NCAA Baseball Update: May 31

Photo by Mark Kuhlmann

The NCAA Baseball Tournament opened Friday with Indiana and Illinois posting wins and Nebraska sustaining a narrow loss. Double-elimination regional action continues on Saturday.

Knoxville, Tenn. — Indiana set a school record for hits in an NCAA game in rolling to a 10-4 win over 22nd-ranked Southern Miss.

The Hoosier offense produced 17 hits as Devin Taylor, Brock Tibbitts and Jack Stadler recorded three hits each. IU built an 8-0 lead after five innings with starter Ty Bothwell striking out nine over 5.2 innings of work. Drew Buhr pitched 3.1 innings of relief to earn the save.

Indiana (33-24-1) meets top-ranked Tennessee on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+.


Stillwater, Okla. — Nebraska dropped a 5-2 decision to Florida at O'Brate Stadium.

Florida pushed across runs in the eighth and ninth innings to break open a 3-2 game. Gabe Swansen generated two RBI and starter Brett Sears suffered his first loss in 10 outings for the Cornhuskers (39-21).

Nebraska takes on Niagara in an elimination contest tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.


Lexington, Ky. — Illinois received a pitching gem from Jack Crowder in a 4-1 win over 14th-ranked Indiana State.

Crowder allowed just three hits and one earned run over eight innings. Offensively, 1B Drake Westcott drove in two runs and Connor Milton scored twice for Illinois (35-19). Illinois also defeated Indiana State during the regular season.

Illinois will meet Kentucky on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.