Ann Arbor, Mich. – After winning its first three Big Ten Conference series of the year, the Nebraska baseball team (22-13, 7-5 Big Ten) was swept by the #22 Michigan Wolverines (24-9, 6-2 Big Ten), dropping the series finale 6-1 on Sunday at the Wilpon Complex. It’s the first time Nebraska has been swept in a three-game Big Ten series since April of last season when it went 0-3 at Iowa.
Michigan got a dominate performance from senior Evan Hill, who went a season-high 7.0 innings. The lefty gave up just one run on four hits and one walk, while striking out four. Hill took a no hitter into the fourth and sat the Huskers down in order four times on the afternoon.
Nebraska called upon Jake Meyers to make his third start of the year and the reliever gave NU a strong 3.2 innings. The sophomore from Omaha allowed just one run on four hits and a walk, while matching a career high with four strikeouts.
The middle of UM’s lineup powered the offense, as the 4-5-6 hitters went 8-for-11 on the day with five RBIs. Cody Bruder was 4-for-4 on the afternoon with two RBIs and two runs scored.
The Huskers tied the game, 1-1, in the top of the sixth, but then Michigan scored the game’s final five runs on their way to victory.
Michigan was able to manufacture a run in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead. Bruder reach on a one-out single and then stole second base. Drew Lugbauer followed with a RBI double, plating the game’s first run. Meyers came back and struck out Michael Brdar and the Huskers turned the ball over to Reece Eddins, who retired Jonathan Engelmann to strand Lugbauer at second.
After failing to record a hit through the first four innings, Luis Alvarado broke up Hill’s no hitter with a one-out double. Hill then struck out Jesse Wilkening and gave up a single to Jake Schleppenbach, but the inning ended when Alvarado was thrown out at home trying to tie the game.
Eddins put the Wolverines down in order in the bottom of the fifth and the NU offense evened the score in the sixth. Ryan Boldt got the offense going with a one-out single and was quickly in scoring position following a balk by Hill. UM’s starter later uncooked a two-out wild pitch that moved Boldt to third and Miller drove him in with a single to left-center field. Hill limited the damage to one run though, striking out Schreiber to end the inning, Hill’s fourth of the game. Michigan answered in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs on a pair of hits to retake the lead, 3-1.
Michigan added three insurance runs in the seventh, with all three scoring with two outs. Carmen Benedetti started a two-out rally with a walk and the Wolverines followed with three straight hits, including a two-RBI double by Lugbauer that pushed UM’s lead to 6-1.
Michigan pitching retired NU’s final 10 batters of the game.
The Huskers will be back in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Manhattan, Kan., for a 6:35 p.m. meeting with the Kansas State Wildcats. It will be NU’s fifth straight road game and it will be carried on Fox College Sports.