Expires: Sunday, June 14, 2015

11

Thursday, June 4, 2015

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com SPORTS

AMANDA ALLEN/Daily

Sophomore infielder Carmen benedetti hit two home runs in the Wolverines’ two losses to No. 3 Louisville. 

By ZACH SHAW 

Summer Managing Sports Editor

LOUISVILLE — By the time 

Carmen Benedetti finished round-
ing the bases, Michigan looked 
like it had found one more dose of 
postseason magic.

The sophomore first baseman 

had just belted a two-run home 
run in the top of the first inning, 
and the Wolverines (39-25) were 
on top of No. 3 
Louisville (46-16) 
just four minutes 
into the game.

But by the time 

Benedetti 
came 

up to the plate for 
the second time in 
the fourth inning, 
the magic had run 
out.

Without a true 

starting 
pitcher 

available, Michigan instead got a 
healthy dose of reality, as its Cin-
derella run came to an abrupt end. 
The Cardinals scored early and 
often, thumping the Wolverines in 
a 13-4 defeat.

“We wanted to get out of the 

gate quick, and that was a two-out, 
two-run home run that was a huge 
lift that pumped us up,” said Mich-
igan coach Erik Bakich. “Unfortu-
nately, we just couldn’t keep up.”

The loss ends Michigan’s sea-

son, which was miraculously con-
tinued with a 4-0 run in the Big 
Ten Tournament and featured 

the most wins by a Michigan team 
since 2008.

After defeating Bradley, 4-3, 

earlier in the day, Michigan had its 
second chance against Louisville 
with some momentum after sur-
viving the first elimination game.

It disappeared quickly, howev-

er, as Louisville tallied 14 hits and 
scored in all but two innings. Five 
Cardinals had multi-hit games in 
the dominant affair.

“We 
didn’t 

lose 
today 

because 
we 

were 
scared, 

we 
just 

couldn’t 
keep 

up with them,” 
Bakich 
said. 

“But that’s the 
type of envi-
ronment we’ve 
been in over 
the past two 

week, and want to be in in the 
future.”

On offense, left-hander Josh 

Rogers retired 10 straight Wol-
verine batters after the home run. 
Michigan would piece together 
two more runs and 10 hits overall, 
but it paled in comparison to Lou-
isville’s outpour.

Even when the Wolverines did 

rally, Louisville was able to force 
three double plays with runners 
in scoring position to end the 
threat.

“The double play is a momen-

tum play, especially when it’s 

an inning-ending double play,” 
Bakich said. “You’re sprinting off 
the field and that gets some ener-
gy in the dugout. They certainly 
did a good job of getting ground 
balls and ending the rallies for 
us.”

“They have dominant pitch-

ing, that’s why they’re the No. 3 
national seed.”

In addition to Louisville’s top 

seed, two consecutive College 
World Series appearances and 
home-field advantage of rough-
ly 5,000 fans, Michigan’s odds 
of winning were even further 
diminished Sunday.

Freshman right-hander Ryan 

Nutof — normally the team’s No. 2 
starter — has been in the hospital 

with the flu since Thursday. Using 
its fourth starter, Evan Hill, in the 
earlier game, Michigan relied on 
spare bullpen parts in its biggest 
game of the season.

“We 
knew 

we were going 
to try to piece it 
together a little 
bit,” Bakich said. 
“We were down 
an arm, but we 
were just hop-
ing to try to keep 
them off balance and try some dif-
ferent looks at them. Unfortunate-
ly, it just didn’t work out that way.”

In the team’s worst loss since 

April 10, the shorthanded pitch-
ing staff was coupled with a sud-
den drop-off in defense (the team 
made three errors) and timely 
hitting to ensure that, after the 
first inning, the Wolverines were 
nowhere near contending with 

the Cardinals.

“All of those base hits and extra 

90’s add up, and we just had too 
many mistakes today that they 
took advantage of and they were 

able to score a 
lot of runs.”

Though most 

season-ending 
games 
result 

in 
glassy-eyed 

press 
confer-

ences 
full 
of 

short statements 

about the sting of defeat, Bakich 
leaned back and smiled when talk-
ing about his overachieving team.

“They’ll forever be champions, 

and that’s what they’ll be remem-
bered for.” Bakich said. “We’ve 
been that way for a couple weeks 
now where our backs are against 
the wall and we’re fighting for our 
lives and we’ve thrived in that sit-
uation. It’s been a lot of fun.”

AMANDA ALLEN/Daily

Junior right-hander and utility player Jacob Cronenworth is one of several team 
leaders likely to leave for the MLB Draft. He led the team in saves and base hits.

“We knew we 
were going to 
try to piece it 

together.”

“It’s been a lot 

of fun.”

Baseball’s season ends with loss to No. 3 L’ville