Michigan baseball loses lead in controversial fashion, loses to Louisville, 11-9, in NCAAs

In the early stages of the NCAA baseball tournament regional final in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday, Michigan fell into a big hole early.

The hour-or-so rain delay seemed to do the Wolverines some good.

But fortunes weren't exactly on Michigan's side late, and the Wolverines fell to Louisville, 11-9, in the elimination game.

Michigan (34-28) ends the season after a surprising Big Ten tournament title and on the cusp of advancing in the national tournament.

Four outs away from the win, the wheels fell off for U-M with two outs in the eighth inning with a two-run lead. After Cameron Weston walked Dalton Rushing, Jack Payton hit a ball to the wall. The throw from the outfield came in to second base, where it appeared a tag by second baseman Ted Burton beat Payton to the bag.

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The runner was called safe, and Michigan called for a replay review. Despite replays seeming to show the runner was out, the call stood.

Levi Usher answered with a two-run single to tie the game, 9-9. Cameron Masterman then followed with a two-run homer to left to give the Cardinals the lead.

Michigan center fielder Joe Stewart led off the top of the ninth with a double, but Louisville pitcher Michael Prosecky got Matt Frey (groundout), Jimmy Obertop (strikeout) and Tito Flores (fly out) to end the game.

The Wolverines jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, thanks to doubles by Elliott , Stewart (RBI) and Frey (RBI) to open the game.

But the Cardinals hit back hard in the bottom of the inning, scoring seven in the first inning, all coming with two outs and all charged to U-M pitcher Connor O'Halloran. Usher smashed a two-run double, stole third, and then scored on Masterman's single. Isaac Humphrey was then hit by a pitch, followed by an RBI single by Logan Beard. Then Ben Bianco was hit by a pitch, loading the bases and ending O'Halloran's day.

Chase Allen came on to pitch, but gave up a single to Knapczyk, his second of the inning, on a bunt to make it 5-2 Louisville. Metzinger then drew a bases-loaded walk and then Allen's error on Rushing's batted ball allowed one more run to score.

O'Halloran was charged with seven runs (six earned) on four hits and a walk while striking out one in just ⅔ of an inning. Allen pitched 1⅔ innings, allowed two hits and two walks while striking out two. Jacob Denner allowed two hits and two walks, striking out two over 2⅔ innings. And Weston gave up four earned runs on three hits and a walk over three innings with one strikeout.

In the third, Michigan got one of those runs back on Frey's two-out solo homer to right.

But the lightning began to strike in the bottom of the inning, incurring the weather delay.

When play resumed, the Wolverines' bats went on the attack. In the fifth, Clark Elliott — the Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player — hit a two-out, solo homer. Then, after singled by Stewart and Frey, Obertop smashed a three-run home run to right to tie the game, 7-7.

In the sixth, Michigan took the lead. With one out, Burton hit a home run to center. Then with two away, Jake Marti single, got to second after Elliott was hit by a pitch, and then scored on Stewart's single up the middle.

U-M was decimated in Sunday's game against the host Cardinals, 20-1, forcing the decisive game on Monday. The Wolverines also beat Louisville on Saturday, 7-3.

Louisville will now play at Texas A&M in the super regionals, a best-of-three series that begins Friday.

Contact Kirkland Crawford: kcrawford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan baseball eliminated from NCAA tournament by Louisville, 11-9