Huskers drop series opener at Michigan

After an uneven last week that saw Nebraska go 3-3, the Huskers traveled to Ann Arbor looking to start the weekend off strong and rediscover its previous groove.

Instead, Friday's outing brought up further questions on whether NU will be able to find its footing.

Michigan gave Nebraska plenty of chances to make the contest interesting, but the Huskers just couldn't get the critical hits when they needed them. NU left the bases loaded twice and stranded 10 runners in the series-opening 10-6 loss.

With Matt Waldron (shoulder) ailing and Sunday's starter still undecided, Nebraska needed Garett King to give it a solid outing and help save the bullpen. But the sophomore struggled from the outset, allowing multiple runs in three of the first four innings.

Michigan scored twice in the opening frame, then plated three more runs in the second, when five straight Wolverines reached base. King managed to work a scoreless third, but then failed to even get an out before being lifted for Robbie Palkert in the fourth.

In 3.0 innings, King allowed eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits, four walks and a hit batsman.

"It's maddening," Darin Erstad said on his postgame radio appearance on the Husker Sports Network. "We've been through this how many times? You give up hits, you give up hits. (Control) is something we've been struggling with as a group overall and again it hurt us today."

Palkert (one hit and four strikeouts in 3.0 innings) settled things down, but the offense couldn't take advantage of multiple juicy opportunities. Michigan ace Brett Adcock was wild, walking four and throwing a pair of wild pitches, but NU failed to capitalize on its multiple chances.

The Huskers left the bases juiced in both the fourth and sixth innings and scored just three times in the first eight frames.

Nebraska tried to make things interesting late, scoring three times in the ninth thanks to doubles by doubles by Boldt and Placzek and an RBI single by Jake Meyers. But it was too little, too late as Taylor Fish grounded out with runners on second and third to end the game.

"I've seen it in batting practice," Erstad said. "We've seen it start to get out of its routine as guys are starting to do things they weren't doing before. This is a big time of the season right here and we're being challenged. We have to bounce back tomorrow."

Nebraska's pitchers did a decent job of keeping Michigan in check after King blew up early, but King, Palkert and Sean Chandler still combined for seven walks and six wild pitches. The Wolverines put the leadoff man on base in four of eight innings.

"It's competing," Erstad said. "It's throwing your fastball over the plate. It's not being afraid of contact. Against teams like this that are fastball-heavy you have to be able to command your off-speed stuff and we didn't command enough of it.

"There were a lot of ways in which we gave them an extra 90 feet today."

The two teams will face off again Saturday at 1 p.m. before settling the series in Sunday's finale at noon.

***Placzek has struck out looking three times in the past two games.

***Fish was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, the team-leading seventh time he's been plunked this year.

***Fish threw out two runners attempting to steal.