OMAHA, Neb. — Michigan junior left-hander Tommy Henry struck out eight batters in 8 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, and the Wolverines homered twice to take Game One of the College World Series against Vanderbilt, 7-4.
The two teams will meet again Tuesday night in the best-of-three series. A U-M win would give the Wolverines their first National Championship since 1962.
As they have throughout the World Series, the Wolverines got off to a quick start. Designated hitter Jordan Nwogu led off with a five-pitch walk against starter Drake Fellows, who struggled to throw strikes in the early going. He went to 3-0 on two of the first three batters.
An early baserunning mistake cost U-M. Nwogu was gunned down at third trying to advance on Jesse Franklin’s sharp single up the middle … Franklin advanced to second, though, and would score on right fielder Jordan Brewer’s opposite field double to right.
Third baseman Blake Nelson’s single to left scored Brewer, and for the fourth straight game the Wolverines had runs on the board in the first, taking a 2-0 lead.
Michigan junior lefty Tommy Henry took it from there. He was dominant in the first frame, shutting down the lethal top of the Commodores lineup on only seven pitches. His first 10 pitches went for strikes.
U-M picked up where it left off in the second. Fellows remained wild, walking the first two batters. Nine hitter and second baseman Ako Thomas missed two chances to bunt them over, but his soft liner for a double down the left field line scored shortstop Jack Blomgren and put runners on second and third with nobody out.
Nwogu grounded to third and the runners held, but Franklin’s grounder to second scored the fourth run. Brewer lined to short to end the inning and strand a runner at third, but it was still 4-0 Wolverines at the end of two.
Vandy's Philip Clarke led off the second inning with a base hit to left, but Henry responded by striking out the next two. Ty Duvall plated the Commodores’ first run with a single to center to cut the deficit to 4-1. A passed ball scored the second run, and the inning ended with the Wolverines up 4-2.
It remained that way when U-M quickly went 1-2-3 in its top of the third. Henry gave up a leadoff single to Vandy third baseman Austin Martin to start the bottom of the inning, but a 6-3 double play and a great pick-up by first baseman Jimmy Kerr on the short hop ended the frame.
Michigan threatened again in the fourth. Blomgren led off with an infield single, and catcher Joe Donovan’s sharp single to left put two on with nobody out. Thomas laid down the sacrifice, but a pair of ground balls ended the threat.
Henry continued to deal. He cruised through the fourth and the fifth and took a 4-2 lead into the sixth, having allowed only four singles and the two runs (one earned).
U-M had another opportunity to extend the lead in the top of the sixth. Blomgren’s infield single and an Ako Thomas walk put two runners on, but Zach King relieved Fellows and struck out Nwogu to end the threat.
JJ Bleday’s 27th home run, a no doubter to right, cut the Michigan lead to 4-3 on the first pitch of the sixth inning. Henry got the next two out but a Blomgren error at short on a Pat DeMarco grounder and two wild pitches advanced DeMarco to third. Henry stranded him, striking out left fielder Stephen Scott.
Brewer’s hustle on an infield single set the stage for Kerr’s heroics. The senior blasted a two-run homer to right to put the Wolverines back up 6-3. U-M stranded Nelson on third after he singled, stole second and advanced on a bad throw, the seventh Wolverine left on base.
Henry quickly worked through the bottom of the Commodores’ order to keep it 6-3 heading into the eighth inning. Catcher Joe Donovan started the eighth with a solo blast to left, his 12th of the year, to make it a four-run game again.
The Wolverines had a chance to break it open, loading the bases with one out, but Kerr and Nelson both popped out to end the threat.
With sophomore Jeff Criswell working in the bullpen, Henry walked leadoff hitter Austin Martin on four straight pitches to start the eighth. He struck out Bleday and got a huge assist from Brewer in right field after a Philip Clarke single to right. Brewer cut him down with a bullet for the second out, and Henry struck out DeMarco to end the inning.
U-M stranded two more in the ninth after putting two on with nobody out. Nwogu drove one to the gap with two outs, but Bleday tracked it down to end the threat.
Vanderbilt wouldn't go quietly. DeMarco led off the ninth with a double to the left field gap before Kerr's tough play at first on Scott got the first out. Criswell replaced Henry and gave up a sacrifice fly and got a ground ball out from Ty Duvall to end it.
The Wolverines will now have two chances to claim a title, starting Tuesday night.
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