Michigan Falls to Vanderbilt in CWS Finals Game Two to Set Up Winner-Take-All Game

Tuesday, June 25

Omaha, Neb.

6:00 PM CT

Michigan

50-21

Vanderbilt

58-12

Vanderbilt

Michigan

Jack Blomgren

Michigan Falls to Vanderbilt in CWS Finals Game Two to Set Up Winner-Take-All Game

6/25/2019 11:41:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery Postgame Report

By: Katie Gwinn Hewitt

Site: Omaha, Neb. (TD Ameritrade Park)
Event: NCAA College World Series Finals (Game 2)
Score: #2 Vanderbilt 4, Michigan 1
Records: U-M (50-21), Vanderbilt (58-12)
Next U-M Event: Wednesday, June 26 -- vs. Vanderbilt - College World Series Finals, Game Three (Omaha, Neb.), 6 p.m. CDT

» The Wolverines were held to just four hits, which included two from Jack Blomgren, who scored Michigan's lone run.
» Michigan's five-game win streak was snapped, with Tuesday's loss its first since June 8.
» Michigan and Vanderbilt will play for the 2019 national title in a winner-take-all game Wednesday (June 26).

• Kornacki: Paige's Pitching Not Enough Tuesday; Kauffmann, Criswell Ready for Title Game

OMAHA, Neb. -- The University of Michigan baseball team suffered its first loss at the College World Series on Tuesday night (June 25) as the Wolverines dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 2-ranked Vanderbilt in the second game of the CWS Finals at TD Ameritrade Park.

Michigan (50-21) and Vanderbilt (58-12) will face off Wednesday (June 26) to decide the NCAA champion in a winner-take-all game three.

Vanderbilt scored in three different innings and held Michigan to one seventh-inning run and four hits. Commodore starting pitcher Kumar Rocker kept the Wolverine offense at bay over 6.1 innings with 11 strikeouts and just two walks.

Redshirt freshman Isaiah Paige started for the Wolverines for the first time since May 7 and tossed four strong innings with a career-high five strikeouts before he was lifted in the top of the fifth in favor of redshirt junior Benjamin Keizer.

Five Michigan relievers combined for to throw five innings during which they allowed three runs on three hits.

The Wolverines threatened in the bottom of the third inning when sophomore Jack Blomgren collected Michigan's first hit of the day with a leadoff single through the left side. A sacrifice bunt from sophomore Joe Donovan moved Blomgren to second, and a walk to senior Ako Thomas followed by a groundout moved both into scoring position before a strikeout ended the frame.

Vanderbilt put its first runner on base in the top of the third but did not score until the fifth. After a leadoff single brought on a call to the bullpen for Keizer, an error resulted in runners on the corners with just one out. A groundout followed, which plated one unearned run for a 1-0 Commodore lead.

A messy sixth inning ended in a pair of Vanderbilt runs that extended its lead to 3-0. Three Michigan pitchers appeared in the frame, which featured one hit, three walks and two wild pitches before sophomore lefty Angelo Smith entered the game with one out and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

A solo shot in the top of the seventh pushed the Vanderbilt lead to 4-0, but the Wolverines responded in the bottom of the inning and cut the deficit to 4-1. Blomgren led off with a base hit to left field -- his second hit of the game -- and took second base on a balk. One out later, Thomas sent a single through the left side that scored Blomgren from second.

Michigan's four hits marked a season-low since a loss to Ohio State (one hit) to start the Big Ten Conference Tournament.

The Wolverines and Commodores will meet up in a winner-take-all game three on Wednesday, with the winner earning the NCAA championship. First pitch from TD Ameritrade Park is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN.