Michigan Beats Maryland 4-3, Wins Big Ten Baseball Tourney
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Michigan needed to win the Big Ten Tournament to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The 2015 Wolverines added their own unique chapter to the school's history.
Jacob Cronenworth picked up his fourth save in four games despite allowing a run and Michigan held off mistake-prone Maryland 4-3 and won conference tournament Sunday.
The Terrapins had the bases-loaded in the top of the ninth, but Cronenworth got Brandon Lowe to fly out to right. The win gave third-seed Michigan an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the 22nd trip in school history and first since 2008.
"Our guys just wrote a page of their own history, when nobody expected them to do so," Wolverines coach Erik Bakich said. "That's just awesome. Finding ways to win games, they came in here, starting with the last game against Oklahoma State and they were just not going to be denied, and they carried that through all week."
A four-run fourth inning supported Brett Adcock (10-4), who allowed two hits and a run in 5 2-3 innings for his second win of the tournament. Cronenworth was chosen the tournament's most outstanding player after hitting .389 in the tournament with three RBIs.
He allowed a run and three hits, but saved every game in the tourney for the third-seeded Wolverines (37-23), who won their ninth Big 10 tournament title in 24 appearances, tying Minnesota for the most conference tournament wins.
"I don't think anybody would've ever expected us to win it all, or even to have us and Maryland in the championship at the same time," Cronenworth said.
Michigan benefitted from wildness from sixth-seed Maryland in the fourth and a base-running mistake in the eighth.
The Terrapins walked four, had a wild pitch and an error in the Wolverines' big inning. Maryland's Jose Cuas doubled to drive in a run in the eighth but was thrown out at third for the final out before baserunner Kevin Martir, who had slipped, scored.
"Once I saw the right fielder dive, in my head I thought three out of the box," Cuas said. "I was overly aggressive and I didn't pick up the coach at all and it cost us."
In their first year in the Big 10, Maryland (39-21) still has a chance at an at-large tournament berth. The Terrapins are 43rd in the ratings percentage index. The tournament field and matchups will be announced Monday.
"It wasn't a real great day for us," Maryland coach John Szefc said. "A little disappointing with the outcome and we didn't really play our best baseball today. In college baseball, you really have to stay away from giving away the big inning and we weren't able to do that."
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