Kansas Baseball Falls to Nebraska, 4-2

April 9, 2011

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LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Box Score in PDF Format

First baseman Zac Elgie had two hits and two RBIs, while Tanner Poppe pitched six strong innings, but it was not enough. Nebraska scored two unearned runs in the top of the fifth on a double play and an RBI single which proved to be the margin of victory in a 4-2 Husker win over Kansas Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark.

The Jayhawks fall to 14-17 overall and 5-6 in conference play, while Nebraska improves to 21-12 overall and 3-5 in the Big 12.

Nebraska scored two runs in the fifth to stretch a one-run lead into a 4-1 advantage and Kansas couldn’t get the clutch hit when it needed it. The Jayhawks left 11 men on base, including eight in scoring position.

After Nebraska took a 2-0 lead in the second on a bases loaded double by Cody Asche, Kansas cut the deficit in half with an RBI ground out by Elgie.

Two innings later, the Huskers struck again. After an error, a fielder’s choice and a walk, Poppe faced a bases loaded jam with nobody out. However, the sophomore righty induced a double play off the bat of Kash Kalkowski which scored a run. Then first baseman Kurt Farmer delivered an RBI single between short and third to put Nebraska up 4-1.

KU came back in the seventh with a one-out double by Jimmy Waters and Elgie’s second RBI on a single to right field. However, that was as close as the Jayhawks would come. Senior Casey Hauptman allowed just one hit over the final two innings to pick up his third save of the year.

The Jayhawks collected 10 hits in the game, including three by Jake Marasco and two by Elgie.

Poppe pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Wally Marciel and Scott Heitshusen followed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings after the starting pitcher departed.

Prior to the game, Kansas honored nearly 30 alumns with a ceremony. Long-time head coach Floyd Temple threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Temple coached at KU from 1956-81.

The Jayhawks will look to take the rubber game of the three-game set Sunday at 1 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark.