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Nebraska Pitcher Tucker Timmerman Took a 104-mph Hit to the Face, Refused to Stay Down

The Husker righthander had a scary moment Saturday, but he powered through it in a memorable way.

Tanner Johnson

Nebraska pitcher Tucker Timmerman
Nebraska pitcher Tucker Timmerman / Amarillo Mullen

There’s tough, and then there’s Tucker Timmerman tough.

On Saturday night, Nebraska’s sophomore pitcher proved just how resilient he is when a scorching line drive crashed into the left side of his face. Most people would be out cold or at least shaken. Not Timmerman. He picked himself up, fists pumping, blood pouring from his nose—a warrior’s response to a brutal hit.

The play itself was chaotic. With Nebraska holding a 6-4 lead in the eighth inning, Vanderbilt’s Jonathan Vastine sent a ball straight at Timmerman. The ball ricocheted off his face and into foul territory. First baseman Case Sanderson tracked it down and made a heads-up tag to end the inning, but all eyes were on Timmerman, who was face-down on the mound.

The impact was immediate and ugly. Blood gushed from his nose, and his left eye swelled rapidly. Nebraska’s coaching staff and medical personnel sprinted to his side, but the 6-foot-3 right-hander was laying on his stomach.

Despite the clear pain, Timmerman kept his composure, displaying the kind of grit that defines him as a competitor. He walked off the field under his own power—his face a bloody mess, but his spirit unshaken. To the delight of the crowd, he was pumping his fist.

The game ended with closer Luke Broderick locking down the ninth inning for a statement victory against a traditional SEC power. But Timmerman’s moment of defiance, standing tall despite taking a baseball to the face, made the night even more unforgettable.

As the team gathered for their postgame victory photo, there was Timmerman, still smiling through the blood and bruises.

He later made a trip to the emergency room and learned that he fractured a bone near the eye socket. Surgery would be necessary, but there was already talk of getting him back on the mound as soon as possible, possibly with a custom protective shield.

As Nebraska wraps up their early-season Arizona stretch, the team expects Timmerman back soon, sporting whatever protective gear necessary. When he does return, he won’t just be another pitcher.

He’ll be the guy who took a baseball to the face, grinned through the blood, and pumped his fist in triumph.

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Tanner Johnson
TANNER JOHNSON

Tanner Johnson is a sports writer and journalist who has experience covering multiple sports, collegiate and professional. He reports on a national level using his knowledge of teams from all over the country. He has provided coverage for the Tennessee Titans, Tennessee Volunteers, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Florida State Seminoles. He is also a co-host of Triple Option A College Football Podcast. On this podcast, he provides a national coverage of college football and engages with fans and members of the media.

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