LINCOLN, Neb. --- UC Irvine was unable to rebound from a loss earlier today and dropped the series after posting a 7-4 loss Saturday in the second game of the doubleheader against Nebraska at Haymarket Park.
A three-run seventh would give Nebraska the lead for good and UCI would be held to four runs for the second time in the day.
Evan Brock gave the 'Eaters a solid start, holding the 'Huskers to two runs through the first six frames. However, with the score deadlocked at three runs apiece, Nebraska threatened by doubling with one out in the seventh. Brock would give way to Litchfield, who gave up three straight singles to right, as the Cornhuskers took the 4-3 edge. Tanner Lubach would follow by squeezing a runner home to extend the advantage to 5-3 and would go on to add two runs in the eighth.
UCI led for the first time today in the first inning. Taylor Sparks hit a clean, two-out single and stole second to give the 'Eaters a runner in scoring position and Connor Spencer jumped on a 2-2 pitch from starter Chance Sinclair and belted an RBI double to deep centerfield.
Nebraska strung together three consecutive hits to load the bases with no outs to start the bottom of the fourth. A wild pitch by Brock tied the game and Austin Darby gave Nebraska the lead with a single to center.
UCI struck back in the fifth as John Brontsema walked, took third on a single by Rabago and then plated the tying run on a throwing error by Pat Kelly.
UCI took the lead in the seventh, scoring on a unusual play. Evan Cassolato singled to lead off the inning and then took second on a two-out hit from Rabago. Sparks hit a grounder that bounced behind the second-base bag. Shortstop Stephen Reveles cut off the ball but his throw to first hit Rabago in the helmet as he was sliding in the second and bounced into foul territory near the first-base dugout. The play was ruled dead and Cassolato, who had rounded third, was allowed to score.
Jerry McClanahan cut the lead to one (5-4) with an opposite-field home run in the top of the eighth for his first home run of the year.
The Anteaters were unable to get any closer as Nebraska put the game out of reach in the eighth. Nebraska put a runner in scoring position on a walk issued by Mitch Merten and a wild pitch. Consecutive singles led to a run and Kelly would cap the scoring with an RBI grounder to short.
Rabago was 3 for 5 to lead UCI while Sparks and Spencer each had two hits. Litchfield got the loss after giving up two runs on three hits in 2/3 innings to fall to 2-1.
Reliever Zach Hirsch won it for the 'Huskers to improve to 2-0 after pitching 1.1 innings of one-run baseball.
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