Huskers Drop Opener at #22 Michigan

Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Nebraska baseball team (22-12, 7-3 Big Ten) dropped its series opener against the No. 22 Michigan Wolverines (23-9, 4-2 Big Ten) on Friday night, 10-6, at the Wilpon Complex. The Huskers and Wolverines each had nine hits on the night, but Michigan was unable to convert seven walks into four runs, including three leadoff walks that each came around to score.

The Huskers trailed 10-3 entering the top of the ninth and continued to fight, scoring three runs on four hits, but were unable to overcome the entire seven run deficit. Ryan Boldt and Jake Placzek each double in the inning, Nebraska’s second and third doubles of the game.

One week after going 6.0 innings and striking out a career-high seven, sophomore Garett King lasted just 3.0 innings in his sixth start of the year. King allowed eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits and four walks, all career highs.

A bright spot on Friday was the relief outing by freshman Robbie Palkert. After not going more than 1.2 inning in his first eight appearances of the year, Palkert tossed 3.0 innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit and striking out a season-high four.  

Michigan’s Brett Adock went 6.0 and also walked four, but only one of his free passes came in to score. The junior lefty allowed three runs on five hits, while striking out a pair, to improve to 4-3 on the season. Four UM relievers worked behind Adock to finish the win.

Michigan jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of a leadoff walk and a passed ball. King walked Jake Bivens, who walked four times on the night, to start the frame and he was quickly in scoring position following a single by Matt Ramsay. King got Carmen Benedetti to fly out to deep center field, but on the play Bivens took third base. King then struck out Harrison Wenson, but on the strikeout the ball got away from Taylor Fish and Bivens scored. With Cody Bruder up, King uncooked a wild pitch that moved Ramsay to third and then Bruder drove him in with a single. Fish threw out Bruder stealing to end the frame.

Michigan tacked on three runs in the second on three hits to take a 5-0 lead. No. 9 hitter Ako Thomas drove in a run with a one-out single and Ramsay later added a two-RBI single with the bases loaded.

The Huskers loaded the bases with no out in the fourth, but were only able to plate one run. After leadoff walk by Ben Miller, an infield single by Scott Schreiber and a walk by Jake Meyers, Luis Alvarado hit into a double play, but Miller scored on the play. Working with a 5-1 lead, Adock hit Fish to put runners on the corners, but got out of the jam with a fly out to right field off the bat of Steven Reveles.

Michigan got the run back in the bottom of the fourth and added two more to take an 8-1 lead. Carmen Benedetti drove in two with a two-RBI double and Bruder picked up his second RBI of the night with a one-out single that scored Ramsey, who reached on an error by Schreiber earlier in the inning.

Nebraska had a chance for a big inning in the sixth when they sent eight batters to the plate, but scored just two runs and left the bases loaded. Miller led off with a double, moved to third on a fly out and then scored on a wild pitch. With one out, the Huskers loaded the bases on back-to-back single by Meyes and Alvarado along with a walk to Fish. Reveles then drove in a run with a RBI ground out and Cole Klenke followed with a four-pitch walk that again loaded the bases. Boldt stepped in an put a good charge into the first pitch he saw from Adock, but Ramsay was able to haul in the fly ball in deep left field to end the Husker threat.

Michigan scored a run in the seventh and eighth to take a commanding 10-3 lead and were able to hold off the Husker rally in the ninth.

Game two this weekend’s series is set for 1 p.m. (CT) tomorrow. A pair of lefties will meet on the mound, as Nebraska’s Jake McSteen will start against Michigan’s Oliver Jaskie.