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Aaron

IU Michigan Baseball: Last Big Series of Year

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The numbers don't look great for us. With that said other than beating UCLA, Michigan has made a living beating up on bad teams. UM does have the best pitching staff in Big Ten with 3 interchangeable guys who are all potential aces much like we had in 2013 with Denato, Slegers and Hart so this is the first time this year our pitching depth really does not matter. UM has also won 13 straight games. 

The positive is the wind is scheduled to be blowing out to the East Saturday and Sunday so may help our power in what is normally a pitchers park particularly for righties. Tonight it will be blowing more across but could still help lefties a bit while hurting righties. Nice change after wind was blowing straight in last weekend in Champaign.

At this point we just need to hope for the best. We still have an outside chance at Big Ten title if we can win two of three this weekend and then sweep Rutgers and Nebraska takes series against UM next weekend. At this point I think we just need to focus on playing for second in conference and continuing to be in a good spot to make NCAA tourney. To do that if we can just get a game this weekend and then take 2 of 3 from Rutgers we will be fine. Also beating Louisville who we have owned recently should do the trick even if we lose out otherwise. 

With all this said we did go to UM 2 years ago as an underdog and win 2 of 3 when no one expected it. That UM team had a similar offense but their pitching staff had guys with ERA's around 4 instead of sub 3 this year. This is a similar IU team to 2 years ago that relied on power but we do have a slightly better pitching staff this time.

Our best chance to win tonight is to have a Friday repeat of 2 years ago in Ann Arbor where Tony Butler led off with a HR against UM ace Oliver Jaskie and Stiever threw his best game of year for us in 1-0 win. Need something similar tonight where Ashley, Gorski or Lloyd get a solo shot in first (and Gorski barely missed one against Illinois in 1st inning last week that would of been out with this weeks wind pattern) and Milto throws a shutout.  

Tonight is on ESPNU and Sunday on BTN. In a bit of a reverse from recent form I will be on tonight during game posting but in Ann Arbor tomorrow and busy Sunday so not posting during weekend games.

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10 min or so from first pitch. First time in over a month I am watching a Friday game at home on TV instead of either being at the game or busy with something else. 

Best chance is to get a run quickly then shut down their offense. Also UM has played a Tom Crean soft schedule and is just 11-9 vs. top 150 teams which is why they have a worse RPI then us despite being 36-11 overall.

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We scored 2 runs in the 1st and it wasn't a HR! 

Gorski took a walk and as usual Lloyd just missed a HR to CF but then in a clutch moment Dunham poked one down the right field line with 2 outs for a double to score Gorski and Barr singles on a line drive to left scoring Dunham. 

Clutch 2 out small ball does wonders! 

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Just announced on ESPNU that Illinois starting SS Ben Troike out for yr. I remember seeing him get hurt last week on Saturday and missing Sunday and was wondering what the prognosis was for him. Bad news for Illinois.

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Dunham leads off with a double the other way this time down the left field line. Dunham has absolutely been our best hitter the last few weeks as others have struggled. Another example of great player development by Mercer. 

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Inning finally ends but IU with the huge inning and lead 6-0 after 3.5 innings. Hitting a Friday starter hard playing small ball a very different experience for this year.

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