McConnaughey’s Career-High Nine Strikeouts Leads Huskers Past Omaha

Mason McConnaughey recorded a career-high nine strikeouts, as the Huskers picked up their 11th win in the last 13 games with an 11-5 victory vs. Omaha on Tuesday night at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

Nebraska (14-5) totaled 11 runs on nine hits with two errors while Omaha (3-16) recorded five runs on six hits and a pair of errors.

Will Walsh was 1-for-3 with a solo home run in the fifth inning, becoming the first Husker to homer in three straight games since Max Anderson in 2023.

Josh Caron finished 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI, while Cole Evans drove in a pair of runs. Riley Silva drew a trio of walks, with Joshua Overbeek and Rhett Stokes each tallying three runs scored.

McConnaughey tossed five scoreless innings in his first career start with the Huskers. The sophomore hasn't allowed a run across his last five outings, totaling 12.1 innings pitched with 21 punchouts to only six walks. 

Tucker Timmerman allowed four runs, all earned, before Evan Borst, Kyle Perry and Casey Daiss combined to retire seven of the final eight batters. 

The Huskers jumped out front with a 2-0 lead in the opening frame. Walks to Silva and Overbeek set up Evans’ two-RBI single to give the Big Red the early advantage.

Nebraska tacked on another run in the second without recording a hit to build the lead to 3-0. Consecutive walks to Stokes and Dylan Carey and a wild pitch placed runners on second and third with one out, while a second wild pitch in the inning brought home Stokes.

McConnaughey worked around a one-out double in the fourth and picked up his eighth strikeout of the night to send a 3-0 game into the bottom of the fourth.

A pair of RBI singles grew the lead to five for the Big Red through four innings. Stokes began the bottom of the fourth with a first-pitch double to center and came around to score on Case Sanderson’s pinch-hit one-out RBI single to center. Silva drew a full-count walk and swiped second before touching home on Overbeek’s RBI single through the right side.

McConnaughey worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fifth, while a pair of extra-base hits extended the lead to seven for the Huskers in the bottom of the fifth.

Walsh homered for the third consecutive game, drilling a one-out 363-foot solo shot into the berm in left field. Stokes drew a two-out walk on full count, while Carey lined an RBI double into the left-center alley to plate Stokes and make it a seven-run game.

Timmerman replaced McConnaughey in the sixth and worked around a one-out infield single to hang a scoreless frame in relief.

Overbeek was hit by the pitch and stole second to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Caron came through by driving in Overbeek on what would have been an RBI double down the left-field line, but the ball ricocheted off the umpire at third base and Caron had to settle with an RBI single.

The Maverick trimmed the Big Red’s eight-run advantage in half with four runs on three hits in the seventh inning. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs for Omaha, while Grant Sommers was plunked on the first pitch to plate the Mavericks’ first run.

Noah Greise cleared the bases with a three-RBI double down the left-field line to make it an 8-4 game through seven innings.

Omaha scored its fifth run of the night after a wild pitch and errant throw at third base brought the Mavericks within three.

The Huskers answered immediately with three on two hits and a pair of Omaha errors to grow the Big Red’s lead to 11-5 heading into the ninth inning. Caron tallied his second and third RBI on the night with a double down the right-field line and was driven in on Anglim's single back to the pitcher.

Nebraska returns to play tomorrow night, as the Huskers welcome North Dakota State to Hawks Field at Haymarket Park. Tomorrow night’s first pitch between the Huskers and Bison is set for 6:05 p.m.