OMAHA, Neb. (April 28, 2013) - Senior Charlie Law (Mainland, N.J.) was effective in his 11th start of the season on the mound, but Rutgers baseball could not muster enough offense in a 3-1 defeat to Nebraska Sunday at TD Ameritrade Park. The game was part of the TD Ameritrade Classic at the site of the annual College World Series.
The contest against the Huskers, a member of the Big Ten, lasted 2:02 and was played with temperatures in the low 70s. Both teams will be in the same league in 2015.
Law (3-5) surrendered eight hits and three runs over six innings to suffer the hard-luck loss, picking up one strikeout. The right-hander induced 11 groundouts, as the defense played errorless ball in support.
The Huskers (20-23) scored their three runs on three hits to take an early advantage in the second inning that proved to be the difference. The first tally plated on a double from Blake Headley with the runner in motion from first, followed by an RBI single from Austin Darby. After the second out was recorded, Tanner Lubach hit a single through the left side to knock in the third run.
In the fifth, senior Bill Hoermann (Toms River, N.J.) lined an opposite field single with two outs to bring home classmate Jeff Melillo (Annandale, N.J.) for the RU run. Melillo had doubled to left-center to start the inning, his 10th of the season.
Freshman Howie Brey (Middletown, N.J.) pitched two scoreless frames on two strikeouts in relief to keep the game within striking distance, but RU could not put together a rally in the later innings. Dylan Vogt earned his seven save of the season for the Huskers.
Kyle Kubat (3-0) picked up the win for Nebraska, working a career-high eight innings with four hits and one run allowed. Headley and Austin both had a game-high two hits.
The Scarlet Knights (20-22) will continue its non-conference stretch with a road game at Hofstra Tuesday at 3 p.m. The next BIG EAST series will start Friday at Bainton Field against Connecticut.
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