NCAA Regional baseball roundup: UConn advances to winner's bracket

Junior left fielder Erik Stock went 4-for-4 and drove in three runs, two with a double in the seventh inning, and four pitchers held Michigan to two hits as the Huskies (34-17) earned their winner’s bracket berth against Notre Dame Saturday night with a 6-1 over the Wolverines.

Austin Peterson, a 6-foot-6 junior right-hander from Chesterton who started his college career at Purdue, went 5.2 innings for his eighth victory in nine decisions. He struck out seven, walked three and hit two batters while allowing two hits including a solo homer by Michigan designated hitter Ted Burton in the top of the fourth that tied the game at 1-1.

Randy Polonia, Garrett Coe and Caleb Wurster finished up without allowing a hit for UConn. Left-hander Wurster came on in the ninth and got the final two outs with strikeouts, the ninth and 10th by the Wolverines (27-18).

The Huskies managed 11 hits, including two each by Chris Winkel and Chris Brown, who also drove in two runs, off four Michigan pitchers. Starting left-hander Steve Hajjar (4-2) suffered the loss despite striking out nine. He allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings.

With the game tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the sixth, Connecticut scored three times off Hajjar to take a 4-1 lead. Stock started the inning with a single. One out later, Christian Fedko singled to right. Reggie Crawford then singled home Stock to break the tie. With two outs and runners on second and third, Chris Brown beat out a slow grounder to Michigan third baseman Christian Molfetta, and Fedko and Crawford both scored.

In the bottom of the seventh, Kyler Fedko led off with a double and Chris Winkel reached on a bunt single. Stock then doubled into the left-center gap off Michigan reliever Will Proctor to score both runners for a 6-1 lead.

CONNECTICUT 6, MICHIGAN 1

At Frank Eck Stadium/Jake Kline Field, South Bend

Michigan | 000 | 100 | 000—1-2-1

Connecticut | 001 | 003 | 20x—6-11-0

         Austin Peterson (W, 8-1), Randy Polonia (6), Garrett Coe (8), Caleb Wurster (9) and Pat Winkel. Steve Hajjar (L, 4-2), Will Proctor (7), Isaiah Paige (7), Jack White (8) and Griffin Mazur.

         2B: Riley Bertram (M), Kyler Fedko (C), Erik Stock (C).

         HR: Ted Burton (M).

         Records: Michigan 27-18, Connecticut 34-17.