Big Ten tournament notebook: Huskers relax on homer-filled Day 2

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - In the original schedule of the Big Ten tournament bracket, the two teams that advanced solely through the winner's bracket would be rewarded in the form of an unexpected off day on Friday.

Due to some lengthy games and weather delays, Nebraska got that day on Thursday.

"This time of year, it's not so much about repetition as it is just getting the bodies moving around," Nebraska head coach Darin Erstad said about the team's routine on the off day. "The boys have put the work in, now it's just a matter of making sure that they're not just sitting around all day and they have some blood flow so tomorrow, whenever we get to play, they'll be ready to roll."

The Huskers will have their hands full with the Iowa offense, and while Erstad couldn't confirm that Derek Burkamper would be making the start Friday, he said that would be the most likely scenario.

On the off day, the team was able to lift and take batting practice at the Indiana facilities. It was also a solid day of recovery for the team, including reliever Robbie Palkert, who threw 45 pitches over 3.0 innings in Wednesday's win over Purdue.

Iowa took the regular season series at Nebraska in mid-April, but the Huskers will have an opportunity to even the score on Friday.

Game 3 of the Thursday, Maryland vs. Purdue, began at 7:33 p.m. ET and did not finish by curfew. A source close to the situation told me coaches were upset with the curfew, but another source confirmed that it was voted upon by the coaches before the start of the tournament.

After the delay, Friday, a day that originally had just two games scheduled, will now see a full slate, beginning with the rescheduled start of Minnesota vs. Northwestern in the winner's bracket.

9:00 a.m. (CT): No. 3 Minnesota vs. No. 7 Northwestern

12:30 p.m.: No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Iowa

4:00 p.m. *elimination game*: No. 6 Indiana vs. Minnesota/Northwestern loser

7:30 p.m. *elimination game*: Maryland vs. Nebraska/Iowa loser

Thursday was the second straight day the tournament has only been able to fit three games in. With the four-game schedule on Friday, however, the bracket will be fully back on track.

The 2016 Big Ten baseball tournament at TD Ameritrade Park saw nine balls leave the yard. Through five games of the 2017 tournament at Indiana's Bart Kaufman Field, the home run total is up to 15.

That's not just a one-year trend for TD Ameritrade, but its resistance to home runs may be the same reason Bart Kaufman is so conducive to them.

While Bart Kaufman Field is 330 and 340 down the lines, 370 and 380 in the gaps, and 400 to dead center, TD Ameritrade is slightly bigger at 335-375-408. But the direction of the stadium plays a bigger factor.

In the summer, the primetime for postseason college baseball, high pressure forces winds to the north and east. In Omaha, that wind blows baseballs directly back into the park. But at Bart Kaufman, a park facing straight east, the winds have helped several baseballs clear the wall.

Friday's winds are expected to be calmer, so we may not see as many balls leave the park.

For the second straight year, the 2-seed in the Big Ten tournament has gone two-and-out. Michigan, a team favored by many to win the title, dropped today's game to the tournament host after another late collapse. The Wolverines gave up four late runs to allow Indiana to take a late lead.

Even after scoring a run to tie it in the ninth, Michigan couldn't prevent a walk-off in the bottom of the 13th, effectively ending its tourney run before two of the teams in the field had even played a game.

"Nobody wants to have an 0-2 showing," Michigan coach Erik Bakich said, "certainly not in the Big Ten tournament, where we get the opportunity to compete for a championship.

"We've been playing with a chip (on our shoulder) all along. Every step of the way there seemed to be something that just makes that chip a little bit bigger and sharpens our edge a little bit more. This will certainly be that."

Despite Bakich's positive outlook, the players were clearly disappointed with the outcome. Michigan entered the tournament dominating the major statistical categories, but as baseball sometimes proves, numbers can lie.

Michigan got caught on an off week, something the top-seeded Nebraska Cornhuskers are all too familiar with. But even without any conference hardware, the Wolverines will have a chance to prove themselves in the biggest setting - a regional in next weekend's NCAA tournament.

If Michigan can have a good showing in the money games, Bloomington will be a distant memory.

*** Through five games of the Big Ten tournament, every matchup has come down to either a save or a walk-off.

- No. 3 Minnesota 5, No. 6 Indiana 4 (save over two innings)

- No. 7 Northwestern 6, No. 2 Michigan 4 (three runs in the ninth)

- No. 1 Nebraska 15, No. 8 Purdue 9 (three-inning save)

- No. 6 Indiana 5, No. 2 Michigan 4 (walk-off)

- No. 5 Iowa 9, No. 4 Minnesota 8 (run in the ninth)

*** Indiana and Michigan combined for the longest game in Big Ten tournament history, lasting 13 innings over 4 hours and 28 minutes.

*** Tournament officials considered moving the games up an hour tomorrow to make sure all of the games could be fit in. A compromise between coaches nixed the idea, but a questionable weather schedule could make it a dicey weekend. If all tournament games are not completed by midnight on Sunday, the highest remaining seed is awarded the tournament title.