A towering home run to right field by Max Buettenback and a grand slam to left-center by Jett Buck, both in the ninth inning, propelled Nebraska baseball to a 9-5 win over Michigan Sunday in the rubber game of their three-game Big Ten series in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Cornhuskers (18-6, 5-1 Big Ten) have exploded for 19 runs in their last two games. Nebraska has 13 of its last 14 contests, including a 4-1 record during this week-long roadtrip.
The Wolverines (11-11, 1-5 Big Ten) took the lead in the bottom of the second inning when Brayden Jefferis singled up the middle to drive in a run. Rhett Stokes homered in the sixth to get the Huskers on the board and tie the game at one. But in the bottom of the sixth, two bases-loaded hit by pitches put Michigan back ahead, 3-1.
Nebraska fought back in the top of the seventh. Dylan Carey led off the inning with a home run to left. Then with one out, Buettenback drove in a run with a single to left, tying the game at three. With the bases loaded and one out, Jeter Worthley hit a ground ball to the second baseman. The runner at first, Mac Moyer, immediately stopped and retreated toward first base, drawing the second baseman’s attention and preventing the double play. As Moyer was tagged out, Buettenback scored and Worthley was safe at first, preventing the double play and giving the Huskers a 4-3 lead.
That lead would be short lived. In the bottom of the seventh, Brenden Stressler led off the frame with a home run to right, tying the game at four. But in the top of the ninth, Buettenback led off the inning by crushing a ball well over the right-field fence, putting Nebraska back on top, 5-4. Later in the inning, Buck followed with the grand slam that all but clinched the victory. The Wolverines scored one in the bottom of the ninth, but drew no closer.
J’Shawn Unger (4-1) earned the win, throwing 2.2 innings of relief. He allowed one unearned run and two hits. Gavin Devooght (0-2) took the loss, allowing three earned runs in two innings. Buettenback came off the bench to hit 2-for-2 with two RBI and a home run, while Stokes and Carey both had two hits, an RBI and a home run.
The Huskers are back in action Tuesday at 6 p.m. at K-State. Pregame coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. on KLIN.