Michigan baseball uses long ball to top Oregon in NCAA opener, 8-6
The Michigan baseball team’s postseason magic continued in Louisville with an 8-6, regional-opening win over Oregon. Catcher Jimmy Obertop was the hero once again, blasting two home runs, while Matt Frey’s two-run home run in the eighth proved to be the difference.
Michigan opened the scoring in the second inning on a fielder’s choice from two-sport standout Joey Velazquez, scoring Tito Flores. The Wolverines had a chance to add to the lead, but shortstop Josh Kasevich robbed Jake Marti of a base hit up the middle that would have scored two runs.
The Wolverines added to their lead in the third inning. Frey was hit by a pitch and came home on a two-run blast by catcher Jimmy Obertop.
Two Michigan errors helped the Ducks get back in it in the fourth. The second, a wild pitch, cut it to 3-2 and tightened it up.
As has been the case in the postseason, the Wolverines responded. Frey doubled to set the table for Obertop again. Once again, the junior came through. He launched a two-run bomb that pushed the lead back to three. Velazquez also came through again, singling with two outs to score shortstop Riley Bertram and give Michigan a commanding, 6-2 lead.
Oregon, though, started to chip away. The Ducks notched a run in the fifth, another in the sixth to cut it to 6-4. The Wolverines had a chance to pad their lead in the top of the seventh with runners on second and third with only one out, but failed to score. Marti flied out to the warning track to end the inning.
The Ducks came all the way back to tie it in the bottom of the seventh. A home run and a pair of doubles made it 6-6 and set the stage for a nail biter down the stretch.
Michigan responded in the eighth with some late-inning heroics. Clark Elliott singled to open the inning. With one out, Frey jumped on the first pitch and drilled a two-run home run to give the Wolverines the lead back, 8-6.
The Ducks wouldn’t get another base runner, going 1-2-3 in both the eighth and the ninth innings to give Michigan the win.
Pitcher Connor O’Halloran started for Michigan and gave up four runs, three earned, in 5 2/3 innings. Chase Allen allowed two runs on three hits in two innings, while Cameron Weston allowed only one hit and no runs in 2 and 1/3 innings.
Michigan will play host Louisville Saturday in a winner’s bracket contest, another chance to add to its postseason success.
