Gophers end regular season with a loss

The University of Minnesota closed out its regular season Saturday afternoon with a high-scoring battle against No. 24 Nebraska, ultimately falling 14-11 at Siebert Field. Despite the loss, the Gophers showed plenty of fight offensively, launching five home runs and out-hitting the Cornhuskers 16-14 in one of the wildest games of the season.

Nebraska jumped ahead early, building a 4-0 lead before Minnesota answered in the second inning. Sam Hunt delivered a two-run homer to get the Gophers on the board, while Jack Spanier added an RBI double to trim the deficit to one. The Cornhuskers responded quickly, however, piling on runs in the third and fourth innings to open an 11-3 advantage and force Minnesota to play from behind most of the afternoon.

Minnesota refused to go away. Jack Bello sparked the comeback effort with two home runs, including a solo blast in the fourth and another during a four-run sixth inning rally. Ty Allen also turned in a huge afternoon at the plate, finishing with three hits that included a homer and a double. Charlie Sutherland chipped in with a key two-run single as the Gophers cut the Nebraska lead to just 12-10 entering the late innings.

Nebraska added insurance runs in the seventh, and although Davis Hamilton launched a solo homer in the eighth to make it a three-run game again, Minnesota could not complete the comeback. The regular season finale showcased the offensive firepower throughout the Gophers lineup, with every starter reaching base safely and five different Minnesota players recording multiple hits. Nebraska finished the series sweep and extended its winning streak, while the Gophers now turn their attention toward postseason hopes and the Big Ten Tournament picture.