Huskers drop marathon, weather-delayed game to Illini

Nebraska suffered a 5-4 loss in the bottom of the ninth at Illinois in the series finale on Sunday, which featured two weather delays that combined for four hours and 53 minutes.

The first delay lasted 95 minutes in the bottom of the third, before a lengthy delay of three hours and 18 minutes between the eighth and ninth innings.

Nebraska (20-29, 8-13 Big Ten) had four runs on six hits and two errors, while Illinois (28-20, 14-7 Big Ten) scored five runs on 10 hits and an error.

Jackson Brockett pitched the first two innings until the game's first delay. Brockett surrendered one hit and walked two Illini batters. Koty Frank tossed the next four innings, allowing three runs on five hits and seven strikeouts. Braxton Bragg, Chandler Benson and CJ Hood teamed up to throw the next two innings. Corbin Hawks took the loss, falling to 0-2 on the season after allowing the unearned game-winning run.

Colby Gomes was 2-for-4 at the plate with a home run, four RBI and a run scored. Garrett Anglim pieced together a two-hit game with a 2-for-4 performance, while Griffin Everitt and Max Anderson had one hit apiece.

The Husker offense jumped out to a four-run lead with four runs on three hits in the top of the third inning. Griffin Everitt and Max Anderson reached on back-to-back two-out singles, while Leighton Banjoff drew a walk to load the bases. Gomes drilled a 438-foot grand slam to center to push the Huskers ahead 4-0.

Brockett walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the third, before the game was suspended for a 95-minute weather delay. After the game's resumption, Frank got a strikeout and a double play to keep the Illini off the board and maintain the 4-0 lead for the Big Red.

A pair of singles in sixth for Illinois plated the Illini's first run of the game, trimming the Nebraska lead to 4-1.

The Illini opened the bottom of the seventh with a double and a single to place two runners on with no outs. A one-out sacrifice fly to center, followed by an RBI single through the left side made it a one-run game after seven innings.

A walk and a throwing error on a double play attempt on Illinois' sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the eighth moved the tying run to second with one out for the Illini. An RBI single up the middle in the next at-bat scored the unearned run from second to tie the game at four.

With the game tied at four after eight innings, the teams were sent off the field for a weather delay, which ended up lasting three hours and 18 minutes.

Nebraska was retired in order in the ninth, before Illinois had the walk-off victory in the bottom of the ninth. Hawkins retired the first two batters, while a two-out single to left put the tying run on first. Justin Janas dropped a single in front Tyler Palmer in left, who bobbled the attempt at fielding the ball, which allowed the unearned run to score from first to win the game.