Nebraska suffered a 5-3 setback at Creighton on Tuesday, ending the nation's second-longest active win streak at 10 games.

Nebraska (20-6) scored three runs on seven hits and two errors, while Creighton (21-4) totaled five runs on 11 hits and two errors.

Will Walsh started for the Big Red, lasting two frames while allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts. A seven-man bullpen committee comprised of Ty Horn, Caleb Clark, Tucker Timmerman, Casey Daiss, Jalen Worthley, Rans Sanders and Kyle Perry combined to allow just two runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings of relief.

Cayden Brumbaugh and Riley Silva led the Big Red at the plate with two hits each, combining to score all three runs. Dylan Carey finished 1-for-4 and notched his team-leading 10th double of the season. Cole Evans and Will Jesske drove in the only three runs for the Huskers, while Josh Caron added a hit.

Following a scoreless first inning on both sides, Creighton got to Walsh after a single set up a two-run home run from Hogan Helligso to put the Bluejays up 2-0. The southpaw settled in shortly after and limited the damage, forcing a flyout to strand runners on the corners.

A pair of Huskers reached to open the third frame, as Carey doubled and Stokes got on base on a throwing error. Bluejays’ starter Malaki Vetock forced three consecutive outs to bring an end to the threat and keep the Bluejays in front by two.

In the bottom of the third, Nebraska prevented a Creighton score with Silva and Rhett Stokes connecting on a relay to cut down a run at the plate after Teddy Deter’s double. However, Creighton’s offense regained its offense momentum in the fourth inning, adding three runs on two hits. 

Nebraska finally broke through in the sixth inning, as consecutive singles from Brumbaugh and Silva forced a Bluejays’ pitching change.

Evans put the Huskers on the board with an RBI double, plating Brumbaugh and cutting the deficit to 5-1. Jeske pinch-hit for Tyler Stone and grounded back to the pitcher, bringing home Silva to make it a three-run game.

Timmerman worked a scoreless bottom half, and the Big Red continued to chip away at the lead after Brumbaugh’s two-out triple put him in scoring position. Silva beat out a throw from second base to drive in Brumbaugh and cut the lead to 5-3.

In relief of Timmerman, Daiss tossed a scoreless seventh inning to keep the Huskers within striking distance. Worthley retired two of three batters faced in the next frame, before Perry entered and recorded the final out to send the game to the ninth.

The Huskers drew a two-out walk but went down quietly in the final frame to snap NU’s 10-game winning streak.

Nebraska returns home for a three-game conference series this weekend with Ohio State on Friday-Sunday, April 5-7 at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park. First pitch of Friday’s series opener between the Huskers and Buckeyes is set for 6:05 p.m.

WHITE DISCUSSES DEFENSIVE DEVELOPMENT

Nebraska Defensive Coordinator Tony White met with members of the media on Thursday to discuss spring practice.

He spoke to the standard that must be upheld, as players of all experience levels are getting the same number of repetitions.

“It’s just a matter of us being really consistent with making sure that they know what the standard is. Whether you’re a first-year player or you’ve played a thousand snaps, there’s a standard that we have to continue to set. With all of us spread out, you really get a chance to see the players take hold of it.”

He talked about how he plans to take his defense to the next level after having a solid year in 2023.

“I’ve said this from day one and I’ll say it until the end of the season. This group of guys, they haven't done anything. This group together, we have not done anything yet. It’s like building a building. It starts with the little things and making sure they know what to do, they know how to do it. Then, reinforcing, not only coach to player, but player to player. Giff (Isaac Gifford), Ty (Robinson), Mikai (Gbayor), Javin (Wright), Ques (Marques Buford Jr.), those guys have played a lot of ball. This is their second year here with us. They know what’s up. Now, we’re trying to make them take hold of it, take leadership, and then wherever they go on their fields, really bring that to life. That’s the goal. We do. We want to be the number one defense in the country, but all of that is just words until guys adopt it and they live it every day.”

White also attested to the depth and versatility of the defensive line.

“I have so much respect for Coach T-Knight (Terrance Knighton) because you see how close those guys are. You see how he coaches them. You watch practice and you see how he’s constantly moving guys around, trying to get the best fit, seeing where guys can operate the best. When you have a d-line like that, where they not only know what they’re doing, but they can plug in other spots, I think it really, really helps you in terms of matchups – putting guys over guys where you’re saying, ‘I know this guy can beat this guy, this guy can beat this guy.’ It’s an experiment now, though. Again, you have talent there and they know what to do, but every day it’s like gameday around here. When we’re practicing, it’s that intense, it’s that physical. The standard is not what it was last year. Guys are moving around and we have to watch the tape to give justice to how they’re doing.”

The Huskers will continue with spring practice on Wednesday. The annual Red-White Spring game presented by FNBO is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at 11 a.m. (CT). Tickets can be purchased on huskers.com or by calling the ticket office at 800-8-BIG RED.

HUSKERS SHUT OUT JAYHAWKS

Emmerson Cope and Kaylin Kinney combined on a six-hit shutout to lead the Nebraska softball team to a 4-0 victory over Kansas on Tuesday at Bowlin Stadium.

Cope (2-0) started and scattered five hits over a career-long 4.1 innings. Kinney then came in and picked up her third save with 2.2 shutout innings of relief.

Offensively, Brooke Andrews went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, Samantha Bland was 3-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs and Billie Andrews slugged her 13th home run of the season.

With the win, Nebraska improved to 22-13 on the season. Kansas, which was ranked last week, fell to 22-12-1 on the year. Kasey Hamilton (9-8) took the loss, allowing three runs in 3.2 innings.

Nebraska jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Brooke Andrews singled with one out and scored on a two-out, RBI double from Bland.

The Huskers added another run in the third inning. Brooke Andrews led off with a single before Ava Bredwell walked. Bland then delivered an RBI single through the left side that scored Andrews. Leading 2-0, Nebraska had runners at second and third with no outs but could not add to its lead.

NU did add to its lead in the fourth inning. Bella Bacon led off with a single and was at second base with two outs for Brooke Andrews, who delivered an RBI single to make it 3-0. Two more walks loaded the bases before a fly out ended the inning.

In the top of the fifth, Kansas got a leadoff double followed by a single, but on the single Brooke Andrews made a perfect throw to home plate to get the runner attempting to score. 

It remained a 3-0 lead for the Big Red until Billie Andrews led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a home run.

Kinney then retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to secure Nebraska's second shutout of the season.

Nebraska remains home this weekend when the Huskers host Penn State for a three-game series on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Post-Game Notes

• The win was the 1,600th victory in Nebraska softball history.
• Nebraska posted its second shutout of the season, with both shutouts coming against teams who have been ranked this season (Kansas and Oregon).
• Emmerson Cope started and went 4.1 innings to post the longest outing of her career. Her previous long outing was 3.1 innings against San Diego State on Feb. 23.
• Kaylin Kinney earned her third save of the season. She has now earned either the win or the save in 17 of the Huskers' 22 wins this season.
• Brooke Andrews produced her third game this season with three or more hits while Bland had at least three hits for the fourth time.
• Billie Andrews had one hit in the game, and she moved into 10th place in Nebraska history with 217 career hits.

BANTON CONTINES TORRID STRETCH FOR PORTLAND

Former Husker Dalano Banton continued his torrid stretch for the Portland Trailblazers last night with 26 points, five rebounds and five assists in a loss to the Orlando Magic.

Banton, a third-year pro, is averaging 9.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game between his stints in Boston and Portland. Since he was traded to Portland on Feb. 8, Banton has put together the best stretch of his career, averaging 16.0 points 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in 27.6 minutes per contests over the last 24 games. 

Banton has scored 25 or more points in three of Portland’s last four games, highlighted by a career-high 31-point effort against Atlanta on March 27. He has been in double figures for 11 straight games for the Trail Blazers.

Banton spent two seasons at Nebraska after transferring from Western Kentucky. After sitting out the 2019-20 campaign, Banton played in all 27 games, including 22 starts, for the Huskers in 2020-21, averaging 9.6 points per game while leading the Huskers in both rebounding (5.9) and assists (3.9) per game. 

Banton finished in the top 20 in the Big Ten in assists (ninth), blocked shots (15th) and rebounding (18th) and became the first Husker since 1974 to lead NU in both rebounding and assists in the same season.  He posted the second triple-double in school history with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in just 21 minutes against Doane and totaled 14 games in double figures in 2020-21.