NU Baseball is Conference Champ for First Time Since 2005

Josh Caron set a Big Ten baseball tournament record with a home run in the seventh inning to tie the game at 1-all and Gabe Swansen delivered a two-out RBI double in the top of the ninth to lead Nebraska to a 2-1 victory over Penn State in Sunday’s championship game.

The Huskers won their first conference title in baseball since 2005 when they were Big 12 champions.  NU did it the hard way this past week at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, winning five straight games after getting hammered by Ohio State 15-2 in seven innings in Tuesday’s opener.

Caron’s opposite field homer to right leading off the seventh inning Sunday tied the contest, which the Nittany Lions had led 1-0 since the first inning when a runner scored from third on an errant pickoff throw to second base.  It was Caron’s record sixth round-tripper in the tourney and 16th on the season.

In the ninth, Swansen split the gap in deep left-center with the game-deciding two-bagger.  It scored pinch-runner Cayden Brumbaugh who had swiped second base.

On the mound, Nebraska lefty Jackson Brockett pitched eight innings of one-run ball, surrendering only four hits and one walk while striking out five.  Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Brett Sears worked a perfect ninth with one strikeout.  The Huskers advance to the NCAA tournament as conference champions.