OMAHA, Neb. — Graduate shortstop Kyle Dernedde, graduate second baseman Mack Timbrook and junior third baseman Cole Caruso surrounded one another in the Michigan baseball team’s dugout in the bottom of the first inning, separated from the rest of the team by coach Tracy Smith. Behind them, sophomore right-hander Kurt Barr looked on, eyeing the diamond. The four athletes were poised to take control of the ball game.

Entering the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 4 seed, the Wolverines (31-26 overall, 14-10 Big Ten) looked to make a postseason run. But in order to do so, they first needed to get through the No. 5 seed Iowa (31-22, 14-10). In a tightly contested matchup, the Hawkeyes couldn’t crack the Michigan mound and infield defense as the Wolverines secured the 3-2 win. 

“I just love the way that our guys hung in there and outlasted today,” Smith said. “We seem to be doing that a lot this year. I’m just proud of the way we found a way to get it done. Very fortunate to come out there with (Barr) who was on today, with 10 strikeouts and two walks, he was really good today.”

Barr started his outing with two quick strikeouts, immediately setting the tone for Michigan. In the top of the third inning, Barr faced Iowa center fielder Andy Nelson for a second time. In their first faceoff, Barr retired the power hitter with a strikeout swinging, and just five pitches into their second duel, Barr and Nelson’s backs were turned to one another as Nelson walked back to the dugout and Barr stepped off the mound. 

Barr didn’t leave the mound distressed, though. He simply tipped his cap to the Hawkeye dugout, took a deep breath, and moved onto the next batter. 

“(Barr) showed up today,” Smith said. “He went toe-to-toe against a pretty good one (in right-hander Brody Brecht) and gave the team what we needed today. That allowed us to hang around and ultimately pull out the win.”

Seven of the ten total hits for Iowa came from batters after the top third in the lineup — it was this part of the order that struck first in the second inning. Hawkeye shortstop Michael Seegers smashed the ball out to center field, and amid some outfield confusion from the Wolverines, he doubled and brought a run home from first base.

Nearing 50 pitches by the end of the second inning, Barr’s pitch count was rising fast. In order for him to extend his time on the mound, Barr needed to return to his pitch-to-contact strategy and trust the defense behind him.

Prowling between second and third base, Dernedde’s presence at shortstop guarantees that a ground ball from the opposition is as good as an out for Michigan. In the top of the second inning, Iowa left fielder Will Mulfur slapped the ball just behind third base for a seemingly easy base hit. But Dernedde extended his reach into the outfield grass, snatched the ball and forwarded it to first for the out. 

Michigan wasn’t nearly as consistent on the plate as it was defensively. Through five innings, the Wolverines score remained null as batter after batter attempted to ignite offensive momentum. Finally, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Michigan brought home two runs from a combination of tactical small-ball play and a Hawkeyes’ throwing error. 

Fifth-year left-hander Jacob Denner entered the matchup in the seventh inning to relieve Barr after he let up a tying run for Iowa earlier in the inning. Denner did his job expertly, leaving the eighth and ninth innings clean from Hawkeye runs. In the bottom of the ninth inning, it was up to the Michigan offense to make a big hit. Instead of a powerful at-bat though, it was a walk-off walk in the 10th inning that gave the Wolverines the 3-2 win.

While Barr, Denner and the infield did everything they could to keep the Hawkeyes off of the board, their efforts would’ve been moot if the offense was unable to respond. So when they finally did in the sixth inning, it was none other than Barr who was the first to congratulate the runners. Bounding out to his teammates with a smile, Barr knew his work paid off.

“We talk to our starters all the time, ‘give the team a chance to win,’ ” Smith said. “(Barr) was phenomenal today, really keeping them off stride and making big pitches when he needed to.”

Barr’s performance on the mound gave Michigan everything it could’ve asked for and more Wednesday. The infield defense led by Barr set the tone early in this postseason tournament, and that tone is one that accepts nothing short of success.