Nebraska matched its season high in runs for the third time this season in a 16-4 thrashing of Maryland in seven innings on Sunday afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.
Nebraska (25-12, 8-4 Big Ten) totaled 16 runs on 16 hits, while Maryland (25-16, 6-9 Big Ten) had four runs on six hits and four errors.
Cayden Brumbaugh fell a homer away from the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, three RBI and three runs scored. Tyler Stone had a 3-for-5 afternoon with a home run and two RBI. Riley Silva drove in three runs and tallied two hits, while Cole Evans and Joshua Overbeek recorded two hits apiece. Ben Columbus, Garrett Anglim, Case Sanderson and Dylan Carey tallied a hit each.
Will Walsh improved to 4-2 on the season in a 5.1-inning performance, becoming the first NU pitcher to go five-plus innings in a start on Sunday. Walsh allowed four runs on six hits and struck out seven Terrapins across 5.1 innings.
Kyle Froehlich tossed 0.2 innings in relief, recording a pair of strikeouts along the way. Kyle Perry pitched a shutout inning in the seventh to close out the run-rule victory.
The Huskers wasted no time jumping on the Terrapins on Sunday, as Stone drilled a 381-foot two-run homer down the right-field line to give the Big Red a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.
A solo homer in the top of the second trimmed the NU lead in half, before the Husker offense tacked on a trio of runs on three hits and a Terrapin error to extend the lead to 5-1 through two. Sanderson drew a full-count walk, while Evans blooped a first-pitch single to right to place runners on first and third with no outs.
Sanderson scored via a passed ball on a play where Carey struck out, Evans stole second and then advanced to third on an error from the Maryland pitcher receiving the baseball. Back-to-back RBI singles from Brumbaugh and Silva gave the Huskers a four-run advantage.
Nebraska piled on five runs with seven hits and a couple errors from the Terrapins to grow the lead to 10-1 in the fourth. Five straight hits to start the inning had the Huskers out front by eight. Carey led off the inning and scored on a play where Overbeek reached on a bunt single and took second after a wild throw from the Terrapins.
Brumbaugh followed Overbeek with an RBI triple down the left-field line, while an infield RBI single by Silva plated Brumbaugh. Silva took second on the play after an errant throw by the Terps, and Columbus continued the hitting parade for the NU offense with an RBI single to right to score Silva.
Maryland finally recorded an out after five straight hits from the NU offense. A two-out double to left-center by Sanderson placed runners on second and third, while Evans singled deep into the hole at shortstop for an RBI single to bring home Columbus.
Walsh sat down the Terrapins in order in the fifth, before Brumbaugh’s RBI double to left expanded the lead 10 for the Big Red.
The Terrapin offense came to life in the top of the sixth with four hits, including a trio of RBI singles to make it a seven-run game heading into the bottom of the sixth.
The Huskers answered with five more runs on two hits and error to enlarge the lead to 16-4. Caron opened the inning with a hit by pitch, while four straight walks from the Maryland pitching staff kept the bases loaded for the NU offense and added two more runs.
Silva lifted an 0-1 pitch to left for a sacrifice fly to score Evans. A wild throw from the Terps on the sacrifice fly moved runners to second and third on the play, setting up Anglim’s two-RBI single to left field to make it a 16-4 game through six innings.
Perry took the mound in the seventh and retired the Terrapins in order to preserve the 16-4 run-rule win for the Huskers.
Nebraska continues its homestand this week, welcoming Kansas to Hawks Field at Haymarket Park on Tuesday, April 23. First pitch between the Huskers and Jayhawks is set for 6:05 p.m.
