Josh Caron went 3-for-4 and drove in a career-high five runs, leading the Huskers to a 7-6 win vs. Nicholls in the series opener at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park on Friday night.

Nebraska (11-5) totaled seven runs on 11 hits with an error, while Nicholls (17-4) tallied six runs on eight hits.

Caron tied a career-high with five RBI, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and home run. Rhett Stokes joined Caron in going 3-for-4, recording his fourth three-hit game in his last six contests. Cayden Brumbaugh walked four times, the most by a Husker in a single game since Cam Chick in 2022.

Riley Silva added a pair of hits from the No. 2 spot, while Dylan Carey and Cole Evans each drove in a run. Joshua Overbeek made his first start at Haymarket Park, reaching base in two of his five plate appearances.

Drew Christo allowed two runs, one earned, in a five-inning start on Friday. The junior struck out four and surrendered four hits across five frames. Tucker Timmerman allowed three runs over 1.1 innings while Evan Borst improved to 2-0, allowing an earned run across 0.2 innings.

Kyle Perry (0.1 IP) and Mason McConnaughey (0.2 IP) combined to pitch a shutout eighth frame, while Casey Daiss recorded his team-leading fourth save with a scoreless final inning.

Christo worked around a single in each of the first two innings and hung consecutive scoreless frames in the third and fourth to send a scoreless game into the bottom of the fourth.

The Huskers plated the game’s first three runs on a pair of hits in the fourth to jump ahead 3-0. Overbeek led off with a single, followed by full-count walk to Evans to place runners on first and second with no outs. The Big Red grabbed a three-run lead after Caron drilled his fifth homer of the season to right field.

Nicholls responded quickly by getting two of the runs back off two hits and an NU error. A one-out double down the left-field line set up Basiel Williams’ RBI single to right to cut the Husker lead to 3-1. The Colonels climbed within one after a muffed catch on a routine fly ball to right with two outs.

Stokes began the bottom of the fifth with a single up the middle, and Silva reached on a bunt single to put runners on first and second with one out. The Huskers loaded the bases after a walk to Overbeek on a 3-1 count. Evans brought home Stokes on a sacrifice fly to right to stretch the lead to 4-2 through five innings.

Timmerman tossed a scoreless sixth inning after issuing a one-out walk to maintain the two-run advantage for the Big Red.

The NU offense scored for the third consecutive inning to expand the lead to 5-2 for the Huskers in the sixth. Caron opened the inning with a double down the left-field line and moved to third on Garrett Anglim’s sacrifice bunt. Carey lined a 1-1 pitch through the left side to score Caron on an RBI single.

Nicholls fought back with three runs on two hits in the seventh to lock the game at five. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs, while Gerardo Villarreal smacked a sacrifice fly to left to bring the visitors within 5-3. Jaden Collura’s pinch-hit two-RBI double down the left-field line tied the game back up at five.

Nebraska scratched across a run for the fourth straight inning, as the Huskers touched home twice to retake the lead at 7-5. The Big Red had the bases loaded with no outs after a walk to Brumbaugh, Silva’s single and a hit by pitch to Overbeek.

Following consecutive outs, Caron lined a two-RBI single back up the middle for his fourth and fifth RBI of the night to score Brumbaugh and Silva and give the Big Red a 7-5 advantage after seven innings.

The Colonels plated a run in the eighth to trim the NU lead in half. Two walks and a single through the left side created a bases loaded situation with two outs for Nicholls. McConnaughey induced a swinging strikeout with two outs, but a wild pitch allowed the runners to advance and make it a one-run game.

A leadoff single brought out Daiss from the bullpen, who forced a fielder’s choice and a game-ending double play to secure the Huskers' 11th win of the season.

Nebraska and Nicholls continue the weekend series tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park. Saturday’s matchup can be seen on B1G+, while fans can listen to Greg Sharpe and Ben McLaughlin call the action on the Huskers Radio Network.

HUSKERS REGISTER SEASON AND CAREER HIGHS AT ARKANSAS

Despite falling to the No. 12 Arkansas Razorbacks, 198.100-197.375, the Nebraska women’s gymnastics team enjoyed numerous season and career records on Friday night at the Bud Walton Arena. 

NU’s team score of 197.375 is its highest of the season, and its third straight over 197.000, marking the first time since 2003 that the Huskers have surpassed the 197.000 mark in three consecutive meets. The Big Red also posted season-high team scores on vault (49.375) and beam (49.400).

Emma Spence claimed the all-around title with a 39.650 that tied her career high. Csenge Bácskay, Spence and Sophia McClelland all tied for the beam title with a 9.900 each. 

Six different Huskers either posted new or tied career highs on Friday – Isabel Sikon on vault (9.875) and beam (9.875), Spence in the all-around (39.650) and floor (9.950), Ayzhia Hall on vault (9.900), Whitney Jencks on floor (9.875), McClelland on floor (9.925) and Bácskay on beam (9.900). 

Rotation One
The Big Red posted a 49.250 on bars to begin the evening, led by a 9.875 apiece by Spence and Kinsey Davis. Clara Colombo followed them with a 9.850, and Bácskay and Jencks each scored a 9.825. Emma Simpton rounded out the lineup with a 9.300. 

Rotation Two
Nebraska competed on the vault next, notching a season-high 49.375. Spence led the team with an impressive 9.925, and Hall earned a career-high 9.900. Sikon scored a 9.875 to mark a career best, while Martina Comin posted a 9.850. Bácskay (9.825) and Davis (9.800) finished out the rotation.

Rotation Three
The Huskers continued strong on the floor, scoring a 49.350 as a team. Spence led NU with a 9.950 that tied her career high. McClelland notched a 9.925, which tied her career high. Jencks and Comin each earned a 9.875, with Jencks’ marking a new personal best. Halle Rourke (9.725) and Bácskay (9.150) rounded out the lineup.

Rotation Four
The Big Red concluded the evening by posting a strong 49.400 on beam that tied its season high. Bácskay, Spence and McClelland each earned a 9.900 – Bácskay’s was a career best and Spence’s was a season high. Sikon scored a 9.875 that tied her career high, and Hall (9.825) and Allie Gard (9.800) rounded out the rotation.

Up Next
NU will kick off the postseason by traveling to East Lansing, Mich., to take part in the Big Ten Championships. The Huskers will compete in Session 1, which starts at 11 a.m. (CT) at the Jenison Field House. It will be streamed live on the Big Ten Network.

BLAND'S WALK-OFF BLAST POWERS NU TO 11-10 WIN

Samantha Bland hit a walk-off two-run homer to cap the Nebraska softball team's 11-10 come-from-behind victory over North Dakota Friday night at Bowlin Stadium.

Nebraska trailed 4-0 after a half inning of play, 7-3 after an inning and a half and 10-7 after three-and-half innings but rallied to win on a walk-off hit for the second night in a row.

The Huskers' first lead of the game came when Bland hit a 2-2 pitch over the wall in center to lift Nebraska (14-12) the victory.

The homer capped a terrific night for Bland. The freshman went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs while scoring a pair of runs. She set a career high in hits and matched her career high in doubles.

Billie Andrews also had multiple hits and RBIs for the Big Red, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Ava Bredwell was 2-for-4, scored twice and drove in a run. Sydney Gray and Caitlynn Neal also scored a pair of runs for the Huskers, while Brooke Andrews, Malia Thoms and Mckinley Malecha each had one RBI.

In the circle, Kaylin Kinney started the game and then re-entered to earn the win in relief. Kinney (9-7) allowed six runs on 4.1 innings in the game, but she did not allow a run and struck out four over the final 3.1 innings. Caitlin Olensky was charged with four runs in 2.2 innings of relief.

Makaela Carr (3-7) took the loss for North Dakota (5-25), allowing four runs in 3.2 relief innings.

North Dakota grabbed a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. The inning was aided by a hit batter and three walks, two of which came with the bases loaded.

Nebraska got three runs back in the bottom of the first. Billie Andrews began the inning with a walk and Gray also walked with one out. Bredwell followed with an RBI single to put the Huskers on the board. Bland then hit an RBI double to score Gray and cut the deficit to 4-2. An error loaded the bases before a passed ball made it a one-run game.

The Fighting Hawks then added three more runs in the top of the second to take a 7-3 lead. The inning began with a solo home run before back-to-back singles. A pair of one-out RBI singles stretched the lead to four before Olensky came on and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

Nebraska came back to tie the game with a four-run third inning. Bredwell and Bland began the inning with singles before Katelyn Caneda walked to load the bases. Thoms then lined an RBI single to center that made it a 7-4 game. After North Dakota recorded the first out of the inning at home plate, an RBI ground out from Malecha cut the Fighting Hawk lead to 7-5. Billie Andrews then tied the game with a two-run single up the middle.

North Dakota answered with three runs in the top of the fourth. All three runs scored with two outs on an RBI single and a two-run double.

Nebraska came back with two runs in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead to 10-9. Bland led off with a double before the next two batters were retired. Neal then singled to score Bland and make it a two-run game. Pinch hitter Peyton Cody followed with a walk and Billie Andrews was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brooke Andrews then drew a bases-loaded walk to trim the lead to one but the Huskers left the bases loaded.

Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings. After a scoreless top of the seventh, Gray drew a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh. Two batters later, Bland hit her walk-off home run.

Nebraska returns to action on Saturday when the Huskers host Creighton at 4:30 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium.

Post-Game Notes

• The Huskers won for just the sixth time in school history - and for the first time since the 2017 season - when allowing 10 or more runs.
• Nebraska won on a walk-off hit for the second straight night after Alina Felix had a walk-off single against Northern Colorado on Thursday.
• The Huskers played 10 innings on Thursday and seven innings on Friday, and the only lead Nebraska had in either game was on the final play of the game both days.
• Samantha Bland went 4-for-5 with two runs, two doubles and a home run. Her four hits were a career high and her two runs, two doubles and one home run tied her career high.
• Malia Thoms started as the Huskers' designated player, her first career start. She added a hit and her first career RBI in the game.
• Blillie Andrews went 2-for-3 with a walk to extend her streak to 21 consecutive games reaching base safely.

BIG RED BATTLE TO THE END AT UCSB, FALL 3-4

Santa Barbara, Calif. -  The #58 Nebraska men’s tennis team (10-5, 0-0 Big Ten) battled until the end, but fell at #47 UCSB (8-5, 0-0 Big West) on Friday afternoon. Despite two doubles victories and two singles wins, the Huskers were defeated by the Gauchos, 3-4, in the close matchup.

The match against the Gauchos began with doubles play at the Arnhold Tennis Center. On Court One, Anton Shepp and Nic Wiedenhorn faced nationally ranked UCSB duo #42 Gianluca Brunkow and Pablo Masjuan. The No. 1 slot matchup stayed close until 4-4, when the Gauchos pulled ahead and sealed the deal, 6-4. Court Two finished just seconds later, after Calvin Mueller and Lars Johann completed a massive comeback. The NU duo was done 0-2 to start, and took six-straight games to win the set and match against Kai Brady and Lucca Liu. With doubles matches split, the point came down to Court Three. Shunya Maruyama and Nikolay Sysoev were down late in the set at 5-6, but pushed UCSB’s Conrad Brown and Luka Mrsic into a set tiebreak. The Gauchos led for most of the tiebreak, but Mauryama and Sysoev rallied and came out on top, 7-6(5), clinching the doubles point for NU.

In singles, Johann got an early lead on Court Four. Johann cashed in, and claimed a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Brady, to put the match score at NEB 2, UCSB 0. Shepp was the next to finish, matched up against nationally ranked #37 Pablo Masjuan. The first set on Court One was tight, but Shepp fell 5-7. Masjuan ran with the second set, and defeated Shepp, 7-5, 6-2. Roni Hietaranta competed for the Big Red in the No. 5 singles slot, to face Mrsic. Hietaranta dominated the first set, winning 6-3. Mrsic bounced back in the second set, and defeated Hietaranta with a comeback to take the match 3-6, 6-1, 6-1. Maruyama competed on Court Four, and rallied his way to victory over Liu. Liu took the first set 7-5, but Maruyama bounced back and took the match 5-7, 6-1, 6-4. Mueller was next to finish, playing the No. 2 singles slot against Brunkow. Mueller took the first set in a tiebreaker, 7-6(5), and rallied but fell after strong second and third sets from Brunkow. With the match tied at 3-3, the win came down to Court Six. Sysoev faced Brown, and found a tight match. Sysoev pushed Brown to two set tiebreaks, taking one and dropping the other. Brown came out on top, with a 6(5)-7, 6-4, 7-6(2), victory to secure the Gaucho win.

Despite the loss, the Huskers’ spring record of 10-5, remains the best program start since 2016. No. 3 doubles duo Maruyama and Sysoev partnered for their 10th time, and improved to 4-0 in the spring season with their 7-6(5) win. Maruyama’s spring singles record improved to 10-3. Mueller and Johann in the No. 2 doubles slot improved their record to 8-3. The match was NU’s fourth ranked matchup, and second loss to a ranked team. The loss marked the end of a four-match win-streak for the Huskers, and was also their last match before beginning conference competition.

Up next, the Huskers begin Big Ten conference play in East Lansing, Mich. NU will take on #23 Michigan State on Friday, March 22. The match is set to start at 6 p.m. (CT) and will have both live stream and live stats available.

Stay tuned to the Husker Men’s Tennis social media channels to keep up with match updates and content as available.

#58 Nebraska 3, #47 UCSB 4
 
Singles competition: 
1. #37 Pablo Masjuan (UCSB) def. #120 Anton Shepp (NEB), 7-5, 6-2 
2. Gianluca Brunkow (UCSB) def. Calvin Mueller (NEB), 6(5)-7, 6-4, 6-3 
3. Shunya Maruyama (NEB) def. Lucca Liu (UCSB), 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 
4. Lars Johann (NEB) def. Kai Brady (UCSB), 6-4, 6-3 
5. Luka Mrsic (UCSB) def. Roni Hietaranta (NEB) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 
6. Conrad Brown (UCSB) def. Nikolay Sysoev (NEB), 6(5)-7, 6-4, 7-6(2) 
 
Doubles competition: 
1. #42 Pablo Masjuan/Gianluca Brunkow (UCSB) def. Anton Shepp/Nic Wiedenhorn (NEB), 6-4 
2. Calvin Mueller/Lars Johann (NEB) def. Kai Brady/Lucca Liu (UCSB), 6-2 
3. Shunya Maruyama/Nikolay Sysoev (NEB) def. Luka Mrsic/Conrad Brown (UCSB), 7-6(5)

HUSKERS FALL TO PEPPERDINE, CSUN

The Nebraska beach volleyball team fell to Pepperdine, 5-0, and to CSUN, 3-2, on Friday in Long Beach, Calif. 

The Huskers dropped to 16-9 overall and will face Texas (11 a.m. CT) and No. 7 Long Beach State (Noon CT) on Saturday to finish out the beach season. 

In the match against CSUN, Olivia Mauch and Harper Murray won their No. 3 match, 21-17, 19-21, 15-9. Laney Choboy and Skyler Pierce were also winners, 16-21, 21-17, 16-14, in their No. 4 match. 

Pepperdine 5, Nebraska 0
1. Curry, Chase/Clermont, Kate (PEP) def. Batenhorst, Ally/Reilly, Bergen (NEB) 20-22, 21-18, 15-10
2. Oriskovich, Madison/Briede, Kristine (PEP) def. Rodriguez, Lexi/Krause, Lindsay (NEB) 21-14, 21-16
3. Perez, Gabriella/Svobodova, Sarlota (PEP) def. Murray, Harper/Mauch, Olivia (NEB) 21-19, 21-18
4. Pedersen, Gracie/Meyers, Kaydon (PEP) def. Choboy, Laney/Pierce, Skyler (NEB) 21-15, 21-12
5. Erickson, Emi/McNabney, Maya (PEP) def. Boesiger, Maisie/Jackson, Andi (NEB) 21-17, 21-19

CSUN 3, Nebraska 2
1. Brown, MayaMay/Griego, Gabriela (CSUN) def. Reilly, Bergen/Batenhorst, Ally (NEB) 21-13, 22-20
2. Eknoian, Lauren/Mae, Tasha (CSUN) def. Rodriguez, Lexi/Krause, Lindsay (NEB) 21-12, 21-18
3. Murray, Harper/Mauch, Olivia (NEB) def. Miles, Maleya/Lindhardt, Kinley (CSUN) 21-17, 19-21, 15-9
4. Pierce, Skyler/Choboy, Laney (NEB) def. Julia Bazylevych/Rodig, Jillian (CSUN) 16-21, 21-17, 16-14
5. Buckley, Taylor/Sweeting, Abbey (CSUN) def. Boesiger, Maisie/Jackson, Andi (NEB) 21-16, 21-12