-run sixth inning gave the Cornhuskers the come-from-behind victory.
Senior
Dan Harrington (0-1) took the loss on the mound for Columbia. Junior
Tim Post started the ballgame and went 3.2 shutout innings before exiting with an injury. Post allowed four hits with a pair of strikeouts.
In addition to his three hits, Nicoloff had a home run and an RBI to lead the Lions. Sophomore
Joshua Solomon put together a noteworthy effort as well, going 1-for-3 with a double, walk and an RBI. Senior
Liam McGill also contributed for Columbia, putting together one hit in two trips to the plate while adding a double and two walks.
The Lions got the scoring started early thanks to Solomon's RBI double with two outs to bring home
Julian Bury.
The Lions then held the Cornhuskers scoreless before expanding their lead in the third inning. Columbia picked up a run on Nicoloff's leadoff home run off of sophomore Colby Gomes, which doubled its lead.
Jack Chernow added a sac fly in the fourth for the Lions' third and final run of the day.
Nebraska broke up the shutout bid in the fifth when Cam Chick singled through the right side in the fifth, and exploded in the sixth. The first seven Husker batters reached base and took the lead for good on Jackson Hallmark's double down the leftfield line. Nebraska added two more in the frame and capped the scoring on a productive out from Hallmark.
GAME 2 | Columbia 3, Nebraska 2
First-year
Nate Beimel (1-0) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Columbia. The southpaw went four innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on five hits, allowing one walk and striking out two. Sophomore
Will Geerdes also made an impact on the mound for the Lions, starting the ballgame and throwing five shutout innings while allowing one hit, with two walks and six strikeouts.
Offensively, the Lions were led by Solomon, who went 1-for-4 with a home run and RBI. Sophomore
Tyler MacGregor compiled a standout day at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. McGill also helped out, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding an RBI.
The Lions fell behind 1-0 in the seventh inning when Nebraska's Cam Chick was hit by a pitch and advance to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Spencer Schwellenbach followed with a base-hit to right to bring in the first run of the contest.
Solomon evened things with a one swing of the bat, tucking his third home run of the season inside the foul pole in left off sophomore Cade Povich.
The Cornhuskers regained their advantage in the seventh on Joe Acker's solo shot, but the Lions responded in the top of the eighth.
Julian Bury began the rally with an infield single and Nicoloff won a nine-pitch battle with reliever Braxton Bragg to put runners on the corners. MacGregor was the next batter brought in the tying run. McGill plated the go-ahead score with a hard comebacker off the glove to put the Lions in front, 3-2.
Nebraska threatened in the bottom of the frame, placing runners on first and second with one out, before Beimel induced a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the jam. In the ninth, the Huskers brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs, but
Weston Eberly ended the game with a pickoff of the runner on first.
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