Michigan
41-17
Nebraska
30-21
Michigan Thrashes Nebraska, Forces Second Elimination Game vs. Huskers
5/25/2019 3:11:00 PM | Baseball
» Eight different Wolverines had at least one hit by the third inning.
» Six players had at least two hits, led by Christan Bullock's eighth-career three-hit game.
» Jordan Nwogu had four RBI while Ako Thomas added three. Â
» Michigan scored 13 runs with two outs.
Site: Omaha, Neb. (TD Ameritrade Park)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (Day 4 of 5)
Score: Michigan 18, Nebraska 8
Records: U-M (41-17), Nebraska (30-21)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, May 25 -- vs. Nebraska - Big Ten Tournament (Omaha, Neb.), 6:40 p.m. CDT
OMAHA, Neb. -- The University of Michigan baseball team scored seven first-inning runs and added six more in the sixth inning en route to an 18-8 victory over Nebraska in a Big Ten Tournament semifinal game Saturday morning (May 25) at TD Ameritrade Park. It marks the third straight elimination game victory for the No. 2 seed Wolverines.
The teams will play again Saturday evening at 6:40 p.m. CDT with the winner advancing to Sunday's (May 26) championship game against the winner of Minnesota vs. Ohio State.
Michigan (41-17) got off to a blistering start against Nebraska's Reece Eddins (6-3), as the Wolverines connected for eight hits and plated seven first-inning runs with sophomore designated hitter Jordan Nwogu responsible for two hits in the inning, including a two-run single. Sophomore shortstop Jack Blomgren hit a ground-rule RBI double to right and senior first baseman Jimmy Kerr delivered a two-run single while sophomore catcher Joe Donovan and senior second baseman Ako Thomas recorded two-out RBI hits.Â
It was a precursor of things to come for a Michigan team that scored 13 of its 18 runs with two outs and pounded out 19 hits. Every U-M starter had at least one hit and one run scored.
In the second inning, redshirt senior left fielder Miles Lewis made it an 8-0 Michigan lead when he greeted relief pitcher Ethan Frazier with an RBI single up the middle to score Blomgren, who had led off the inning with another double to right.
Blomgren was in the middle of the action in the third inning as well when he laced a two-out single to left to score junior right fielder Christan Bullock (single) to make it 9-0 in favor of the Wolverines.
Staked to a big lead, freshman starter Walker Cleveland worked into the fifth inning but could not factor in the decision as he yielded back-to-back home runs in the fifth followed by a long double to the gap, forcing Michigan to the bullpen in favor of junior right-hander Jack Weisenburger in a 9-4 game.
Blomgren factored in another Michigan run as he was hit by a pitch to lead off the sixth, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on a passed ball for a 10-4 lead. The Wolverines added five more runs with two outs in the inning on a Bullock RBI single, a two-RBI single from Thomas and a two-run blast into the bullpen in left field for a 15-4 lead.
On the cusp of a run-rule loss, Nebraska fought back in the bottom of the sixth thanks to some wildness from Weisenburger. A leadoff walk sparked two more free passes in the frame which included three runs scored with an RBI double and a two-run single to make it a 15-7 game.
Redshirt sophomore catcher Harrison Salter replaced Donovan behind the plate in the bottom of the sixth, and in the seventh inning delivered a two-out RBI single to score senior third baseman Blake Nelson (walk) for a 16-7 lead in the seventh. Salter added another RBI single in the ninth. Â
Weisenburger (3-0) earned the win with 1.2 innings of relief. He did allow three runs but struck out three to keep Nebraska at arm's length throughout the middle innings. Sophomore right-hander Blake Beers pitched well over the final three innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out three.
Michigan was led by Bullock's three hits – his eighth career three-hit game, while Nwogu also added three hits and four RBI . Blomgren collected three hits (two doubles) with three runs scored and Salter, Thomas and Lewis had two hits apiece.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Weisenburger, Jack (3-0)
L: Eddins, Reece (6-3)
S: Beers, Blake (1)
Batting:
2B: Blomgren, Jack 2
HR: Nwogu, Jordan 1
RBI: Nwogu, Jordan 4 ; Blomgren, Jack 2 ; Kerr, Jimmy 2 ; Lewis, Miles 1 ; Donovan, Joe 1 ; Salter, Harrison 2 ; Bullock, Christan 1 ; Thomas, Ako 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Nwogu, Jordan 2 ; Franklin, Jesse 1 ; Blomgren, Jack 3 ; Bertram, Riley 1 ; Kerr, Jimmy 1 ; Lewis, Miles 1 ; Nelson, Blake 2 ; Donovan, Joe 2 ; Bullock, Christan 3 ; Thomas, Ako 2
SB: Blomgren, Jack 1 ; Lewis, Miles 1
CS: Lewis, Miles 1
HBP: Blomgren, Jack 1
Batting:
2B: Chick, Cam 1 ; Altavilla, Angelo 1
HR: Palensky, Aaron 1 ; Schwellenbach, S. 1
RBI: Chick, Cam 1 ; Palensky, Aaron 1 ; Schwellenbach, S. 1 ; Altavilla, Angelo 2 ; Acker, Joe 1 ; Cross, Carter 1 ; Gomes, Colby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hallmark, Jaxon 1 ; Chick, Cam 1 ; Palensky, Aaron 1 ; Schwellenbach, S. 1 ; Altavilla, Angelo 2 ; Henwood, Alex 1 ; Roseberry, Ty 1
HBP: Altavilla, Angelo 2 ; Henwood, Alex 1
