OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Jimmy Obertop hit a three-run home run in the eighth and two runs scored on a bunt in the ninth as fifth-seeded Michigan pulled away from second-seeded Rutgers for a 10-4 in the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament on Sunday.
Jake Marti’s sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning scored Ted Burton, breaking a 2-2 tie. The Wolverines (33-26) added single runs in the fifth and sixth before breaking the game open late.
The Wolverines beat Iowa 13-1 earlier in the day to move into the championship, which they won for the 10th time. Rutgers advanced with a 13-1 win over Indiana in a Saturday night game that featured a 35-minute weather delay and ended at 3:05 a.m.
Riley Bertram singled and Burton walked to open the ninth. They were bunted up a base and then both scored on a bunt by Jack VanRemortel.
Jacob Denner, the second of four Michigan pitchers, picked up the win, going 4 1/3 with three hits, a run and seven strikeouts.
Tony Santa Maria drove in two runs for Rutgers (44-15), which has set a program record for wins. His triple in the third drove in a run to tie the game at 2. Josh Kuroda-Graue hit a solo home run in the second. The Scarlet Knights used 10 different pitchers.
