» Michigan fell 6-4 to No. 2-seeded Nebraska in a game that started at 11 p.m. CT.
» Kurt Barr struck out seven batters over four innings of relief and recorded his 100th strikeout of the season.
» Brayden Jefferis tallied two hits and scored a run.
OMAHA, Neb. — In a game that began at 11 p.m. CT due to inclement weather throughout the day, the University of Michigan baseball team fell 6-4 to No. 20-ranked and No. 2-seeded Nebraska on Friday night (May 22) at Charles Schwab Field in a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal.
Nebraska (42-14) opened the game with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first, and, after having just one baserunner over the first three innings, Michigan (34-24) tied the game in the fourth.
Colby Turner led off with a single and Brayden Jefferis followed with one of his own before a Noah Miller sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position. Turner scored on a groundout by Haeger, and Jefferis came home on a double from Cade Ladehoff.
The Cornhuskers reclaimed the lead with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Kurt Barr took over for Erik Puodziunas with runners on the corners and no outs in the inning. Barr struck out the first two batters, but allowed a single that scored both runners, and Nebraska held a 4-2 lead heading into the fifth inning.
Michigan scored another pair of runs in the seventh inning, when Ladehoff reached on a strikeout wild pitch to bring Matthew Ossenfort to the plate. He launched a 2-2 pitch over the right-field wall for his second of the season and tied the game at four. The Cornhuskers answered once again, scoring twice on three hits in the bottom of the inning, retaking their two-run lead. Barr finished his night allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and struck out seven over four innings of work.
Jefferis and Haeger singled in the eighth to bring the go-ahead run to the plate with one out, but two strikeouts ended the inning. Nebraska threatened to extend its lead, but Slade Moore worked out of a two-on, no-outs jam with a strikeout sandwiched between a pair of fielder’s choices to keep the Cornhusker lead at two.
The Wolverines were set down in order in the ninth to end the game and their run at the Big Ten Tournament.
The Wolverines now await their postseason fate with the NCAA Selection Show, which will take place on Monday (May 25) at noon on ESPN2.
