Michigan beats Texas Tech for first College World Series win since 1983

Jesse Franklin, Jordan Brewer

Michigan's Jesse Franklin (7) and Jordan Brewer (22) celebrate after scoring on Jimmy Kerr's two-RBI triple against Texas Tech in the third inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Saturday, June 15, 2019.AP

When Texas Tech and Michigan met in March, the Red Raiders swept the three-game series while outscoring the Wolverines by 19 runs.

Nearly three months later and with a lot more on the line, Michigan got its revenge.

Michigan beat Texas Tech 5-3 in the opening game of the College World Series on Saturday at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. It was the Wolverines’ first appearance in the CWS since 1984 and their first win in it since 1983.

The unranked Wolverines (47-20) advance to the winner’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament and Monday’s game (7 p.m., ESPN) against the winner of Saturday’s night’s game between Arkansas and Florida State. The No. 8 Red Raiders (44-19) drop into the loser’s bracket and on Monday will face the loser between Arkansas and Florida State in an elimination game.

Michigan, which knocked off top-ranked UCLA in the Super Regionals last weekend, never trailed against Texas Tech after scoring a run in the first inning and adding three in the third. First baseman and program legacy Jimmy Kerr drove in a pair of runs with a triple, third baseman Blake Nelson had two hits and an RBI, right fielder Jordan Brewer had a hit and RBI and designated hitter Jordan Nwogu had a pair of singles.

Michigan junior pitcher Karl Kauffmann turned in a strong performance as he allowed three runs on eight hits over seven innings to pick up the win. The Birmingham Brother Rice product and recent second-round pick by the Colorado Rockies struck out three and didn’t allow a walk.

Jeff Criswell replaced Kauffmann to start the eighth and threw a pair of shutout innings. The sophomore from Portage Central allowed one hit and two walks while striking out four.

Michigan opened the scoring with one run in the top of first inning as Nwogu reached on a leadoff single, advanced to second on a passed ball and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Brewer.

The Wolverines added three runs in the third inning, all with two outs. Center fielder Jesse Franklin drew a walk, Brewer singled and both scored on a two-run triple down the right field line by Kerr. Nelson plated Kerr with an RBI single for a 4-0 lead.

Texas Tech responded by cutting the deficit in half in the bottom of the third. Dylan Neuse singled and Brian Klein followed with a two-run homer to right-center.

The Red Rangers pulled within one run in the sixth, but they had an opportunity for a bigger inning. Josh Jung, a first-round pick by the Texas Rangers, led off the inning with an infield single. Cameron Warren followed with a double down the line to left to put runners on second and third with no outs. Kauffmann limited the damage by inducing a groundout that didn’t score a run, followed by an RBI groundout and then recorded an inning-ending strikeout.

After three straight scoreless innings, Michigan added one in the seventh. Franklin drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored from second with two outs on a throwing error to give the Wolverines a 5-3 lead.

Kauffmann was pulled after throwing 101 pitches and Criswell took over on the mound for the Wolverines in the eighth. He struck out Jung to start the inning, gave up a walk, then got a fly out and another strikeout to retire Texas Tech.

Criswell got the first two outs of the ninth and then allowed a single and walk to bring the winning run to the plate. The Wolverines kept him in the game and the decision paid off as Criswell struck out Klein to secure the win.

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