Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Kauffman pitches Michigan to victory
MICHIGAN 5, TEXAS TECH 3
OMAHA, Neb. — When Michigan played at Texas Tech in late March, the Red Raiders swept a three-game series and outscored the Wolverines by a combined 29-10.
It was a different story Saturday in the College World Series opener.
Michigan beat Texas Tech 5-3 at TD Ameritrade Park behind a strong pitching performance by junior right-hander Karl Kauffman before an announced crowd of 24,148.
The Wolverines (47-20) advanced to play Florida State on Monday night. The Red Raiders (44-19) will play Arkansas on Monday afternoon in a losers bracket game.
“They played better defense today,” Texas Tech Coach Tim Tadlock said of how the Wolverines compare now to three months ago. “I mean, when we played them at home in the regular season, they kicked the ball around quite a bit.
“They didn’t give us any free outs today. We had to earn everything we got. They played about as good a defense as you’re going to play.”
Kauffman (11-6) went 7 innings and scattered 8 hits while holding the Red Raiders to 3 runs without a walk and 3 strikeouts. He thew 101 pitches, including 67 strikes.
“That’s a really good lineup over there, 1 though 9,” Kauffman said. “Speed, power, very well balanced.
“After we played them in March, we learned, and we came out here with the approach to minimize their opportunities and just limit the mistakes. Just go right at them and let the defense work.”
The Wolverines — playing in the College World Series for the first time since 1984 — took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jordan Nwogu hit a leadoff single against Texas Tech starter Micah Dallas and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Brewer.
Michigan made it 4-0 with three runs in the third inning, including a two-run triple by Jimmy Kerr.
“It was nice jumping out to a 4-0 lead,” Kauffman said. “Never going to complain about that.”
Texas Tech pulled within 4-2 in the bottom of the third inning on Brian Klein’s tworun home run. The Raiders made it 4-3 in the sixth, but Michigan got it back to a tworun lead with a run in the seventh on with the help of a Texas Tech error and wild pitch.
Jeff Criswell replaced Kauffman and held the Red Raiders scoreless and to 1 hit the final two innings
“Our guys did a great job,” Michigan Coach Erik Bakich said. “They’re loose, they’re confident and they’re playing aggressive.”
Dallas (7-1) went three innings in his shortest outing this season.
“His stuff wasn’t quite where it has been,” Tadlock said. “He didn’t have his best stuff. He’s been a guy that when he doesn’t have that, he’s been able to pitch through some things.
“Give Michigan credit. They hit everything that he threw up there that was in the middle of the plate. So I don’t want to take anything from them. Micah just had a bad day and Michigan had a really good day.”