Thomas Homers, but Michigan Drops Opener Against Nebraska

Thursday, May 16

Lincoln, Neb.

7:30 PM CT

Michigan

37-15, 15-6

Nebraska

27-19, 14-8

Michigan

Nebraska

Ako Thomas

Thomas Homers, but Michigan Drops Opener Against Nebraska

5/16/2019 11:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Jordan Brewer had two hits for his team-leading 22nd multi-hit game.
» Ako Thomas hit his second home run of the season.
» Michigan will play twice Friday (May 17) as Saturday's game was moved up due to expected inclement weather.

Site: Lincoln, Neb. (Hawks Field at Haymarket Park)
Score: Nebraska 5, Michigan 2
Records: U-M (37-15, 15-6 B1G), Nebraska (27-19, 14-8 B1G)
Next Games: Friday, May 17 -- at Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.), 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. CDT

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The University of Michigan baseball team was unable to battle back from a three-run Nebraska seventh inning as the Wolverines fell, 5-2, in the first game of a three-game Big Ten series on Thursday night (May 17) at Hawks Field.

With the Wolverines' loss and an Indiana win against Rutgers, U-M's lead over the Hoosiers atop the Big Ten standings stands at a half-game with two games remaining on the schedule.

Junior designated hitter Jordan Brewer and sophomore shortstop Jack Blomgren paced the Wolverines (37-15, 15-6 Big Ten) with two hits apiece, while senior second baseman Ako Thomas hit his second home run of the season.

Michigan got off to a first-inning lead when Brewer hit his team-leading 18th double left field that drove in junior right fielder Jordan Nwogu, who singled to lead off the game then advanced to second on sophomore center fielder Jesse Franklin's walk. Thomas doubled the Wolverines' advantage in the top of the second inning with a two-out solo home run to left field -- his second of the season -- that gave Michigan a 2-0 lead.

The lead was short-lived as the Cornhuskers (27-19, 14-8 Big Ten) responded with a pair of runs on three singles and a fielder's choice in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 2.

Both teams' starting pitchers, Michigan's Karl Kauffmann and Nebraska's Matt Waldron, settled into a groove as neither team posed much of a scoring threat between the third and sixth innings. Sophomore catcher Joe Donovan did his part to help Kauffmann and the Wolverines when he threw out would-be base stealers to end the second and third innings.

The Maize and Blue started the sixth inning with a Blomgren single up the middle followed by a Thomas hit-by-pitch, but they were left stranded after a strikeout ended the inning.

Nebraska took the lead in the bottom of the seventh with a three-run frame. With no outs and runners at first and second, Alex Henwood laid dowd a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by Kauffmann, whose throw to third base got away as he tried to force out the lead runner and two runs scored with Henwood advancing to second. He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt to senior third baseman Blake Nelson, then scored on a single through the right side to give the Cornhuskers a 5-2 lead.

The Wolverines threatened in the top of the ninth when Nelson drew a walk before Blomgren hit a single to shallow center to put runners on first and second and bring the tying run to the plate. A hard-hit grounder down the third-base line by Donovan was scooped up by Nebraska's Angelo Altavilla, who tagged the bag and fired the ball to the first baseman for a game-ending double play.

Kauffmann (8-5) suffered the loss as he allowed five runs (two earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk over 6.1 innings. Benjamin Keizer threw 1.2 innings of relief, yielding one hit with three strikeouts.

Michigan and Nebraska will play twice on Friday (May 17) to close out the three-game series at Hawks Field. The first game will begin at 3 p.m. CDT and the nightcap is scheduled for 8 p.m. CDT, with game two to be broadcast live on Big Ten Network. Saturday's scheduled contest was moved to Friday due to expected inclement weather around the Lincoln area.