Michigan baseball eliminated in controversial, 11-9 loss to Louisville
What would Michigan – Louisville be without a little controversy? Like the 2013 Wolverines basketball loss to the Cardinals, U-M was on the wrong end of a pivotal call that might have changed the outcome of the game in an 11-9 loss.
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With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning and Michigan leading 9-7 after an incredible rally from five runs down, Cameron Weston walked Louisville catcher Dalton Rushing. Designated hitter Jack Payton roped one off the wall to left, and he appeared to be out at second base. The tag, in fact, caused his fingers to pop up before they landed on the bag.
The umpire, however, called him safe. Michigan quickly asked for a review, where there seemed to be clear evidence that Payton was out. Instead and inexplicably, he was ruled safe, putting runners on second and third with two outs.
Centerfielder Levi Usher followed with a two-run single that tied the game.
Weston then went to 1-2 on the next batter, Cameron Masterman, and seemed to catch him looking with fastball on the outer half of the plate. It was called a ball, and Masterman took the next pitch over the wall in left against a clearly rattled Weston. That gave the Cardinals an 11-9 lead heading into the ninth.
Michigan didn’t go quietly. Joe Stewart doubled to left to open the inning, and made it to third on a groundout, but Jimmy Obertop struck out swinging and Tito Flores flew out to the warning track in center to end the game, and U-M’s season.
The Wolverines, beaten up by the Cardinals the day before in a 20-1 loss, started this game strong. Three consecutive doubles by the top of the order, Clark Elliott, Stewart and Matt Frey, gave Michigan a 2-0 lead. They threatened for more, but a Flores double play slowed the momentum.
The Cardinals then roughed up starter Connor O’Halloran in the first to take control. They scored seven runs in the bottom of the first, all with two out, four against O’Halloran on four hits and two hit batters. Chase Allen relieved him and gave up three runs on two hits and two walks, two of the runs earned and charged to the starter.
Michigan struggled to get anything going, the next five batters going down before Frey homered with two outs in the third.
A rain delay ensued, after which the U-M bats came to life. Elliott homered to right with two outs to cut the deficit to 7-4. Stewart and Frey singled to set the stage for Obertop, who delivered once again. His three-run bomb tied the game and brough Michigan all the way back.
Jacob Denner pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks, to keep Michigan ahead. Second baseman Ted Burton homered in the sixth and Stewart notched an RBI single in the same inning to give the Wolverines a two-run lead down the stretch.
Weston retired the first seven batters he faced after entering with one out in the sixth, but the floodgates opened on a set of unfortunate circumstances.
Michigan finishes the season 34-28 and as Big Ten Tournament champions.
