LINCOLN -- Erik Bird allowed four hits over five innings to pick up his first career win, as No. 15 Nebraska finished a sweep of Northern Colorado with a 9-4 victory Wednesday at Haymarket Park.
Bird (1-1) matched his career-long outing, striking out three to collect his first win in 47 career appearances. The junior right-hander from Omaha allowed a run in each of the first two innings, but got stronger as the game progressed, holding Northern Colorado scoreless over his final three innings.
“He’s deserving of one (a win) for sure for all that he has contributed over the years,” Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said. “I thought he did a very good job out there. His velocity is good and his demeanor fits any role. What Erik does is that he creates groundballs. If he continues to do that, he doesn’t have to be a strikeout guy for us.”
Nebraska used an attack that Anderson called “workmanlike,” as six players drove in runs.
Jake Opitz drew three walks and drove in two runs.
DJ Belfonte and Ben Kline led the Huskers with a pair of hits as Nebraska (19-3-1) won for the 18th time in the last 20 games.
Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning, the Huskers tied the game before grabbing the lead for good in the third. Nebraska torched Northern Colorado starter Jason Banks for five runs in the inning. Banks (1-3) allowed seven runs in 22/3 innings.
The Huskers opened the third by loading the bases on a pair of walks and a Jake Mort single. Mitch Abeita gave NU the lead with a sacrifice fly.
Then, with runners on the corners, Nebraska executed a double steal, with Mort swiping home to increase its lead to 4-2.
Nick Sullivan hit an RBI double and scored on an error. David Stewart capped the five-run inning with a run-scoring single.
Relievers Casey Hauptman and Erik Anderson pitched two innings apiece for the Huskers.
Northern Colorado tacked on single runs in the eighth and ninth innings, while Opitz’s two-run single in the eighth drove in the final Nebraska runs.
Print This Story
Email This Story
