Backich has seen enough
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William Tribucher on to pitch
IU bunt fails to move the runner. Pitcher cuts him down at 2nd. One out with a runner on first.
Next pitch gets away from the catcher moving the runner up anyway...
Weak grounder to 2nd gets the runner at first - winning run now on 3rd with 2 outs.
Catcher drops another pitch but no damage this time. He must be getting crossed up because both were catchable.
Harrison Wenson was lifted for a pinch hitter, so third baseman Drew Lugbauer has moved to catcher.
That explains it - I have no sound since I'm at work
Grounder to 2nd ends the 12th. IU will have to run their pitchers back to the bullpen now. It was a good inspirational move but the jog of shame back to the pen must sting a little now.
After 2 quick strikes, Engleman grounds back to the pitcher for out #1
IU pitcher looks like Todd from Breaking Bad
Double to the gap in left puts the go-ahead runner on 2nd with 1 down
Liner to SS for out #2 - runner able to get back to 2nd
The years have not been kind to Matt Damon
Slater, on a full count takes strike 3.. End of the inning for M. Still 4-4
this is, to say the least, taxing both pitching staffs.
Note to self: stop eating asparagas at lunch
Grounder to 3rd - nice stop but he throws it away - runner does not advance. Winning run on 1st
3-0 on the next batter and none of them were close
Runners at 1st and 2nd
IU players now have their jerseys backwards
1 down
This is not sounding good
2 down - runners still on 1st and 2nd
Liner down the line - game over
Tournament over... time to get ready for the NCAAs
On the replay, the left handed batter hit it down the 3rd baseline. The 3rd baseman was playing WAY off the line - not something you normally see late in games. I'm sure it was based on metrics, but the ball went right through the normal position.
Michigan's next appearance will presumably be on the NCAA selection show at noon on Memorial Day. Hopefully they didn't just play their way down to a 3 seed.
Either way, I'm seeing a trip to Lexington, Louisville or worse, like Corvallis, in their near future.
I'd rather be a high 3 seed than a low 2 seed.
This year's team has a lot of seniors, plus a lot of juniors who could opt to sign a professional contract. Hopefully Bakich has them focused on the regional--I would hate to see this team go 2 & out like they did this week. We need better from the bullpen.
That actually surprises that Brdar won't go higher than Lugbauer. Brdar's already a major league quality defensive shortstop. Obviously the glove won't get him to the majors by itself, but he does hit for average (.317, last I saw). Only thing holding him back in my view is a lack of power.
I assume that's an excerpt of an article from somewhere that has been cut & pasted here; can you tell us where? I would like to read the rest of that.
Those are just my thoughts. Maybe it comes from too many years of preparing to cross-examine witnesses. After a while, I've learned that sometimes things just aren't what they seem.
I don't mean to disparage the success that the Michigan baseball team has enjoyed this season. For too many years, they've suffered in comparison to the success of the Michigan softball team, so it was nice to see them ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation at many times this year. I just never felt like they were as good a team as the 2007 team that upset top-ranked Vanderbilt in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. So, after the loss to Indiana today, I decided to look behind the record and found that information.
FULL DISCLOSURE: One of my children was a classmate and friendly with some of the players on the Michigan team that upset Vanderbilt and David Price during the 2007 NCAA Baseball Tournament.
So that's just how you write; I see. Thanks for the clarification.