A History of Baseball Clashes: Nebraska vs. UCLA
The rivalry between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the UCLA Bruins in baseball is marked by memorable games, showcasing the unpredictable nature of the sport. One such instance occurred when No. 2 seed UCLA baseball (42-16, 22-8 Big Ten), after a strong tournament showing, faced No. 8 seed Nebraska (32-27, 16-15) in the Big Ten tournament championship.
The Big Ten Tournament Championship Game
In a surprising turn of events, UCLA, who had been a dominant force throughout the tournament, was shut out by Nebraska with a score of 5-0. This marked only the second time all season that the Bruins had failed to score in a game. The Huskers, fueled by an outstanding pitching performance, secured their second straight conference tournament trophy.
Coach John Savage acknowledged the impact of the environment, stating, "We’ve played in crowds before. It was an outstanding turnout. It was a home-court advantage for sure. That’s the fun part about being a college athlete, is these types of moments. I don’t think we were out of character because of the crowd, per se."
Pitching Performances
A key moment in the game was the appearance of right-hander Wylan Moss, who relieved Grothues with two outs in the inning. This marked Moss’s first appearance since May 2, after being sidelined with a back issue. The freshman right-hander showcased his skills, throwing a change-up at Jackie Robinson Stadium and holding the Cornhuskers’ offense at bay for 3.1 innings.
Despite Moss’s efforts, the Bruin offense struggled to find any success against Horn, Nebraska’s pitcher, or the Huskers’ bullpen. This was a stark contrast to their performance in the previous three games of the tournament, where they had scored a total of 24 runs.
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Horn’s Dominance
Coach Savage emphasized the impact of Horn’s performance, stating, "Horn really was the difference today. His momentum, his consistency, his repeating, his efficiency. His attack was really impressive." Horn delivered his best game of the season, pitching eight shutout innings on 118 pitches and striking out six.
Cholowsky’s Struggles
Another notable aspect of the game was the performance of Cholowsky, who had a difficult day at the plate. Savage commented, "Everyone in the ballpark knows he (Cholowsky) had a rough day. That’s how good he is. I don’t know how many 0-for-4s he’s had this year - maybe one. It happens. It’s baseball."
Learning from the Experience
Looking ahead, Coach Savage expressed optimism about the team’s ability to learn from the experience. "If we use this the right way, … we can really use this experience to our advantage," Savage said. "The crowd - great experience. Horn - the way he pitched. There’s a lot of Horns out there that we’re going to be facing over the next couple of weeks."
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