A mediocre start and missed opportunities cost Nebraska the second game of the series.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Siebert Field, but unfortunately the Nebraska baseball team couldn’t enjoy the weather as much as Minnesota did as the Gophers took the second game in the three-game series 5-3.

All of the action took place early in the game. Derek Burkamper didn’t have the greatest of outings, giving up four earned runs in only two innings. He was relieved by Matt Waldron, who went four innings, giving up an earned run and three hits. Nate Fisher pitched the final two innings for Nebraska.

Minnesota scored one run on three hits in the bottom of the first. It could have been worse as the bases were loaded when Burkamper recorded the final out of the inning with a strikeout.

In the second, Nebraska scored when freshman Luke Roskam hit a homer to right field to tie the game at one apiece. Minnesota struck again after loading the bases with no outs. The Gophers managed two more runs in the second to lead 3-1.

Nebraska would bounce back in the third on two-out hitting by Jake Mayers. He got a single, then advanced on a balk. Angelo Altavilla scored him with a single up the middle. Unfortunately, Minnesota’s Jordan Smith hit a two-run homer after the lead runner got on base with a Walk.

Again, two-out hitting benefitted Nebraska in the fourth. Roskam was hit by a pitch, and Alex Raburn earned a walk. Jesse Wilkening singled to center filed, scoring Roskam.

That would end scoring for the day.

The rest of the game was Nebraska missed opportunities.

Jake Meyers drew a walk, but was picked off between first and second in the fifth.

Wilkening singled, then advanced to second on a wild pitch in the seventh. Meyers drew a walk, but Altavilla struck out swinging to end the Nebraska threat.

In the eighth, Ben Miller hit a two-out double, and then Roskam drew another walk. Both runners advanced after a wild pitch, but Zach Repinski struck out swinging to end that scoring threat.

In the ninth, Jake Schleppenbach earned a leadoff walk, but Minnesota’s Brian Glowicki struck out the Meyers and Altavilla to end the threat and the game.

The Rubber Match is tomorrow at 1:00 pm. It looks like another gorgeous spring day.