• Box Score

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FRESNO, Calif. — Nebraska coach Mike Anderson, after the Huskers' 8-2 loss to Fresno State on Saturday, offered a simple message for his team: Relax.

The Huskers dropped their second straight game to start the baseball season and again looked tight at the plate, swinging at pitches outside the strike zone and failing to take advantage of opportunities. NU left 11 runners on base and twice failed to score a run with the bases loaded — including with none out in the sixth inning.

“They're anxious,” Anderson said. “They haven't seen live pitching like this, and they're trying to win baseball games. They need to be disciplined and good things will happen.”

Nebraska had plenty of chances. Five times an NU leadoff hitter reached base, but only once did the Huskers take advantage, scoring their runs on a wild pitch in the second inning and an error in the third.

The Huskers trailed 5-2 in the sixth, when their best chance of the game arrived after a single by Adam Bailey and walks to Patric Tolentino and Cade Thompson filled the bases with none out. Freshman Bryan Peters struck out swinging and pinch hitter Kale Kiser, batting for Khiry Cooper, grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Nebraska loaded the bases again in the top of the eighth with two outs, but Kiser grounded out to first base to end the inning.

“We're stepping on tacks right now,” said Bailey, a senior who had three of the Huskers' seven hits. “We're really high-strung. We need to get used to the fact that there's a lot of baseball to be played, and we just need to relax.”

Nebraska's lack of clutch hitting stood in contrast to Fresno State, which showed power at the plate for the second straight game. Nebraska starter Michael Mariot started the game trying to overpower the Bulldogs with his fastball.

But Fresno State jumped on Mariot in the second inning, scoring four times on a pair of two-run homers by Jordan Ribera and Trent Garrison. Ribera, who added a solo home run in the third Saturday, ended Friday's 7-5 Bulldog win with a walk-off homer and is 4 for 7 against NU pitching.

“We knew Mariot was going to come out and challenge us early,” said Ribera, who hit .189 with four home runs last season. “We knew they'd come out and have some live arms, but we've capitalized on their command problems. We're being patient and putting together some good at-bats.”

Mariot settled down after the second inning, giving up five runs and nine hits in five innings to take the loss. Fresno State starter Matt Morse gave up two runs in five innings for the win.

Nebraska is undecided on a starting pitcher for the final games of the series today and Monday. Casey Hauptman, Ryan Hughes and Kurt Giller — all candidates to start in Fresno — have pitched out of the bullpen in the first two games. Hughes and Giller both threw about 20 pitches in relief Saturday, while Hauptman worked 2.1 innings Friday night in relief.

Saturday's loss secured the first 0-2 start for the Huskers since the 2000 season. Getting a win in today's 3:05 p.m. CST game, Anderson said, would help the Huskers settle down.

“We're putting small parts of the game together,” Anderson said. “The defense has been exceptional. Pitching, we're learning what our staff is going to be. These kids need to experience a win.

“It's two losses, but I like this team.”

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