Michigan Falls to No. 1 UCLA in 12 Innings, Will Face Bruins in Game Three Showdown

Saturday, June 8

Los Angeles, Calif.

6:00 PM PT

Michigan

45-20

UCLA

52-10

UCLA

Michigan

Jordan Nwogu

Michigan Falls to No. 1 UCLA in 12 Innings, Will Face Bruins in Game Three Showdown

6/8/2019 11:58:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Joe Donovan gave U-M a 3-1 lead in the second inning with a long two-run home run.
» Michael Toglia tied the game in the top of the eighth with a solo home run.
» The No. 1-ranked Bruins scored an unearned run in the top of the 12th inning.

Site: Los Angeles, Calif. (Jackie Robinson Stadium)
Event: NCAA Super Regional (Game 2)
Score: #1 UCLA 5, Michigan 4 (12 inn.)
Records: U-M (45-20), UCLA (52-10)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, June 9 -- at UCLA - NCAA Super Regional Game Three (Los Angeles, Calif.), 6 p.m. PDT

• Kornacki: Donovan's Near Walk-Off Homer Part of Drama in Tough Loss

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The University of Michigan baseball team fell to UCLA, 5-4, in 12 innings on Saturday night (June 8) at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Wolverines' loss evened the best-of-three series at a game apiece and forced a decisive third game on Sunday night (June 9).

In the 12th inning, Jake Moberg reached on a fielding error to start the inning. Following a strikeout, Kevin Kendall sent a liner to the gap in right-center, just out of the reach of a diving Jesse Franklin. Moberg scored on a close play at the plate and UCLA earned its first victory of the season in three tries versus U-M.

The Bruins tied the game in the eighth inning and scored an unearned run in the ninth. Michigan, the designated home team, sent the game to extra innings on a leadoff double from senior first baseman Jimmy Kerr, a sacrifice bunt by senior third baseman Blake Nelson and a sacrifice fly from sophomore shortstop Jack Blomgren.

Michigan then survived an unlikely 11th inning unscathed. Three errors in the frame forced an intentional walk with no outs and Walker Cleveland was summoned to relieve Willie Weiss, who started the 11th, to attempt to suppress the rally. Cleveland induced an unusual double play, which involved a hard-hit liner that was knocked down by Nelson at third base. In the ensuing confusion about whether Nelson caught the ball, he tagged the runner who was standing on third and stepped on the third-base bag for the second out. Another intentional walk loaded the bases again and Cleveland got another grounder to end the inning.

Michigan could not complete the comeback and UCLA closer Holden Powell (4-3) earned the victory after he threw five innings and helped the Bruins stave off elimination. Michigan threatened in the 12th as Blomgren walked to lead off the inning and was bunted to second by Donovan. Powell got a full-count strikeout and a game-ending grounder to set up a Sunday showdown.

UCLA struck for a run in the first inning after they loaded the Bruins loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a hit batsman before Michael Toglia drove home a run with a fielder's choice.

Michigan answered in the bottom of the first inning when sophomore designated hitter Jordan Nwogu led off and laced a double into the gap in left-center. He advanced to third on a groundout and came home on an RBI grounder from junior left fielder Jordan Brewer.

Donovan gave the Wolverines a 3-1 lead in the second when he launched a 1-1 splitter high over to left-field wall to score Christan Bullock (single).

UCLA applied some pressure in the fifth as a leadoff single and bunt single brought Garrett Mitchell to the plate. The NCAA's leader in triples (11) drove a ball towards the right-field line, but Big Ten Player of the Year Brewer made a sliding catch to keep the runners in place. A strikeout and a walk loaded the bases for Jake Pries, but Michigan starting pitcher Jeff Criswell stiffened and induced a harmless pop up to end the frame and kept the score at 3-1.

The Bruins then took a turn on defense. Nowgu singled with one out and stole second with two down. Brewer hit a line-drive single to left field, but left fielder Jack Stronach came up with a strong throw to get Nwogu at home and the score remained 3-1.

UCLA took that momentum into the top of the sixth. A leadoff walk was followed by a balk and a passed ball. With one out, Stronach lofted a sinking liner to left field to bring home a run and cut the Bruins' deficit to 3-2. After Criswell's fourth walk of the game, freshman right-hander Isaiah Paige entered and earned a pair of flyouts to get his team to the dugout.

Tolgia tied the game when the first-round MLB Draft selection took a 3-1 fastball from Paige over the left-field wall for his 17th homer and tied the game at 3.

In the ninth, junior righty Jack Weisenburger got the first two outs before he issued a walk. Chase Strumpf lofted a fly ball towards the foul line in left and the ball was dropped by Christan Bullock, which allowed the go-ahead run to score.

Nwogu, Kerr and Nelson had two hits apiece for Michigan while Jeremy Ydens was the only Bruin to manage two hits.

The Wolverines and Bruins will play game three of their best-of-three Super Regional series on Sunday at 6 p.m. PDT, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN2. The winner of Sunday's contest will advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.