LANSING - Ray Fisher Stadium will be no place for a nervous person this weekend, as the Michigan baseball team will battle Ohio State in four games to close the regular season. At stake - the Big Ten title.
The first-place Wolverines took three of four games from Michigan State this past weekend, raising their Big Ten record to 15-7. That gives a lead by mere percentage points over second-place Ohio State (16-8). The Buckeyes won three of four over Penn State last weekend.
The Big Ten champion hosts the top four conference teams in the Big Ten tournament. But while only Michigan or Ohio State can finish first, neither has clinched a playoff berth.
Third-place Purdue (17-11) holds the tiebreaker over Illinois (17-11), and both teams are finished with regular season play. The Boilermakers are the only team guaranteed to be in the tournament.
Minnesota (12-9) is currently fifth, but the Gophers host ninth-place Northwestern (8-15) this weekend, which will probably translate into a few wins for the Gophers. If Minnesota wins three of four over the Wildcats, a sweep by either Michigan or Ohio State would knock the other team into fifth, and out of the playoffs. If Minnesota sweeps, and either the Wolverines or Buckeyes win only one game this weekend, that team is eliminated.
Confused?
All the scenarios boil down to one simple fact for the Wolverines - two wins or better this weekend and they are Big Ten champs.
"Anytime you can play the team that is in second place, and you control your own destiny, that is what you want," Michigan coach Geoff Zahn said. "What I tell our guys, this is the time you are going to remember for the rest of your lives."
The Buckeyes are a formidable opponent. They have a 36-14 overall record and are ranked No. 22 in the USA Today poll. Leftfielder Jason Trott is leading the conference with a .424 batting average. First baseman Dan Seimetz leads the Big Ten in runs (54), hits (73) and RBI (66).
This past weekend Ohio State got three complete games from Justin Fry (9-1, 3.26 ERA), Eric Thompson (8-2, 3.20) and Kurt Fullenkamp (7-0, 4.26). Those three will likely pitch the first three games this weekend.
Michigan's probable starters are Brian Steinbach, Bryan Cranson, J.J. Putz and Bryan Berryman.
Last Sunday, the Wolverines traveled to Michigan State for a doubleheader. The twinbill at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing featured come-from-behind victories by both teams. Michigan took game one, 7-5, and the Spartans were victorious in the nightcap, 6-5.
In the second game, Michigan jumped out to a 4-0 lead, only to have Michigan State rally and win on Michigan errors.
In game one, Putz relieved starter Marlon Wright in the first inning and proceeded to no-hit the Spartans over the final 6 2/3 innings for a Michigan victory. Putz (4-0) was named co-Big Ten pitcher of the week.
Due to poor weather on Saturday, the teams only played one game in Ann Arbor, which Michigan won, 4-0.
Friday at Oldsmobile, Bryan Besco's RBI single in the sixth broke a 1-1 tie and Michigan went on to win, 7-1.
Yesterday's game between Michigan and Central Michigan ended after the Daily went to press. The Wolverines host Toledo today at 3 p.m.
JOE WESTRATE/Daily
Behind Derek Besco, the Michigan baseball team has maintained its first-place standing in the Big Ten after taking three of four from Michigan State.