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Michigan baseball hammers No. 1 Maryland, advances in tourney

Chris Balasby: Chris Balas05/28/22Balas_Wolverine
Michigan Wolverines baseball Erik Bakich
Michigan basketball coach Erik Bakich is in high demand after leading U-M to new heights. (Andrew Woolley / Michigan Photography)

Michigan baseball’s recent postseason success continued Saturday with a 15-8 win over No. 1 seed Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament. The No. 5 seed Wolverines’ bats kept them ahead most of the night and moved them closer to a title and automatic NCAA Tournament berth.

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Three big innings helped the cause. Michigan trailed 2-1 before putting four runs in the third to take a 5-2 lead. The Wolverines rallied for five more in the fourth after the Terps cut the lead to 5-4, and a five-run seventh helped them put it away.

Michigan will play tonight around 6 p.m. against the winner of an elimination game between No. 3 seed Iowa and No. 6 seed Penn State. Either would need two consecutive victories over the Wolverines to advance.

U-M opened the scoring Saturday night on a Matt Frey double in the first, scoring Clark Elliott. Elliott (four runs scored, two stolen bases) scored again in the third, Frey this time delivering a single to score him and tie it up. Riley Betram’s two-run double would give Michigan a 5-2 lead.

The Wolverines continued to pile on in the fourth to chase starter Ryan Ramsey. Jimmy Obertop doubled to give Michigan an 8-4 lead, and Bertram’s RBI double helped make it 10-4 at the end of four.

Maryland responded with three runs in the fifth before senior right hander Willie Weiss calmed the Terps’ bats. He allowed only one run in three innings, and Michigan pulled away in the seventh. Tito Flores homered to give the Wolverines an 11-8 lead. Elliott’s home run helped extend the lead, and the inning ended with Michigan up seven.

Cameron Weston allowed only two hits in the last two innings and struck out four to slam the door.

Michigan was the only team to score five runs on Ramsey heading into the game, accomplishing the feat in March in a 7-4 win. They did it again Saturday. Ramsey had been a perfect 10-0 this year and was dominant all season.

Frey and Bertram combined for seven hits and seven runs in the game. Frey scored four times and Bertram led all batters with four hits, including a pair of doubles.

Michigan (30-25) was 1-2 against Iowa this season and didn’t play Penn State. They’d advance to the title game with one more win against the winner of between them Saturday.