Gabe Swansen’s two-homer day helps keep Nebraska’s season alive

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Nebraska baseball team kept their College World Series hopes alive Saturday afternoon after winning their sixth elimination game of the postseason.

Gabe Swansen was the hero for the Huskers, as his two home runs helped Nebraska take down Niagara 7-5 in the Stillwater Regional.

Swansen finished the game going 2-for-5 from the plate with two runs and two RBIs.

Niagara’s bats were hot early.

A pitch hit Nick Groves in the first inning and then a single to right field from Brady Desjardins allowed him to get to third.

MAAC Player of the Year Eric Rataczak took a first-pitch fastball over the left-center field wall to give the Purple Eagles a 3-0 lead.

Groves was also active in the second inning, hitting a sacrifice fly to left field to score Vincent Mauro, extending the Eagles’ lead to 4.

The Huskers finally woke up in the top of the third inning.

A single from Dylan Carey and a walk from Joshua Overbeek set up a three-run blast from Case Sanderson, making the score 4-3 in Niagara’s favor.

Overbeek started the fifth inning off with a bang.

A triple to the left-center field wall allowed Sanderson to hit a sacrifice fly to center, tying the game at 4.

Swansen continued his red-hot streak, hitting a solo shot to left field to give the Huskers a 5-4 lead.

The Purple Eagles wasted no time in getting that run back.

Desjardins took the first pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning and sent it over the left field wall to tie the game at 5.

Nebraska rode the momentum from the fifth inning into the sixth.

A double from Tyler Stone to the right field corner and an error from the pitcher on a Rhett Stokes bunt gave the Huskers a 6-5 advantage.

Swansen came up big for the Huskers again in the seventh inning, hitting his third home run of the regional and giving the Huskers a 7-5 lead.

Starting pitcher Mason McConnaughey’s day was done after six innings of work.

McConnaughey had a rough start, giving up 4 runs in the first two innings, but shut down the Eagles’ lineup the rest of the way.

He finished with 10 strikeouts while giving up five runs on five hits.

Nebraska’s Jalen Worthley was lights out in relief.

Worthley finished out the rest of the game, pitching three innings while only giving up three hits and fanning two.

Sanderson led Nebraska in RBIs with four. Carey was also very productive for the Huskers with two hits and a run.

The Purple Eagles were led at the plate by Desjardins with three hits and an RBI.

The Huskers will take on the loser of Oklahoma State and Florida in another elimination game Sunday night.