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FRESNO, Calif. — For the Nebraska baseball team, the bottom of the ninth inning didn't look much different than the rest of Friday's season opener.

All night, the Nebraska bullpen allowed Fresno State baserunners into scoring position but kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard, battling to record big outs in key spots.

The trend held until junior closer Mike Nesseth yielded a two-run double and Jordan Ribera's walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as the Huskers fell 7-5 to the Bulldogs before a vocal crowd of 3,280 at Beiden Field.

“There's a lot of season left, a lot of things to learn from,” Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said. “This is a pretty good defensive performance and offensive performance. You have to finish. That's the key.”

Nesseth walked Grant Weber and Danny Muno with one out in the ninth before the runners advanced on a wild pitch. Dusty Robinson struck out before Fresno's Brennan Gowens doubled in the gap over the head of Nebraska left fielder Boomer Collins, who appeared to slip trying to make the play. On the next pitch, first baseman Ribera pulled Nesseth's inside slider over the wall in right field for a two-run homer to end it.

The Nebraska loss was just the fifth in Anderson's eight years after the Huskers led in the ninth inning.

“That's a tough loss,” said Nebraska center fielder DJ Belfonte, who finished 3 for 5 with an RBI and stolen base. “Having a lead going into the last inning, and letting them come back is a tough way to go out. We have to get ready to go out tomorrow.”

The Nebraska offense started quickly despite getting outdoors for just the second time since fall practice ended in October. The first time came during Thursday's practice afer the team arrived in Fresno.

Nebraska got on the board first in the top of the second inning, scoring four runs with two outs. Catcher Cory Burleson drew a walk to start the rally. Kale Kiser was hit by a pitch, and Collins walked to load the bases. Belfonte drove a single to right field to score the first run. Kiser scored on a wild pitch, and Kyle Bubak's single up the middle drove in two runs to put Nebraska up 4-0.

But for the rest of the game, the Huskers struggled to find their rhythm at the plate. Nebraska's third, fourth and fifth hitters in the lineup combined to go 0 for 13 with a walk and four strikeouts. After the second inning, the Huskers failed to advance a runner past second base until they added a run in the top of the ninth inning.

Even so, Anderson said his team would find its stride.

“All we've been doing is throwing balls in the cage,” Anderson said. “I couldn't be more proud of the way the kids came out and competed.”

The early lead helped the bullpen after NU starting pitcher Sean Yost struggled to throw strikes early in the count and left with two out and one on base in the bottom of the fourth.

He handed the game to the bullpen, which got key outs against a Fresno State lineup that includes preseason All-Americans Muno and Robinson. The combination of lefty Jordan Roualdes and right-hander Casey Hauptman kept Nebraska on top. Hauptman, a junior from Millard South, lasted 2 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and two strikeouts before handing to Nesseth in the ninth.

Nebraska led 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh when Fresno State, the 2008 NCAA champion, applied pressure. The Bulldogs had a runner on second base with one out when Hauptman coaxed a flyball out from Muno and a grounder to third from Robinson, bobbled by third baseman Cody Asche. Hauptman hit the next batter to load the bases before escaping a fly ball to Belfonte in center field.

“That's just Casey,” Anderson said. “He's going to do a good job of keeping you in the game. I thought our pitching was very good against a good offensive team. You can't fault that until the end. We didn't finish. That's the bottom line.”

• NOTE: Nebraska will send junior right-hander Michael Mariot to the mound against Fresno State senior right-hander Matt Morse Saturday at 4:05 p.m. as the four-game series continues. Mariot was 2-2 with a 7.06 ERA a year ago.

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