• Box Score: Nebraska 5, Texas 3
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AUSTIN, Texas — Chase Adams’ first career save as a Nebraska pitcher couldn’t have come at a better time for the Huskers.
Adams handled the final five Texas batters without incident Saturday, finishing off a 5-3 victory after NU had blown the same lead Friday night with two out in the ninth inning.
The right-hander struck out three Longhorns and got two others to fly out. The last of those was Cameron Rupp, the Texas catcher who banged the game-winning three-run homer off NU reliever Kurt Giller about 21 hours earlier.
“We needed this win,” Huskers coach Mike Anderson said. “We have had tough road games, and this team needed a win like today. That was a big one for us.”
NU starter Michael Mariot (2-2) walked Kevin Lusson to start the eighth inning and was lifted. Jordan Roualdes struck out Russell Moldenhauer before handing the ball to Adams before a crowd of 6,051 at Disch-Falk Field.
The junior from Mineola, Texas, a transfer from Howard College, had pitched just 4.2 innings this season, with a 5.79 ERA in six appearances.
“Coach Anderson talked to us about not giving in whoever you are facing and to fight for the guys behind us,” Adams said. “Last night was a tough loss, and to come back and find a way was real big for our team. Mariot had a good outing, and I wanted to go out and get the win for him.”
Mariot allowed a two-run homer to Jonathan Walsh in the second, and had to escape that inning with the bases loaded. The junior from Southlake, Texas, allowed just three hits in the next five innings against the No. 2-ranked Longhorns.
Mariot was then glad to see Roualdes and Adams finish for NU, which has lost five times on an opponent’s last at-bat this season.
“Chase did a great job,” Mariot said. “That was a bad deal last night, but Chase came out and threw a lot of strikes and competitive pitches.”
Adam Bailey hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning and Kale Kiser added a solo shot in the fifth to tie the game 3-3. The Huskers went ahead in the seventh when DJ Belfonte scored on Josh Scheffert’s fly out and Cody Asche followed with an RBI single.
Nebraska (9-8, 1-1 Big 12) will try to win the series with Texas (14-5, 1-1) in a 12:05 p.m. game Sunday.
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