OMAHA, Neb. — It simply wasn’t his day.
Connor O’Halloran had his worst game of the season, every other appearance for the Wolverines’ ace paled in comparison. In shocking fashion, the then-junior left-hander was shelled, giving up seven hits and seven earned runs. After a disastrous six-run fifth inning, O’Halloran’s day was over, and the Michigan baseball team was in a hole too deep to overcome.
364 days later, in the same stadium, against the same team, in the same tournament, the Wolverines were determined to not repeat their own fate.
This mindset emanated throughout the roster, the crushing loss to Iowa in 2023’s first round matchup in the Big Ten Tournament set Michigan on the wrong path. And despite the roster turnover in the following offseason, the message was the same:
“How can you get better and what did you not do last year that you can do better this year,” sophomore first baseman Mitch Voit said.
Voit was there, he’d seen the Hawkeyes light up O’Halloran. So had now-fifth-year left-hander Jacob Denner and now-sophomore right-hander Kurt Barr, too. Alongside the remainder of the team, they knew the energy had to be there this time if they were to escape the same fate. It didn’t matter that there were 27 new faces on the roster heading into the 2024 season. With a game between the Big Ten foes set for a first-round rematch, it was time to test the mindset.
With O’Halloran off to the MLB, someone else had to take his place. Without O’Halloran, Michigan’s pitching staff missed that top-end talent. And the answer to that call was no other but Barr. Without a doubt, Barr had himself a day — 6.1 innings, six hits, just two earned runs and four strikeouts — which was more than enough to keep the Wolverines’ dugout fired up. In a complete flip of O’Halloran’s missteps on the mound, Barr put his best foot forward.
“I learned a lot from how Conor O’Halloran handled himself throughout (last) season, especially in games like this,” Barr said. “His demeanor, his poise out there. I tried to mimic that and you know as far as the game, it’s just having confidence in yourself and executing pitches when you need to.”
Since Barr did his job, the juices were flowing and the energy was pumping. Though Michigan couldn’t break through Iowa right-hander Brody Brecht, the resolve and energy stayed just long enough for a breakthrough.
In the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs, Brecht released a slider that hit the dirt well in front of catcher Cade Moss, bouncing off his breastplate away from home plate. In a bang-bang play, graduate right fielder Stephen Hrustich slid home to avoid the tag, scoring. However, that tag never came as Brecht missed the throw home, sailing the ball towards the Wolverines’ dugout. Soon after, freshman designated hitter Collin Priest came into score behind him.
Taking his helmet off and emphatically pumping his fist, Hrustich knew the moment mattered. The potential energy became kinetic.
But while this moment loomed large over the game, it was essentially a new ball game as Michigan and the Hawkeyes entered extra innings. With the game on ice, a big moment was bound to happen. And with two outs in the top of the tenth, that moment came.
Iowa first baseman Davis Cop ripped a line drive to the left-field wall, threatening to score a run from first. And when freshman left fielder AJ Garcia fumbled the ball, it seemed inevitable that a run would score.
Recovering to make a throw, Garcia fired a missile towards third base. Slightly too high, Garcia’s throw missed the cut-off man, graduate shortstop Kyle Dernedde. Luckily for the Wolverines, though, graduate second baseman Mack Timbrook was right behind Dernedde to corral the ball. Making the throw home, Timbrook’s arm needed to be strong enough to reach junior catcher Will Rogers in time.
And it was. Just barely.
TImbrook’s relay was in the perfect place for Rogers. Sliding, Rogers applied the tag with plenty of time to spare. What seemed like an inevitable run was instead the third out. Michigan’s energy exploded, as players jumped over the dugout’s fence to celebrate like the game was over.
Just like last year’s fifth inning that sunk the Wolverines’ confidence, the heroics on the throw home did the same to the Hawkeyes. In a way, the game was already over, it just needed someone to end it. And with a bases-loaded walk, Voit did just that.
“Today was a great way to bounce back after that first round loss last year,” Voit said.
Brecht’s wild pitch and Timbrook’s throw home was just the tip of the iceberg that helped Michigan bounce back. After surrendering 13 runs on 13 hits and tacking on five errors against the Hawkeyes in 2023 while stringing together four hits themselves, the Wolverines knew there were obvious points to adjust. And while Michigan gave up 10 hits Wednesday, they got outs when they needed it and stayed away from costly mistakes in the field.
And this time around, it simply was the Wolverines’ day.