Cronenworth Leads Michigan into Title Game

 

By Chris Webb

Special to CollegeBaseballInsider.com

 

MINNEAPOLIS – Seizing extra opportunities, Michigan’s greatest opportunity now lies in front of it. Three Illinois errors leading to five unearned runs, the Wolverines knocked off the top-seeded Illini 5-3 to advance to Sunday’s Big Ten Tournament title game against Maryland.

 

An automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament is on the line, and first pitch is set for 9:03 a.m. CDT. Michigan, the tournament No. 3 seed, will take on No. 4 seed Maryland, the former club of Wolverines head coach Erik Bakich, who has his current program one win away from its first Regional appearance since 2008.

 

“I will always pull for those guys, and I will always cheer for those guys and always support those guys. I want them to do well except for when we play them,” Bakich said. “Of course I want all those kids to do well, but when it comes time to play a game, the opponent is nameless and faceless and that is how it will be tomorrow.”

 

Getting to the championship game, Michigan didn’t appear phased by Saturday’s opponent, Illinois instead of playing like an upstart and young team.

 

In the bottom of the second, a hit by pitch allowed left fielder Kevin White to reach base, and Johnny Slater reached on the ensuing at-bat on a throwing error by Illinois second baseman Reid Roper. A four-pitch walk to catcher Kendall Patrick loaded the bases second baseman Jacob Cronenworth, who lined a two-run single to give Michigan the early advantage.

 

“Today, it really felt like we beat ourselves in a lot of areas,” Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said.

 

Two games removed from its 27-game winning streak, Illini appeared set to start a new one, responding with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Big Ten Player of the Year David Kerian put the Illini on the board with a two-out double in the fourth, and a fielding error by Michigan third baseman Travis Maezes allowed an unearned Illinois run to cross home in the fifth. Illinois took the lead with its third straight run-scoring inning, with Kerian sending a two-out home run off the right-field foul pole for his Big Ten-leading 14^th home run.

 

But Kerian didn’t feel the Illini were home free: “I knew Michigan would come back and fight again like they did.”

 

“At this time of year, you’re going to be trading punches, you have to take a blow,” Bakich said. “Kerian’s home run was a blow and credit our guys they got back up and kept fighting.”

 

Facing its first deficit of the game, Michigan responded, again aided by the Illinois’ defense.

 

Leading off the bottom of the sixth, a liner off the bat of DH Cody Bruder went under the glove of Roper. An Illinois error on an attempted double play placed runners on the corners and a walk drawn by White loaded the bases. Michigan’s second hit batter of the game, Slater, drove in the tying run with the go-ahead run scoring on a double play. Beating out an infield single on a head-first slide, Cronenworth added an insurance run with his third RBI.

 

“We had some individual performances that were very good, and I thought we did some things well,” Hartleb said. “But we just made too many mistakes in tournament, championship style play. That always comes back to haunt you.”

 

Michigan left-hander Evan Hill allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in 4.1innings. Freshman right-hander Bryan Pall, who said the team packed and planned to play through Sunday, pitched 2.2 innings for the win, the only hit allowed Kerian’s home run.

 

“I think a lot of guys had belief we’d come back,” Hill said. “And that’s what’s made us good this week, a belief we can win.”

 

Cronenworth led Michigan with three hits and also picked up his third save of the tournament, tossing the final 2.2 innings and getting out of a first and second one-out jam in the top of the eighth. He pitched a scoreless ninth and Michigan into the title game.

 

“I was thinking before I went in to pitch it was probably the most fun game I’ve ever played,” Cronenworth said. “Getting to pitch, play first, play second and hitting the ball all over the place, it was awesome.”

 

Illinois starter Rob McDonnell received a tough-luck loss, pitching five innings and allowing five unearned runs on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Kerian went 2 for 3 for the Illini, a team with hopes of a national seed in the NCAA Tournament.

 

“This week, we’re going to come into practice and work hard,” Kerian said. “We’re going to respond, like we did yesterday for that game, and just keep working hard.”

 

For now, the moment is Michigan’s, with the Wolverines looking to restore the glory of the program’s past.

 

“It’d be a dream come true, and I think every one of us believes we can do it,” Hill said of Michigan ending its tournament drought. “We’re playing good baseball right now, playing as a unit. The history that comes before us, we understand they’re lifting us up.”