OMAHA, Neb.—Cade Thompson’s single to right field in the 12th inning drove home what proved to be the game-winning run Tuesday night as Nebraska edged Creighton 4-3 at Rosenblatt Stadium.
The win gave the Cornhuskers (18-21-1) something to smile about in a season that hasn’t been much fun. They came into the game off losses in 14 of their previous 16 games, and Creighton (21-18) had beaten them 15-0 in an April 7 meeting in Lincoln.
The crowd of 4,071 was smaller than usual for NU-CU games at Rosenblatt, and the fan loyalties appeared to be split down the middle.
Huskers coach Mike Anderson said evening the season series with the Bluejays at a game apiece didn’t ease the sting of the lopsided loss two weeks ago.
“Obviously not,” Anderson said. “We’ll remember that they scored 15 on us in a game, just like they remember we scored 13 on them (last year).”
Creighton coach Ed Servais said the game shouldn’t have come down to the final inning.
“We did have some opportunities early with guys on second base,” Servais said. “We’ve got to be able to swing the bats better. We had very little energy at the plate tonight.”
Nebraska got a career-long 9 1-3 innings out of starter Erik Bird, who gave up just one run on six hits. Michael Mariot (2-2) got the win after pitching the final 2 2-3 innings.
Anderson said he felt bad about pulling Bird with one out in the 10th.
“I would have let him go if I could have,” he said. “I told him I’m proud of him, but I am more happy for him than anything.”
Bird said he understood why he was pulled.
“I did kind of want to stay,” he said. “I wasn’t surprised, and I wasn’t upset.”
After a quick four innings with neither team mounting a serious threat, NU finally broke the scoreless tie with a run in the top of the fifth on an Adam Bailey single.
Creighton responded with a run in its half of the fifth on a two-out single by Elliot Soto that scored Robbie Knight. Soto extended his hitting streak to 19 games.
It remained 1-1 until the 12th, when the teams combined for five runs.
NU started its go-ahead surge with a one-out double by Cody Neer. Jeff Tezak greeted Bob Lackovic (4-1) with a double off the left-field wall, scoring Neer.
Kyle Bubak beat out a bunt, but CU third baseman Jimmy Swift’s throw got under first baseman Darin Ruf’s glove, allowing Tezak to score. Thompson drove in Bubak with a single before CU retired the Huskers.
Creighton charged back with a two-out, two-run double by Knight that cut the NU lead to 4-3.
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