Maintain that winning mindset. That was Coach Will Bolt’s message in a nutshell to his Nebraska baseball team following its 10-1 victory at Wichita State Wednesday.
The victory was Nebraska’s 11th in a row. The 10th was 8-1 at Wichita State Tuesday.
“I think (what) I was most proud of today was just the focus that we showed,” Bolt said on the Huskers Radio Network following Wednesday’s game. “We didn’t waste at-bats and the defense … we didn’t just make the routine plays … just really, really good job of staying focused and understand what it takes to win.”
What it took Wednesday was three-hit pitching and outstanding relief. Pryce Bender gave up the hits and the run in four innings, striking out the last batter he faced. Tucker Timmerman was the first of five relievers who combined to retire the final 15 in a row — so 16 total counting Bender’s strikeout.
Bender was “outstanding,” said Bolt. “And what can you say about the bullpen? It was just absolute relentless out of the bullpen, no hits and no walks the rest of the game.”
Cooper Katskee started and pitched five innings Tuesday, allowing four hits and one run to earn the win. J’Shawn Unger was credited with a save. Timmerman was the winning pitcher Wednesday. Chase Olson, Jace Ziola, Grant Cleavinger and Ryan Harrahill followed him.
Kevin Mannell and Colin Nowaczyk also pitched Tuesday.
Now for some context. In the 21 games before Nebraska came to town, Wichita State had hit 33 home runs. The Shockers were among the top offensive teams nationally. In the four-game series preceding the Huskers’ wins, Wichita State had scored 77 runs against Butler.
Granted, it was Butler. Still, 77 runs? One victory was 30-1. Seriously.
What it took Wednesday offensively was 14 hits, led by Jalen Worthley, who was 3-for-5 with two doubles and four runs scored. Worthley went 3-for-4 Tuesday and moved up to second in the order.
Case Sanderson was 2-for-5, with three runs-batted-in Wednesday. Dylan Carey was 2-for-5 with two RBIs. And Drew Grego hit his first home run at Nebraska, with a runner on base.
Tuesday, the Huskers had 13 hits, all singles.
Nebraska, 16-5, now resumes Big Ten play with a three-game series against Michigan in Ann Arbor, the first on Friday, scheduled for a 3 p.m. CDT start. The Wolverines defeated Michigan State 2-0 Wednesday and are 10-9 overall and 0-3 in the conference.
Wednesday’s game doesn’t count in the standings.
The Huskers swept Michigan State for a 3-0 Big Ten start during the 11-game winning streak.
Again, Bolt’s message to the team after Wednesday’s victory? “Understand that there’s that fine line between winning and losing,” he said. “It takes a certain mindset to win. When you just stay consistent in a mindset for nine innings, you have a chance to run away from people.
“We’ve just got to keep that same mindset and take it day by day.”
