Preview: Michigan Baseball set to host Ohio State for season finale

The Michigan baseball team is nearing the end of the regular season, as the final series takes place this weekend. Right now, the Wolverines are in a solid spot to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament at 32-19 overall (17-10 in Big Ten play).

A series win at home vs Ohio State this weekend could lock up a bid. But before we get into that, let’s recap Michigan’s Tuesday night contest at Kent State.

Michigan-Kent State recap

Michigan hit the road for its last non-conference contest of the regular season on Tuesday to face Kent State. The Golden Flashes came into the game with a 37-12 record, and they got out to an early 2-0 lead in this one. But thanks to a wild pitch and a sac fly from Drew Culbertson, the Wolverines were able to tie the game in the top of the fourth.

The tie game did not last long, as the Golden Flashes immediately took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth. Michigan was able to score one more run in the seventh on an Evan Haeger RBI double, but Kent State went on to win the game by a final score of 5-3.

Michigan-Ohio State preview

The more important matchup of the week is a three-game series with Ohio State to close out the season. Michigan is in sixth place in the Big Ten with a 17-10 conference record, while the Buckeyes are in seventh with a 15-12 mark. This series is crucial for Michigan’s NCAA Tournament at-large hopes, and it is also important for seeding in the Big Ten Tournament next week in Omaha.

Players to watch

Ohio State has three players in particular to watch offensively. The first is Dane Harvey, who is the best hitter for the Buckeyes. He leads the team in batting average (.327), RBIs (53) and home runs (17). It’s going to be tough to keep Harvey from putting his stamp on this series.

Henry Kaczmar is also a very dangerous hitter. He is hitting .322 with 10 homers and 42 RBIs. Lastly, Mason Eckelman is another Buckeye to watch for. His .320 average, eight home runs and 46 RBIs are right up there with Kaczmar and Harvey.

On the mound, Michigan is going to face Pierce Herrenbruck, Gavin Kuzniewski and Chris Domke over the next three days. Herrenbruck has been the best of the starters, as he has allowed 31 earned runs in 67.1 innings this season, good for a 4.14 ERA.

Kuzniewski is having a similar season. He has given up 38 earned runs in 69.1 innings, which equates to a 4.93 ERA. Lastly, Domke has struggled a bit this season, as he currently has a 6.19 ERA after allowing 44 earned runs in 64 innings.