Michigan’s first World Series game since 1984 was also the Wolverines’ first World Series win since Ronald Reagan was president. A three-run third inning proved to be the difference in a 5-3 win over Texas Tech.
The Wolverines got off to a quick start. Leadoff hitter Jordan Nwogu led off the game with a single to left field, advanced on a passed ball and got to third on Jordan Brewer’s ground ball.
A sacrifice fly to right by Big Ten Player of the Year Jordan Brewer manufactured the Wolverines’ first run. The Wolverines were loose, playing with confidence and were off and running.
Starting pitcher Karl Kauffmann did his part through the first two innings, allowing only two hits in shutting the Red Raiders out the first time through the order.
Jimmy Kerr’s first triple of the season helped break it open in the fourth. Nwogu’s hit sharply into a double play, but the Wolverines mounted a two-out rally. Sophomore outfielder Jesse Franklin then walked and Brewer singled before the left Kerr roped a line drive down the right field line to score two.
Senior Blake Nelson drove in Kerr with a single to left to make it 4-0.
Texas Tech finally got to Kauffman in the bottom of the inning. Brian Klein’s two run homer on a good curve ball low in the strike zone cut the lead in half.
Michigan would continue to put baserunners on, but the Wolverines couldn’t score. They finally went 1-2-3 for the first time in the top of the sixth.
Tech continued to chip away. Josh Jung’s infield single started the inning, and he’d score following a double and a ground out. Kauffmann escaped further damage with a strikeout to end the inning with a runner on third.
Controversy ensued the following inning. Franklin walked and stole second, but Brewer fell down on the pitch and was ruled to have interfered with the throw. He was ruled out and Franklin sent back to first.
A passed ball sent Franklin to second, though, and he scored on shortstop Jung’s error on Nelson’s ground ball that skipped past the first baseman. U-M went up 5-3, and the Wolverines would take that lead into the eighth inning after Kauffman gave up a leadoff single but no more in the bottom of the seventh.
Jeff Criswell relieved Kauffmann in the eighth and immediately struck out Jung. He walked the next batter but got the next two to send it to the ninth.
Criswell quickly got the first two outs of the ninth and seemed to have the third, but a 1-2 pitch on the corner to Braxton Fulford was called a ball. Fulford singled on the next pitch to keep the game alive. Criswell then walked Dylan Neuse to send the winning run to the plate.
The sophomore righty struck out Klein to end it on a 2-2 pitch.
The Wolverines will next play the winner of Florida State and Vanderbilt Monday in Omaha.
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