Michigan leaves 12 on base in season-ending loss to No. 8 Penn State
Despite heroic individual efforts from Mitch Voit and Stephen Hrustich, Michigan's season came to an end in the Big Ten Tournament on Saturday afternoon in a 7-6 extra-inning loss to eighth-seeded Penn State.
Michigan ace Kurt Barr got the start on the mound for the Wolverines after tossing 88 pitches in Wednesday's Big Ten Tournament opener. On just two days rest, Barr threw 4.0 innings and gave up just one earned run, throwing 78 total pitches.
After three scoreless innings for both teams, Penn State got two runners aboard with a single and a walk. The following batter singled to right field, and as Hrustich was charging the ball with a potential play at home plate, he let the ball slide under his glove, which allowed the Nittany Lions to score two runs on the play.
Penn State added a third run later in the inning with a sacrifice fly, and Michigan trailed by three runs early in its elimination game.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Michigan evened up the game with three runs of its own. Hrustich opened the inning with a double off the top of the outfield wall that came just inches away from clearing the fence for a home run.
Hrustich scored two batters later, and the Wolverines were on the board.
Michigan then put together a two-out rally, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Kyle Dernedde.
Voit and Hrustich dazzled in the home half of the seventh inning, as well, giving the Wolverines their first lead of the game. Voit singled to begin the inning, and Hrustich followed it up with a triple into the left field corner.
Penn State pitcher Mason Horwat threw a wild pitch to the next Michigan batter, and Hrustich cruised home for the 5-3 lead.
The Nittany Lions quickly answered with two runs of their own in the top of the eighth inning, and the game was once again tied.
Neither team scored in the ninth inning, and for the second time in four days, Michigan was headed to extra innings.
Penn State's Adam Cecere launched a two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning off Jacob Denner, who relieved Barr with a solid six-inning, 108-pitch outing, to give Penn State the 7-5 lead.
Voit hit a solo blast in the bottom half of the 10th, but the Wolverines could not find another run, and their season came to a close with a 7-6 loss to Penn State.
The Nittany Lions will head to the Big Ten Championship Game, while Michigan will head back to Ann Arbor.
Overall, Michigan finishes the season with a 32-28 overall record.
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