Nebraska Delivers Late Blow on Saturday Night

Saturday, May 11

Lincoln, Neb.

7:05 PM

Indiana University

28-20-1, 0

Nebraska

31-18, 0

Indiana

Nebraska

5/11/2024 11:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

LINCOLN, Neb. – In a series that's felt like a heavyweight fight, Nebraska punched back on Saturday (May 11) night to even the series with a 5-2, 10-inning walk-off victory at Haymarket Field in Lincoln, Neb. The Cornhuskers got two on in the 10th via a double and an intentional walk. Junior reliver Julian Tonghini struck out the ensuing two batters but hung a breaking ball to Cole Evans who hit a walk-off three-run home run.

Sophomore outfielder Devin Taylor hit a leadoff home run for the second-consecutive game but that was all of IU's offense until the eighth inning. The Hoosiers had trouble hitting Nebraska starter Mason McConnaughey who went a season-best 7.1 innings while allowing just two runs. Sophomore shortstop Tyler Cerny had an RBI-double to chase him in the eighth but IU couldn't get anything on reliver Caleb Clark.

Tonight's contest was just the second extra-inning affair this season for the Hoosiers. IU went 12 innings with Ball State in a game that was called due to darkness. It's the second time IU has been walked off in Big Ten play (4/7 at Maryland).

The two teams return in quick fashion to the diamond for a 12:00 PM ET/11:00 AM CT first pitch on Mother's Day at Hawks Field. Junior left-hander Ryan Kraft, who threw just three pitches tonight, will open the game on the mound for IU. The game will be carried nationally on the Big Ten Network.

Scoring Recap
Top First
Devin Taylor, for the second-straight game, led off the contest with a home run. He hit a solo shot to left field to open the scoring.
Indiana 1, Nebraska 0

Bottom Sixth
Tyler Stone leveled the game in the sixth, reaching out to take a pitch from Drew Buhr over the fence in right field.
Indiana 1, Nebraska 1

Bottom Seventh
The Huskers jumped on Buhr again in the seventh with a solo home run from Dylan Carey.
Nebraska 2, Indiana 1

Top Eighth
IU quickly responded in the eighth. Tyler Cerny doubled off the center-field wall to score Josh Pyne. With two runners in scoring position and just one out, the Hoosiers failed to bring any other runs around to score.
Indiana 2, Nebraska 2

Bottom Tenth
With runners on via a double and an intentional walk, Julian Tonghini got two-consecutive batters to swing and miss on strike three. The very next pitch, he hung a breaking ball that was smoked out to center field for a three-run walk-off home run.
Nebraska 5, Indiana 2

Top Hoosier Performers
#3 Mathison, Carter
1-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI

#44 Stadler, Jake
2-4

#14 Foley, Connor
5.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 8 K

Notes to Know
• Tonight's loss was the first Saturday defeat in Big Ten play of the season. IU is now 6-1 in Saturday games in conference play. It was also just the second loss in a game that sophomore right-hander Connor Foley started.

• Devin Taylor hit a leadoff home run for the second-straight night. He has 14 home runs on the season and 30 for his career, just the second player (Alex Dickerson, 38, 2009-10) in program history to hit 30 home runs in his first two years of college baseball.

• Tyler Cerny recorded his 20th double of the season. He and junior third baseman Josh Pyne (20) are the only duo in the Big Ten each with 20+ doubles on the year. Michigan's Mitch Voit (20) is tied for the conference lead with the Hoosier pairing.

Up Next
A massive rubber match awaits the Hoosiers and Huskers on Sunday afternoon at Haymarket Park. The game, with a first pitch of 12:00 PM ET, will be live on Big Ten Network and can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.