Nebraska needed a good weekend to stay in the Big Ten title race.
The Huskers not only did that, they went undefeated to clinch the conference championship.
The Big Ten Network broadcast made the title race a bit confusing. Midway through the game, it was announced that the conference was going to try and add previously missed games midweek. That would allow Michigan to contend for a share of the title with Nebraska.
Late it the game it was announced from the Big Ten that a win over Ohio State would give Nebraska the outright conference title.
Final word from the Big Ten Conference office….
With a win, Nebraska baseball is the outright Big Ten champion.
Carry on.
— Kevin Kugler (@kevinkugler) May 23, 2021
Nebraska’s last conference title came in 2017, which is their only Big Ten championship. This is the eighth regular-season conference championship for the Huskers in program history.
Nebraska dogpiles on the field in celebration after clinching the Big Ten Conference championship. (Photo Courtesy Missy Minear, Indiana University Athletics)
“We came into the weekend wanting to prove that we’re the best team in the conference,” coach Will Bolt told the Husker Sports Network after the game. “The way it played out, it was perfect.”
The Huskers began the weekend against pod host No. 25 Indiana. A four run second inning put Nebraska out front, and despite a three run answer by the Hoosiers, the Huskers stayed in front for the 8-5 win.
Cade Povich went just 4.0 innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits. In 5.0 innings of relief, Koty Frank, Jake Bunz, and Spencer Schwellenbach combined to allow just one earned run on one hit while striking out eight.
Schwellenbach earned his first save of the weekend.
Max Anderson led the Big Red hitters, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Brice Matthews (2-for-4) and Griffin Everitt (2-for-4) also added multi-hit games.
Saturday became one of the biggest days of the Husker baseball season.
In the first game against Ohio State, the Buckeyes jumped out to a 9-2 lead after six innings. Seemingly out of it, the Huskers posted a five-spot in the seventh before adding four more in the ninth to take an 11-9 win.
Nebraska poses with the 2021 Big Ten Conference championship trophy after clinching the title with a 9-0 win over Ohio State Sunday. (Photo Courtesy Missy Minear, Indiana University Athletics)
Schwellenbach added another save to his weekend while going 4-for-6 at the plate. Jaxon Hallmark went 3-for-6 and Joe Acker 2-for-6 for multi-hit efforts.
In second game of the day, it was all about Chance Hroch.
The senior pitched his first complete game, going 9.0 innings while giving up just one run on three hits and striking out 10 Hoosiers. The lone run was a solo home run in the ninth inning.
The Huskers added a single run in each of the first, second, and sixth innings to do just enough damage for the weekend sweep of Indiana. Mojo Haage, Brice Matthews, and Hallmark contributed a pair of hits each.
Sunday’s game against Ohio State was all Big Red. The Huskers posted five runs in the first inning and never looked back, going on to win 9-0.
Kyle Perry (2.0), Max Schreiber (4.0), Tyler Martin (0.1), Cam Wynne (1.2), and Caleb Feekin (1.0) combined for 14 strikeouts and one walk, giving up five hits in the shutout.
The Huskers racked up 13 hits from eight different players.
With the Northwestern game not being added midweek, the Huskers are next in action hosting Michigan for a trio of games Friday to Sunday.