MINNEAPOLIS – The Michigan baseball team claimed its ninth Big Ten Tournament title, and first since 2008, defeating Maryland 4-3 in Sunday’s championship game. The Wolverines earn the conference’s automatic bid to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
The third-seeded Wolverines (37-23) went undefeated in tournament action, defeating sixth-seeded Indiana in the tournament-opening game, knocking off No. 2 Iowa on day two and eliminating top-seeded Illinois to advance to the championship game.
Maryland was the first to score as Kevin Smith hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Nick Cieri for a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Michigan responded with four runs in the bottom of the fourth as Cody Bruder opened the scoring with a single to left center that drove in Jackson Glines. Carmen Benedetti reached on a fielder’s choice and was brought home by a Kevin White single to left center. Bruder crossed the plate on a wild pitch, while Kevin White was walked home.
The Terrapins (39-21) did not let up, cashing in a run in the eighth inning with a pair of walks followed by a Jose Cuas RBI-double to right field. Maryland pulled within one run with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, but came up short.
Michigan capitalized on six hits and did not commit an error, while Maryland recorded seven hits and one error. Michigan’s Brett Adcock picked up the win, striking out four batters and allowing one run on two hits in 5.2 innings of work. The tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Jacob Cronenworth was credited with the save. Maryland’s Taylor Bloom allowed only one earned run, striking out three in 3.1 innings of work.
The 2015 NCAA Selection Show will air live on ESPNU at 12 p.m. ET on Monday, May 25.
The conference also announced its All-Tournament team, as selected by a media panel, following the conclusion of the championship game, which can be found below.
All-Tournament Team*
P – John Kravetz, Illinois
P – Kevin Mooney, Maryland
P – Brett Adcock, Michigan
C – Brad Hartong, Indiana
1B – Ryan Krill, Michigan State
2B – Jacob Cronenworth, Michigan
3B – Mark Weist, Michigan State
SS – Nick Ramos, Indiana
SS – Kevin Smith, Maryland
OF – Ryan Nagle, Illinois
OF – Craig Dedelow, Indiana
OF – Jackson Glines, Michigan
OF – Brandon Hughes, Michigan State
DH – Cody Bruder, Michigan
*Additional honorees due to tie
Most Outstanding Player: Jacob Cronenworth, Michigan