Masterman's home run lifts Louisville past Michigan, 11-9, for regional victory

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- For the ninth time in 16 seasons, the University of Louisville baseball team has advanced to the Super Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

This time, the Cardinals gave the baseball world and their fans something to talk about.

They scored four runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, including the final two on Cameron Masterman’s fourth home run of the weekend, a two-run blast, to beat Michigan, 11-9, at Jim Patterson Stadium. They completed the journey from the edge by winning their third consecutive elimination game.

"I didn't want the season to end," Masterman said. "I wanted to do it for my teammates and myself."

"It's not supposed to be easy and it sure wasn't for this group," U of L coach Dan McDonnell said.

IMAGES | Louisville baseball comes from behind to beat Michigan in NCAA Regional

Louisville overcame a two-run first-inning by the Wolverines as well as a one-hour-and-33-minute rain delay in the third inning. Then, after blowing a 7-2 lead, the Cards did not score for the next 6 2/3 innings. In fact, they made two outs to start the eighth before they gave a crowd of 3,655 fans a memory.

Dalton Rushing walked on a 3-2 pitch. After striking out in his first four at bats, clean-up hitter Jared Payton doubled to left, although that will never be the view from folks in Ann Arbor.

The tag play on the throw was close. The call on the field was safe, and Louisville survived a replay review that the ESPN announcing team said was the wrong call.

Michigan coach Erik Bakich said because it was a close play the call was unlikely to reversed either way. He said that he had not viewed the replay but when told what the ESPN announcers said, Bakich quipped, "Yeah, that really sucks."

Levi Usher’s single to right tied the game before Masterman unloaded on a no-doubt home run to left on a 2-2 pitch. After surviving a 13-game stretch late in the season without a home run, Masterman got hot when the Cardinals needed him after making an adjustment to his swing and stance during U of L's regional prep work after they exited the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament with two defeats.

"I switched up where my hands are," Masterman said. "I put them a little further back. And I stopped doing a little wiggle. More relaxed."

Masterman also recognized the pitch type as Michigan pitcher Cameron Weston released the pitch -- a slider that moved directly into his swing path.

"He started me with a couple of change ups on that at bat," Masterman said. "I worked it to a 1-2 count and then 2-2 count. I fouled one off my ankle and I told myself that I really had to step back because my ankle was really bugging me.

"It really hurt. I think that honestly helped. I had to sit back on that slider he threw and put more faith in my swing."

The Cards did it the hard way all day. They scored seven runs in the bottom of the first all after two outs. Usher doubled in the first two runs, lining a 3-2 pitch into right field.

Masterman, Logan Beard, Christian Knapczyk and Ben Metzinger also drove in runs before the seventh U of L run scored when Michigan pitcher Chase Allen misplayed a grounder by Dalton Rushing.

The victory will send Louisville to College Station, Texas, this weekend for a Super Regional against Texas A&M. The Aggies won their only three games in the opening round and they are the overall No. 5 seed in the tournament. The Cards are seeded 12th.

The Aggies are 40-18. They won their three regional games against Oral Roberts, Louisiana and TCU by a combined score of 32-17. A&M has won 10 of its last 12 games while winning the West Division of the Southeastern Conference.

The winner of the best-of-three series will advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, which begins June 17. Louisville has advanced to Omaha five times: 2007, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2019.

The Cards join Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Notre Dame as four Atlantic Coast Conference programs that have advanced to the final 16 teams. Five SEC teams advanced to the final 16.