Michigan
36-20
Minnesota
34-20
Michigan Scratches Out Big Ten Tournament Win Over Minnesota
5/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 26, 2016
» Sophomore Jake Bivens knocked in the tying run in the bottom of the eighth with a bloop single, and freshman Jonathan Engelmann scored the game-winner on a wild pitch later in the inning.
» Senior Evan Hill earned his second career save with two strikeouts in the ninth.
» No. 5-seeded Michigan will play again tomorrow (May 27) at 9 p.m. CDT, facing Ohio State.
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| Tournament Central
Site: Omaha, Neb. (TD Ameritrade Park)
Tournament: Big Ten Tournament (Day 2)
Score: Michigan 3, Minnesota 2
Records: U-M (36-20), MINN (34-20)
Next U-M Event: Friday, May 27 -- vs. Ohio State - Big Ten Tournament (Omaha, Neb.), 9 p.m. CDT
OMAHA, Neb. -- A gritty performance from sophomore pitcher Oliver Jaskie and a two-run eighth inning secured a 3-2 victory for the University of Michigan baseball team over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Thursday (May 26) at TD Ameritrade Park, allowing the Wolverines to survive in the losers' bracket and advance in the Big Ten Tournament.
Jaskie tossed a seven-inning gem to tie his career high in innings pitched, and he struck out six and allowed just one run on four hits. Though he did not receive a decision in the outing, the lefty faced 27 batters on just 91 pitches in the gutsy performance.
Trailing 2-1 after Minnesota scored a run in the top of the eighth, Michigan answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to pick up the victory. Junior Michael Brdar led off the inning with a single to the left-centerfield gap, and freshman Jonathan Engelmann followed with a well-place sacrifice bunt that resulted in a Minnesota error. With runners on second and third, sophomore Jake Bivens looped a clutch RBI single just over the third baseman's glove to score Brdar and tie the game. Freshman Ako Thomas was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and a wild pitch allowed Engelmann to cross the plate safely for what turned out to be the winning run.
Senior lefty Evan Hill then came out to pitch the ninth, picking up his second career save. A diving play from Bivens down the third base line recorded one out, and Hill closed out the game with two strikeouts. Sophomore Bryan Pall, who tossed the eighth inning, earned the victory. The comeback was Michigan's first of the season when trailing after seven innings.
Minnesota scored first in the outing, plating a run in the top of the third on two walks, a sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly.
The Wolverines tied the score in the bottom of the fourth inning. Thomas led off the rally with a double down the rightfield line, and a deep flyout from senior Cody Bruder pushed Thomas to third. An RBI groundout from junior Carmen Benedetti then allowed Thomas to score, tying the game at 1-1.
Neither team scored again until the top of the eighth, when Minnesota took a 2-1 lead on a three singles and a sacrifice bunt.
THATS THE GAME!!
SURVIVE and ADVANCE. #GoBlue https://t.co/f7Zb4e3EHu-- Michigan Baseball (@umichbaseball) May 26, 2016
The schedule for Friday (May 27) has been modified due to inclement weather that forced postponement of Thursday's nightcap. Michigan will now play at 9 p.m. CDT Friday, facing Ohio State after the Buckeyes fell in walkoff fashion to Iowa. Michigan was originally scheduled to play Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Communications Contact: Katie Gwinn Hewitt
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pall, Bryan (3-1)
L: Sawyer, Dalton (7-6)
S: Hill, Evan (1)
Batting:
2B: Stemper, Matt 1 ; Pettersen, Luke 1
RBI: Schaefbauer, Connor 1 ; Athmann, Austin 1
SH: Motl, Dan 1 ; Schaefbauer, Connor 2 ; Smith, Jordan 1
SF: Schaefbauer, Connor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Motl, Dan 1 ; Pettersen, Luke 1
CS: Fiedler, Matt 1
PO: Fiedler, Matt 1
Batting:
2B: Thomas, Ako 1
RBI: Bivens, Jake 1 ; Benedetti, Carmen 1
SH: Engelmann, Jonathan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thomas, Ako 1 ; Brdar, Michael 1 ; Engelmann, Jonathan 1
HBP: Thomas, Ako 1
