Box Score LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Omaha baseball team led early but couldn't hold on at Nebraska Wednesday evening, falling 8-2 at Hawks Field. The Mavericks are now 24-23 (14-10 Summit League), while the Huskers improve to 21-17 (11-7 Big Ten).

The win went to NU starter Max Knutson (2-1), who threw 8.0 innings and allowed two runs -- one earned -- on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Freshman right-hander Grant Suponchick (0-2) took the loss in relief, surrendering three runs on three hits and a walk in over an inning of work.

Junior Sam Palensky, sophomore Ryan Cate and freshmen Jack Kalina and Riley Herold each tallied a hit for Omaha, which was limited to four hits for the night. Palensky finished 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Kalina and Cate both drove in a run.

Omaha took an immediate lead, scoring its first run in the top of the first inning. Senior Cole Gruber led off the game with a four-pitch walk, went to second when senior Clayton Taylor reached on an error and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Alex Schultz. Cate then came through with a sacrifice fly to center, plating Gruber for a quick 1-0 advantage.

Nebraska was scoreless over the first three innings but broke through in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead. Luis Alvarado walked and Steven Reveles singled up the middle to put two on for Angelo Altavilla, who delivered a game-tying RBI single up the middle. Jake Placzek followed with an RBI single through the left side to score Reveles, and after a Maverick pitching change, Ryan Boldt singled to the same place to push in Altavilla for a 3-1 edge.

Back-to-back home runs in the sixth spotted the Huskers a five-run lead. With two outs, Ben Miller sent a two-run shot to the right field bleachers, followed by a solo dinger to center by Scott Schreiber to make it 6-1.

With one out in the seventh, Palensky sent a double down the right field line before Kalina singled to left center to drive him in for a 6-2 score.

The Huskers got the run back though, plus another, in the bottom half of the frame. Alvarado led off with a single through the left side and stole second, then advanced on an Altavilla groundout and scored on a wild pitch. After Placzek worked a four-pitch walk, Boldt added a double down the right field line to make it 8-2, which held for the rest of the game for the final tally.

Omaha makes its final Summit League road trip of the season this weekend, traveling to Western Illinois. The series opens on Friday, May 13 with first pitch at 3 p.m. in Macomb, Ill., and links to live audio and stats will be available on OMavs.com.