Michigan overcomes sluggish offensive performance, defeats Iowa, 3-2
Tracy Smith and the Michigan baseball team started the Big Ten Tournament with a win on Wednesday. The fourth-seeded Wolverines knocked off No. 5 seed Iowa, 3-2, to advance to the winner's bracket of the conference tournament.
The first-round matchup started off slowly. Brody Brecht (Iowa) and Kurt Barr (Michigan), each team's respective ace, were on the mound in the tournament opener.
Iowa got on the board first in the top of the second inning as Michael Seegers doubled, bringing home Ben Wilmes.
Michigan loaded the bases in the home half of the third inning, but Stephen Hrustich grounded into an inning-ending double play, ending the scoring threat.
Neither team got much going on offense in the ensuing innings as Brecht and Barr settled into the game.
In the sixth inning, the Wolverines loaded the bases again, and with two outs, Brecht threw a wild pitch that got away from Iowa catcher Cade Moss. The Hawkeye catcher quickly scrambled to recover the loose ball.
In a rapid effort to fire the ball to Brecht, who was covering home plate, Moss' throw was errant, and got by Brecht, allowing Michigan to capitalize with its second run of the game.
Interestingly, both of Michigan's runs through six innings came on Brecht's wild pitch and Moss' error.
The Hawkeyes tied the game in the seventh inning when Wilmes launched a double to right center field.
After two more innings of scoreless baseball, Michigan found itself in a familiar spot — with the bases loaded, this time in the bottom of the 10th inning with no outs and a chance to win the game.
With a full count, first baseman Mitch Voit watched ball four miss outside, and the Wolverines secured the opening-round victory on a walk-off walk.
Michigan's victory over Iowa marks the eighth time in the team's last nine appearances in the conference tournament that the Wolverines have won at least one game.
Now, Michigan will enjoy about 24 hours of rest before taking on No. 8 seed Penn State, which upset top-seeded Illinois, 8-4, on Wednesday, in the winner's bracket. The winner between the Wolverines and Nittany Lions will be in the driver's seat for a spot in the conference tournament championship game.
Thursday's contest between No. 4 Michigan and No. 8 Penn State is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. EST on Thursday.
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