Michigan @ IU, Game 3: IU wins the game and series, 8-4, and clinches the 3-seed...

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The winner will lock in to the 3-seed and the loser will have either the 4 or 5 seed depending on the results of other games and the potential tie breakers. Of the teams at the top, IU has the tie breaker over Purdue and Iowa.

It will be RHP Brayden Risedorph on the mound for IU with an ERA of 8.19 in 40.2 IP and a WHIP of 1.65 with an OBA of .271. The batting lineup is the same as it has been to start the series.

It will be RHP Dylan Vigue on the mound for Michigan with an ERA of 7.64 in 53.0 IP and a WHIP of 1.96 with an OBA of .294.

It is 71 and mostly cloudy with the chance of rain at 47 pct. The wind is not much with it being out of the WSW at 6 mph with gusts only to 8 mph. The radar shows rain/storms around Bedford moving just south of Lake Monroe toward the NE, and it looks like it will miss the Bloomington area.

1st inning:

T1st:

Risedorph Kd the leadoff batter to start the game. A liner to Taylor got the 2nd out. Risedorph got another K to retire the side and Risedorph was off to a great start to the game as he put them down in order.

B1st:

The red-hot Taylor leads off. Taylor grounded out for one out. Pyne Kd for the 2nd out.

Mitchell singled on a full count to put a runner on with two outs. Cerny walked to put two on.

Brenczewski flied out to end the inning.

End of 1st: IU 0 Michigan 0

 

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2nd inning:

T2nd:

Risedorph faced the middle of the order. Risedorph had another good inning, putting them down in order.

B2nd:

It was the 6 thru 8 hitters up and Tibbitts was hit by a pitch to put the leadoff hitter on.

Mathison reached on an infield single to put runners at 1st and 2nd and no outs with Stadler up.

Stadler bunted but Michigan got the force-out at 3rd for one out and runners at 1st and 2nd.

Oliver crushed a three-run homer that was a no doubter to give IU a 3-0 lead.

Taylor walked on a 3-1 count to put a runner on with one out, and that chased the Michigan starter.

Michigan brought in Will Rogers with an ERA of 5.59 in 37.0 IP. Pyne and Mitchell went down to end the inning.

End of 2nd: IU 3 Michigan 0

 

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3rd inning:

T3rd:
Risedorph faced the bottom of the order. Risedorph gave up a double to the leadoff hitter which was off the bottom of the CF wall.

Risedorph then got a big K for one out with the runner at 2nd.

On a grounder to Pyne, he looked the runner back at 2nd, but his throw to 1B was off with the runner reaching and a throwing error charged to Pyne. There were two runners on 1st and 2nd and one out.

On a grounder to Pyne, he got the force-out at 3rd but he then committed his 2nd throwing error of the inning on another bad throw to 1B and an unearned run scored to make it 3-1. There's a runner at 2nd and two outs.

Risedorph got a K to retire the side.

B3rd:

It's the middle of the order up with Cerny leading off and he hit a solo homer to left center to cancel out the unearned run that Michigan got in the top of the inning.

Brenczewski grounded out for the first out. Tibbitts flied out for the 2nd out.

Mathison hit a two-out solo homer to make it 5-1 IU. Stadler grounded out to end the inning.

End of 3rd: IU 5 Michigan 1

 

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4th inning:

T4th:

IU brought in LHP Ryan Kraft with an ERA of 7.08 in 20.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.92, and he faced the 3 thru 5 hitters. Kraft put them down in order to include two Ks.

B4th:

It was the 9 thru 2 hitters up with Oliver leading off. Oliver clubbed his 2nd homer of the game which was a hard liner that cleared the LF wall to make 6-1 IU, and we were at the top of the order.

Taylor walked to put a runner on with no outs and Pyne up. Taylor stole 2nd and Pyne then Kd for the first out with a runner in scoring position and Mitchell up.

Mitchell walked on a full count to put runners on 1st and 2nd and one out.

Cerny flied out to CF with Taylor taking 3rd to put runners on the corners with two outs.

Mitchell stole 2nd. Brenczewski walked to load the bases with two outs and IU had a big chance to really blow this game open with Tibbitts up.

Tibbitts flied out to end the inning.

End of 4th: IU 6 Michigan 1

 

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5th inning:

T5th:

Kraft faced the 6 thru 8 hitters. Kraft got the leadoff hitter on a K. He walked the next batter on a full count.

A two-run homer to LF made in 6-3 IU. Kraft then walked a batter on four pitches. He got a grounder with the force out at 2nd for the 2nd out.

RHP Aydan Decker-Petty relieved Kraft and got a K to retire the side.

B5th:

It was the bottom of the order up and Mathison Kd to leadoff.

Stadler reached on a single that was a flyball that dropped in no-man's land. Oliver was up with one out.

Oliver fouled out for the 2nd out with the top of the order up in Taylor.

Taylor clubbed a two-run, two-out homer to LF to make it 8-3. Pyne flied out to end the inning.

End of 5th: IU 8 Michigan 3

 

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6th inning:

T6th:

D-P faced the 3 thru 5 hitters and he struck out the side.

B6th:

It was the 3 thru 5 hitters up with Mitchell leading off.

Michigan brought in RHP Sachem Ramos with an ERA of 8.20 in 18.2 IP and a WHIP of 2.41. Mitchell was out on a close play at 1st and IU challenged the call. The call was upheld as an out. Cerny flied out for the 2nd out. Brenczewski grounded out as the Hoosiers went down in order.

End of 6th: IU 8 Michigan 3

 

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7th inning:

T7th:

D-P faced the 6 thru 8 hitters. D-P walked the leadoff hitter on a 3-1 count. D-P then got the next two batters on Ks with a runner at 1st and two outs. D-P already had 6 Ks on the game.

D-P then walked another batter on a 3-1 count to put runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs. It's been either strikeouts or walks for D-P so far in the inning.

On a grounder, Oliver made a bad throw to 1B for IU's 3rd error of the game and the bases were loaded with two outs. A deep flyout to Taylor with his back to the wall retired the side, and IU just narrowly avoided a GS homer.

B7th:

It's the 6 thru 8 hitters up and Tibbitts flied out to lead off.

Mathison walked on a 3-1 count to put a runner on with one out.

Stadler grounded out with Mathison taking 2nd and two outs.

Michigan went to the bullpen again and brought in RHP Ricky Kidd with an ERA of 5.94 in 36.1 IP with a WHIP of 1.98, and he faced Oliver with Mathison at 2nd and two outs.

A WP moved Mathison to 3rd. Oliver Kd swinging to end the inning.

End of 7th: IU 8 Michigan 3

 

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8th inning:

T8th:

D-P faced the 3 thru 5 hitters. A pop out to Oliver got the leadoff hitter. A solo homer by Collin Priest made it 8-4 IU and Priest had homered in all three games of the series.

D-P then Kd the next batter on a full count for two outs and no one on.

D-P then walked a batter on four pitches. Michigan brought in a pinch hitter. D-P got a K, his 8th K of the game to retire the side.

B8th:

It was the top of the order up with Taylor leading off. Taylor singled to put a runner on. Taylor was caught stealing for the first out.

Pyne walked on a full count to put a runner on with one out. Mitchell flied out for the 2nd out and Pyne still at 1st. Cerny Kd to end the inning.

End of 8th: IU 8 Michigan 4

 

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9th inning:

T9th:

RHP Jacob Vogel came in to close it out and he had an ERA of 0.45 in 20.0 IP and a WHIP of 1.00, and he would face the 8 thru 1 hitters. Vogel put them down in order to include two Ks.

Final: IU 8 Michigan 4

 

[Im4iu89]

If pitching had been this good all year, we would not be in the position to win the tournament to get into the postseason

 

[ptrich]

If pitching had been this good all year, we would not be in the position to win the tournament to get into the postseason

You could also say that also about the hitting which has been up and down all season long. I would have never believed going into the season that our pitching would be the strength going into the B1G tourney and our hitting being a big question mark. The hitters seemed to find themselves in the last two games and let's hope that continues into the tournament. Michigan had four runs on just three hits today and our pitching staff had 17 Ks.

 

[ptrich]

Well, we finished the regular season on a positive note by winning the last two games although a sweep would have given us a better long shot chance at an at-large bid if we don't win the B1G tourney. Our pitching limited the Wolverines to just 12 hits over the entire series, yet they managed to salvage one game against us. On the series, Taylor went 7 for 11, 3 HRs, 2 doubles, 7 RBIs, and 6 runs scored, and I believe those numbers are correct. He is definitely a serious candidate for POY in the B1G.

IU outhit Michigan 9 to 3 and IU was 9 for 31 for a team average of .290, while UM was 3 for 32 for .094 average. IU had three players with multiple hits and Oliver had a big day at the plate.

Taylor - 2 for 3 to include a homer and 2 RBIs. He also had two walks.

Oliver - 2 for 4 to include two homers and 4 RBIs.

Mathison - 2 for 3 with 1 RBI.

Cerny got an RBI on a homer and Stadler went 1 for 3 and scored 2 runs.

After going errorless in the DH yesterday, IU had a bad day in the field with three errors which led to an unearned run. Michigan had no errors.

The pitching was again very good although Kraft had an up and down outing in which he looked great and then as if someone flipped a switch, he looked the opposite in his 1.2 IP. Risedorph pitched well as the starter and outside of one mistake on a solo homer, Decker-Petty pitched really well. Vogel had an outstanding inning in closing it out. IU Kd 17 Michigan batters.

Risedorph - 3.0 IP, 1 hit, a double, no earned runs and 1 unearned run, 4 Ks, and no BBs.

Kraft - 1.2 IP, 1 hit, a two-run homer and two earned runs, 3 Ks, and 2 BBs.

Decker-Petty - 3.1 IP, 1 hit, a homer, and 1 earned run, 8 Ks, and 3 BBs.

Vogel - 1.0 IP - He put them down in order to close it out which included 2 Ks.