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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.

