U-M Drops First Game of B1G Tourney as Wildcats Rally Late

Wednesday, May 24

Bloomington, Ind.

1:30 PM

Michigan

42-14

Northwestern

25-28

Northwestern

Michigan

Ako Thomas

U-M Drops First Game of B1G Tourney as Wildcats Rally Late

5/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

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» Starting pitcher Ryan Nutof tied his season high with 6.1 innings pitched and struck out a career-high 10 batters.
» Ako Thomas and Michael Brdar both recorded multi-hit efforts in the loss, while Johnny Slater blasted his fourth homer of the season.
» No. 2-seeded Michigan will now face No. 6-seeded Indiana in a loser's bracket on Thursday (May 24) on Big Ten Network.

Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Bart Kaufman Field)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (First Round)
Score: Northwestern 6, #16 Michigan 4
Records: U-M (42-14), NW (25-28)
Next U-M Event: Thursday, May 25 -- vs. Indiana - Big Ten Tournament (Bloomington, Ind.), 10 a.m.

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• Tournament Central | Bracket

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- After leading 4-3 going into the top of the ninth on Wednesday (May 24), the No. 16-ranked University of Michigan baseball team surrendered three runs and fell to Northwestern, 6-4, in the opening game of the Big Ten Conference Tournament at Bart Kaufman Field.

As the home team, Michigan has not allowed an opponent to string together a ninth-inning rally since a loss back in February to Seton Hall.

Following a scoreless first inning, the Wildcats got on the board in the top of the second on a two-out solo home run. Michigan responded quickly, however, as a two-out double off the bat of junior Jake Bivens and an RBI single from sophomore Nick Poirier tied the game in the bottom of the inning.

The tie score was short lived as a two-run home run put the Wildcats back on top in the third inning, though a solo home run by senior Johnny Slater brought Michigan back within one in the bottom of the frame.

From there, junior starting pitcher Ryan Nutof settled in and allowed no runs through the remainder of his time on the mound. The righty scattered just six hits on the day with no walks and struck out a career-high 10 batters through a season-high 6.1 innings pitched.

Neither team scored in the fourth, but the Wolverines rallied in the fifth for their first lead of the day. Sophomore Jonathan Engelmann got the inning going after a long at-bat with a double to the left-center field gap, and a perfect sacrifice bunt from senior Harrison Wenson moved Engelmann to third base. With just one out, the lineup turned over, and sophomore Ako Thomas came up with the clutch RBI double down the left-field line to score Engelmann and tie the game once more. With a runner still in scoring position with just one out, Slater drew a walk, but a wild pitch on ball four allowed Thomas to take third, and a Northwestern throwing error allowed him to advance home for a 4-3 Michigan lead.

The sixth inning was scoreless on both sides of the board, but Northwestern put a man in scoring position with a one-out double in the top of the seventh. At that point, Michigan made a call to the bullpen for senior reliever Mac Lozer, who came in to record back-to-back strikeouts and strand the runner.

Lozer returned to the mound for the eighth and allowed just one hit, before shortstop Michael Brdar connected with third baseman Drew Lugbauer for a web-gem fielder's choice play to end the inning.

The Wildcats strung together four hits and a walk in the top of the ninth inning to flip the scoreboard and force a 6-4 lead. Northwestern loaded the bases on senior reliever Jackson Lamb, before sophomore lefty William Tribucher was called to the mound. Tribucher recorded three outs to end the inning.

The Wolverines put one runner on base in the bottom of the ninth on a hit batter, but three consecutive outs ended the game with the Wildcats on top, 6-4.

Overall, the Wolverines registered eight hits in the effort, with Brdar and Thomas both recording multi-hit games. Thomas, Bivens, and Engelmann each tallied a double in the contest, and Slater blasted Michigan's lone home run.

Michigan will now drop to the loser's bracket and face Indiana on Thursday (May 25) in an elimination game. First pitch is slated for 10 a.m. at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington.

Communications Contact: Katie Gwinn Hewitt