Cal Poly Earns Second Walk-Off Win in a Week; Defeats Nebraska 3-2

Friday, March 24

2 pm

8-13

Nebraska

10-10

Nebraska

Cal Poly

Cal Poly Earns Second Walk-Off Win in a Week; Defeats Nebraska 3-2

3/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Sophomore catcher Nick Meyer singled through the left side of the Nebraska infield in the ninth inning, scoring Brett Binning from second base and lifting Cal Poly to a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Huskers in a non-conference baseball game Friday afternoon before 1,293 inside Baggett Stadium.

It was Cal Poly's second walk-off win in a week. Sophomore shortstop Kyle Marinconz tripled to the gap in left-center field in the 13th inning of a 5-4 Mustang triumph over Wichita State on March 17.

It also is Meyer's second career walk-off hit. As a true freshman a year ago, Meyer's first collegiate hit was an RBI single through the right side of the Pacific infield, scoring Michael Sanderson from second base in the 10th inning of a 7-6 victory.

With Friday's win, Cal Poly improved to 8-13 for the season and evened its series against Nebraska at a game apiece. The Huskers fell to 10-10.

For the second straight day, Cal Poly outhit Nebraska, this time 9-7.

Binning and freshman right fielder Bradlee Beesley both singled twice for the Mustangs while junior first baseman Elijah Skipps and freshman third baseman Jack Kuzma added doubles.

Nebraska's seven hits included doubles by right fielder Mojo Hagge and catcher Jake Meyers. The five singles were by five other hitters.

Skipps drove in both of Cal Poly's first two runs with a first-inning double and a third-inning groundout. Nebraska countered with sacrifice flies by left fielder Luis Alvarado in the second inning and Meyers in the third frame.

Neither team scored again until Cal Poly won the game in the ninth.

Binning singled to shortstop to open the ninth and Alec Smith beat the throw to first base on a bunt in front of the plate. After a strikeout and fly ball to center field, Meyer (pictured above) stroked a 1-0 pitch into left field and the throw from Alvarado was offline to the left of home plate, allowing Binning to score with a feet-first slide.

Both teams had other opportunities to score.

Nebraska had runners at first and third with one out in the third inning, stranded a runner at third in the seventh and had runners at first and third with no outs in the eighth.

Cal Poly left runners at second and third in the fourth inning, had runners at second and third with one out in the sixth and left a runner at second with out out in the eighth.

Not involved in the decisions were the two starters as Cal Poly's Spencer Howard (one earned and one unearned run, four hits, one walk, eight strikeouts) and Nebraska's Derek Burkamper (one earned, one unearned, six hits, three walks, three strikeouts) both pitched five innings.

Senior right-hander Slater Lee (2-1), the last of five Mustang pitchers, earned the win. He entered the game in the eighth with one out and Nebraska runners at first and third and, with one pitch, secured an inning-ending double play, then retired the side in the ninth.

The loss went to Nebraska closer Chad Luensmann (1-2), who notched the final two outs of the eighth inning but surrendered three hits for the winning run in the ninth.

It was the second consecutive heartbreaking loss for Luensmann, who recorded 13 saves a year ago and three so far this season. On Tuesday at CSU Bakersfield, Luensmann gave up four runs with two outs in the eighth inning of an 8-6 loss.

The win was Cal Poly's first in eight tries against the Huskers.

The two clubs will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, with freshman right-hander Bobby Ay (0-2, 3.95 ERA) and sophomore righty Cam Schneider (1-1, 2.63 ERA) on the mound for Cal Poly.

Photo above of Nick Meyer courtesy of Matt Aguirre