Nebraska Cornhuskers: The Wolverines played Santa Claws on Easter Sunday

The Nebraska Cornhuskers looked to be in big trouble on Sunday morning, but the Michigan Wolverines served up some Easter presents and handed over a series.

For a  while, it looked like the Nebraska baseball team was more interested in egg hunting than winning a weekend series in the Big Ten. After falling down 2-0 early, Will Bolt’s squad managed to right the ship thanks in large part to several long balls in the first couple of innings.

The Huskers also shook off a Saturday contest that saw them struggle mightily with runners on base (2-14) and scored early and often when they were able to get runners on. While Will Walsh was far from great in his first Sunday start of the season, he was competent and able to hand the game over to a bullpen that is on one heck of a run lately.

The Huskers won the game 11-3 and won the series over Michigan to improve to 18-10-1 on the season and 4-2 in the Big Ten. Considering that there is some doubt as to whether or not the Nebraska Cornhuskers are good enough to get an at-large bid to the regionals at this point, every win is going to count from here on out. It doesn’t hurt that UM is also competing for the Big Ten crown so the Huskers knocked off a direct rival in that regard.

Key Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball moment

Brice Matthews strode to the plate with two on and two out in the top of the second inning. The Huskers had already scored one run after falling behind early in the game, 2-0, but the leadoff hitter was looking to either tie or take the lead.

However, the all-world shortstop didn’t seem to be seeing Michigan starting pitcher Jacob Denner all that well, as he struck out on three pitches to lead off the game. The concern was still there on a 1-2 pitch that everyone in the ballpark believed should have been called strike three. However, it was called ball two, giving Matthews one last gasp of life.

He took advantage of that controversial pitch by depositing the next one over the left field wall for a three-run homer. The blast made it 4-2 and gave the Nebraska baseball team a lead it would never relinquish.

Why Nebraska baseball won

The Huskers pummeled the Wolverines into submission in the early going of a game that looked like it might go UM’s way in the first inning. The inning following Matthew’s home run, Max Anderson hit his own blast – a solo shot – that was followed a few batters later by a Gabe Swanson RBI double.

When the smoke cleared on Sunday, the Huskers scored in the second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Will Bolt went on record after the game saying it was perhaps their best played contest of the season.

Stats that stand out

• Matthews’ homer was briefly tied for the team lead with 10 before Max Anderson hit his bomb. Still, the starting shortstop is hitting .396 on the year with those 10 homers and 24 RBI.
• Max Anderson’s home run was his 5th in six games and his 11th on the season. He’s also hitting .407 with 39 RBI. He and Matthews make up the most feared hitting middle of the infield in the Big Ten for sure, and potentially in college baseball.

Next Up

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will play four games next week they cannot afford to lose. On Tuesday, they’ll look to get revenge on Omaha; next weekend, they will host 5-21 Northwestern. It’s not an overreaction to say that anything less than a 4-0 week will be underachieving.