The Michigan baseball team’s playoff picture became clear within a span of a few minutes Saturday afternoon — the final day of the regular season.

With a win against Nebraska or a Michigan State loss against Penn State, the Wolverines would earn a bid to the Big Ten Tournament. If the they lost and the Spartans won, Michigan’s season would end in Nebraska.

As Michigan State came from behind in the ninth inning for a victory over the Nittany Lions, the Wolverines simultaneously scored six runs in the fifth inning of their own game to blow the game open in a 19-9 rout. In its most important game of the season Michigan flexed its offensive muscle on its way to earning the sixth and final spot in the Big Ten Tournament.

“This is survive and advance mode,” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “That’s what postseason baseball is all about. They seemed very comfortable in the situation today.”

The Wolverines showed an immediate sense of urgency on Saturday, scoring four runs in the first two innings to take the early lead. The lead quickly evaporated as Nebraska soon tied the game back up in the third inning.

“We didn’t lay down,” said Michigan center fielder Michael O’Neill. “It would’ve been easy for us to lay down, but if we laid down our season would’ve been over.”

The Wolverines responded with the crucial six-run fifth inning. Michigan capitalized on a Cornhusker error that could have squelched the threat from the start. With runners on first and third and one out, Michigan sophomore first baseman Kyle Jusick grounded to shortstop for what could have been a routine, inning-ending double play. Instead, Nebraska shortstop Bryan Peters’ throw veered wide allowing all runners to reach base safely. The Wolverines took full advantage of the miscue, jumping out to a commanding 10-4 lead.

While a 10-4 lead would seem sufficient in a must-win game, the Wolverines took no chances, tacking on nine more runs. Michigan batted around three times in the game, setting season-highs in both runs scored and hits (23) in a game.

The Wolverines’ Big Ten Tournament bid was in a precarious position entering Saturday’s game after they split the first two games of the series with the Cornhuskers. On Thursday night, Michigan used a four-run seventh inning to come from behind to down Nebraska with a 7-5 victory. The Cornhuskers responded on Saturday by winning 9-6 despite a grand slam from O’Neill.

The Wolverines’ starting pitchers struggled all weekend, as none of the trio of left-handers lasted past the fifth inning in any game. Sunday’s offensive outburst rendered those performances irrelevant for the time being as the offense powered on, allowing Michigan to continue its season on its way achieving its only goal.

“Our goal from day one has been to win the Big Ten conference tournament championship,” Bakich said. “Everything we do on a daily basis and the process-oriented approach of getting better every day has been about the final destination of winning the conference tournament and extending our season from there.”

Though Michigan enters the Big Ten Tournament as the lowest seed, it remains confident. With Nebraska on the schedule in their first game of the tournament on Wednesday, the Wolverines believe they can beat the Cornhuskers in a single key game.

After all, they’ve done it before.