14
Thursday, June 10, 2021
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTS
Fifth-year outfielder Christian
Bullock slapped a ground ball up
the middle, where the shortstop
fumbled it. The bases were loaded
with no one out for the top of the
Wolverine order in the seventh,
with sophomore outfielders Clark
Elliott and Tito Flores coming to
plate. After Elliott worked the count
to 3-and-0, Michigan finally looked
like it might get back in the game.
But Elliott went down looking
after three straight strikes, and
Flores — arguably the Wolverines’
most productive hitter on the day
— grounded softly into a double
play to end the threat with no runs
scored. The failure to produce with
runners on base plagued Michigan
all day against Central Michigan
and ultimately sunk the Wolverines
in a season-ending 8-2 defeat.
Michigan struggled to string
together timely hits with runners
on base. The Wolverines recorded
nine total hits but all of their runs
came via the home run with two
solo shots.
“Not only did we not string the
hits together,” Michigan coach
Erik Bakich said. “There was one
inning where we strung a couple of
hits together, and then missed the
scoring opportunity with the bases
loaded and nobody out, that was
huge.”
On a day where the wind was
blowing out, carrying a lot of
routine fly balls near or over the
wall, the offense was on display
for both teams — they racked
up a combined 20 hits. Yet, the
Wolverines struggled to break
through and plate runs, even though
they hit much better than they had
the game before.
“We had nine hits but (weren’t)
getting them back to back and
getting the big hit,” Bakich said.
“Two home runs today but they
were solo shots. (It) would have
been nice to have those (homers)
with runners on and we just didn’t
string them together, just didn’t do
it.”
The Chippewa pitchers did an
excellent job of throwing strikes all
game, allowing no walks and no hit
by pitches — muting the effect of the
hits Michigan had.
“They had pretty good pitchers,”
sophomore infielder Jimmy Obertop
said. “We just needed to compete a
little more. We’ve worked so hard,
prepared for these moments, it just
didn’t go our way today.”
The Wolverines went 2-for-11
with runners on base and picked
up no extra-base hits or RBI with
runners on base.
“We
really
don’t
have
any
excuses,” Bakich said. “We didn’t
hit well enough to be a factor in this
regional.”
In the end, Michigan hitters went
cold at the worst time, ending the
Wolverines’ season.
“The way we prepared, we
worked so hard this year,” Obertop
said. “It’s a bummer, the way it
ended. Our bats just went cold at
the wrong time. Obviously you can’t
plan for that. We’ve just worked so
hard, and it just did not go the way
we wanted.”
Michigan eliminated by Central Michigan, 8-2
With the season on the line,
Michigan
coach
Erik
Bakich
put the ball in the hands of
his usual Saturday starter. But
sophomore right-hander Cameron
Weston was not his usual self
against Central Michigan. He
was continuously hit hard and
struggled with his command at
times. He ended up with a line
of four and two-thirds innings,
eight hits, five earned runs, and
only struck out two batters. While
Weston was less than stellar, the
blame does not fall solely on him.
“They have to remember what
this tastes like,” Bakich said. “Use
it as fuel for future seasons. For
most of them, it was their first
time (in the postseason). It was
very valuable that they got that
experience.”
In the bottom of the fifth,
Bakich went to his bullpen. He
brought on freshman left-hander
Logan Wood. Like Weston, the
Chippewas found success against
Wood. He faced two batters and
walked both of them, forcing
Bakich to switch relievers. Sixth-
year right-hander Joe Pace came
in and was unable to shut down
Central Michigan. He pitched one
inning and struck out two, but had
to throw 32 pitches and allowed
two runs.
Even though the offense has
struggled lately, they took charge
early. With one out in the top
of the first inning, sophomore
outfielder Tito Flores jumped on
a pitch and sent it over the wall
in right field. After that, however,
the Wolverines fell back into a
slump.
In the top of the second inning,
it looked like Michigan was going
to strike again. Fifth-year catcher
roped a one-out double off the
top of the wall in left. Sophomore
first baseman Jimmy Obertop
and
junior
second
baseman
Riley Bertram each struck out,
disappointingly ending the inning.
The offense looked good in the
beginning stages, but they did not
build any momentum. Six different
batters recorded a hit, but they
left seven runners stranded. They
made solid contact, but every
time they had an opportunity the
Chippewas shut them down.
They managed eight hits on
the afternoon but generated only
two runs. In the top of the ninth,
trailing 8-1, Obertop launched a
home run. Michigan has mounted
some incredible comebacks this
season, but the Chippewas were
too much to overcome.
Saturday
marked
the
end
of an up and down season for
the Wolverines. They were a
competitive team in the Big Ten
and hovered around the top 25 all
year. However, down the stretch,
they looked like a different unit.
The lineup, aside from Flores and
Burton, was suspect. The team’s
three runs in two tournament
games emphasize those struggles.
“The expectation is to make a
run in the postseason,” Bakich
said. “We were not just happy to
be here. We fully expected to win
this regional. The end result is a
failure, but it would be foolish of
me to say the whole season was a
failure.”
The 2021 team was unlike
any other. Due to a nice blend of
experienced veterans, talented
underclassmen, and savvy fifty-
year transfers, Michigan finished
with an impressive 27-19 record.
They may not have finished the
way they wanted, but Bakich has
firm control over the program and
they continue to trend upward.
After nearly hoisting the trophy
in 2019, Bakich has remained
obsessed with winning it all.
“There’s a feeling of emptiness
because you know what you’re
missing,” Bakich said. “It drives
you to work even harder.”
SAM BERNARDI
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan fails to produce with runners on base in season-ending loss
STEEL HURLEY
Daily Sports Writer
JULIA SCHACHINGER/Daily
JULIA SCHACHINGER/Daily
Michigan exits the NCAA tournament after a loss to Central Michigan.