Jaxon Hallmark (2) looks up after sliding safely back to first base Saturday during the second game of a doubleheader against Michigan at Haymarket Park.
EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Nebraska and Michigan play the second of two games Saturday at Haymarket Park.
EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Nebraska pitcher Cam Wynne (47) throws a pitch during Game 1 of a doubleheader on Saturday at Haymarket Park.
If the Nebraska baseball team used this weekend to bask in its Big Ten title-winning season with thousands of Big Red supporters, it didn't show.
The Huskers, who already possess a golden ticket to the postseason, delivered one last reminder to the league, splitting a doubleheader with Michigan on Saturday at Haymarket Park to win two of three games against the postseason hopeful Wolverines.
After running into a buzz saw in Cameron Weston in a 2-0 loss to begin the day, the Huskers bounced back for a 5-3 triumph on a day seniors were celebrated. Saturday marked the final day of the regular season for both teams after Sunday's game was moved up a day due to a rainy forecast.
"The first game, you have to tip your cap to their starter," NU coach Will Bolt said. "It was good to see us hit the reset button the way we did. After a little bit of a slow start in that second game, it kind of took one little spark to get us going again."
That spark in the second game was Jaxon Hallmark's solo home run in the third inning, which served as Nebraska's first run of the day after Weston threw seven scoreless innings to power Michigan a couple of hours earlier.
The Huskers pounced from there, tacking on three more runs in the fourth to open a 4-0 lead they carried all the way to the eighth inning. Max Anderson blasted a homer to give NU a 5-0 lead, and Nebraska fought off a late Michigan rally in the ninth to earn its 31st win of the season.
Kyle Perry and Shay Schanaman gave their coach something to consider in the No. 3 spot of the pitching rotation as the postseason begins. Perry started the game and threw three no-hit innings, and Schanaman followed by throwing four scoreless frames.
The Huskers have an ace in Cade Povich in the No. 1 spot and Chance Hroch has been strong at No. 2. But the duo of Perry and Schanaman could give the rotation a postseason boost.Â
Perry missed the bulk of the season recovering from Tommy John's surgery. He has pitched three times since May 10 with outings of one inning, two innings and three innings.Â
"I feel fantastic; I wanted to go out for another (inning)," Perry said. "But right now we have to take it easy. I trusted Shay to come in and get the job done and he absolutely shoved … it's a great little duo there to start the game."
All told, the Husker pitching staff allowed five runs in 18 innings to a team that can slug — and three of those tallies came with two outs in the ninth inning of the second game.
Hroch threw six quality innings in the first game. Michigan's first run came without the benefit of a hit, as a leadoff walk came around to bite with help from a passed ball and groundout. Cam Wynne, Tyler Martin and Koty Frank finished out that game by posting zeroes on the board.
Plus, Nebraska dazzled with the glove. Mojo Hagge made a backhanded, sliding catch after running more than 100 feet to track down a ball in foul territory down the left-field line, Anderson made two slick plays at third base and Hallmark flashed his speed by tracking down a few balls destined for the outfield grass.
"It (the pitching) was awesome," Bolt said. "I don't know what else to say. That's one of the better hitting clubs in our entire league. Our pitchers came in and pounded the strike zone … and we played great defense behind them, so I think that is a pretty good combination."Â
The six-hour day at the ballpark began with a celebration of the program's seniors, a ceremony that included a video tribute as the elder Huskers watched with their families on the field.
"We have really leaned on them," Bolt said. "I love them and they mean everything to this program."
Photos: Huskers and Wolverines play two in front of a packed house at Haymarket Park
Jaxon Hallmark (2) looks up after sliding safely back to first base Saturday during the second game of a doubleheader against Michigan at Haymarket Park.