A three-game series gives opportunity for chance all around, which was something the Michigan baseball team desperately needed following the run-rule defeat it suffered Saturday. Hoping to win both the series and their dignity, the Wolverines seized this opportunity as best they could.
In this effort, it was unsuccessful. Michigan (11-11 overall, 1-5 Big Ten) was given plenty of chances through a series of Nebraska (18-6, 5-1) slip-ups. Yet the Wolverines couldn’t quell the might of the Cornhuskers batters and their aptitude for launching homers, losing 9-5, despite nabbing one of their own.
The hopeful return to glory started out mundane, as sophomore right-hander Tate Carey was back in action but still reeling from his injury hiatus. And while there were worries lingering of Nebraska firepower, the first run would instead come from the Wolverines.
In the bottom of the second inning, junior first baseman Matthew Ossenfort found himself on second base after a catcher’s interference call pushed him off first. After this, sophomore left fielder Brayden Jefferis brought a similar single, batting in Ossenfort for a 1-0 lead. The middle innings kept this score posted, with the infield providing ironclad groundouts to stifle any Cornhuskers offense.
After some lackluster innings, Nebraska was ready to fight back. In the top of the sixth inning, Cornhuskers third baseman Rhett Stokes slammed a solo homer down left-center that evened the score at 1-1. The ferocity of the Nebraska dugout all but trademarked these explosive plays.
The switch came in the very same inning. With bases loaded after a series of walks and singles, redshirt sophomore pinch hitter Noah Miller came in to bat for Ossenfort. He was struck with a wild pitch to secure a run from junior designated hitter Cade Ladehoff, and another wild pitch two at-bats later brought Jefferis home as well to make the score 3-1 for the Wolverines.
The next Cornhuskers score was just the same, as an untouchable homer in the seventh inning brought the score even. All but one run at this point in the game could be accredited to Nebraska, through both hits and errors — yet as the game heated up, so did the Michigan bats.
The hump of the deficit was overcome in this inning, and it didn’t show signs of stopping. Two more runs were added to the Cornhuskers belt to bring the score to 4-3, and it was time to respond for the Wolverines. In the bottom of the seventh inning, junior left fielder Brenden Stressler launched a homer to right field and evened out the score once again.
Their lead was extremely short-lived, as a homer was in Nebraska’s cards. At the top of the ninth inning, the ball was sent far out of right field, and another homer, just a few at-bats later, was a grand slam. This destroyed any chance of that redemption Michigan craved, elevating the score to 9-4 — a far cry from the tight battle the teams were in just minutes before. This score would be offset by the Wolverines when junior second baseman Colby Turner was batted in, yet it wasn’t enough.
Michigan was given ample opportunity to secure its lead, yet it was ultimately unable to materialize it. The game slipped away from the Wolverines for a 9-5 loss, secured by a monumental Cornhusker grand slam to ultimately dim the fire of hope for redemption.
