Michigan cracks Baseball America's NCAA Tournament projections

The Michigan baseball team last made the NCAA Tournament in 2022. The Wolverines appear to be playing themselves into a return trip.

Michigan enters a weekend series at Maryland sitting at 27-17, but having won seven of its last 10 after taking two of three from Washington last weekend in Ann Arbor. That's perhaps helped elevate the Wolverines, who appeared in Baseball America's "Field of 64" projections for the first time this season Tuesday.

Baseball America has Michigan as a No. 3 seed in a regional hosted by Mississippi State. The quartet also includes West Virginia and Southeast Missouri State, a projected automatic qualifier out of the Ohio Valley Conference. Mississippi State (35-10) is ranked No. 10 in Baseball America's Top 25 and has made the last two NCAA Tournaments, while West Virginia (28-12) ranked No. 20 and appears headed to its fourth straight NCAA Tournament.

The Wolverines didn't crack Baseball America's projections for the first five weeks, though they were among the "First Four Out" the last three weeks before finally landing a spot in field. They are the only team from the state of Michigan in the projected field.

Michigan finished last season at 33-23, falling to Illinois and UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament to end its season. It was the third straight season the Wolverines missed the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big Ten Tournament in 2022 to automatically qualify for the NCAAs, defeating No. 2 seed Rutgers, 10-4, in the championship. Michigan opened the NCAA Tournament with an 8-6 victory over Oregon in the Louisville regional before losing two of three to the host Cardinals.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan Wolverines cracks Baseball America's NCAA Tournament bracket