In the top of second inning, just as much of America was still settling in at work, the Michigan baseball team was hit with a curveball.

Actually, the ball didn’t curve at all, but when ace pitcher Tommy Henry was drilled in his throwing arm on a line-drive comebacker with no outs in the second inning against Iowa and the arm began to swell, it threw a wrench in the Wolverines’ plans at the Big Ten Tournament.

Michigan (15-8 Big Ten, 33-19 overall) needed to win the event to make the NCAA Tournament, but was suddenly tasked with tapping into its bullpen less than one inning into what it hoped would be a long weekend. Other than a wild Hawkeyes rally or serious injury, it was really the worst-case scenario.

But instead, the hurdle brought out the best in Michigan. Reliever Alec Rennard threw 5.2 innings of one-hit baseball, Jeff Criswell followed it up with two more perfect innings and William Tribucher produced one of his own.

And though Michigan was held to one run in nine innings, its fielders kept the game close with several hit-saving defensive plays. And finally, in the 10th inning, freshman Jesse Franklin delivered a sacrifice fly to break a 1-1 tie to deliver a walk-off win.

Iowa (13-9, 32-19) was held to just one hit, but it was a timely one. After Henry walked a batter and was taken out of the game, Rennard allowed Mat Hoeg to deliver a well-placed bloop single to right to put runners on the corner. On the next at-bat, Franklin committed a costly error to put the Hawkeyes in front in the second inning.

Two innings later, though, Franklin cranked a solo home run to right-centerfield to knot the game at one.

Michigan would only accumulate four more hits in the game, including a Franklin double, but stayed in it thanks to its pitching. Henry, Rennard, Criswell and Tribucher combined for an impressive line of 10 innings, one hits, three walks, seven strikeouts and just one unearned run allowed.

Michigan threatened a couple times, but was unable to convert against All-Big Ten pitcher Nick Allgeyer and standout reliever Zach Daniels. That changed in the bottom of the 10th, when Daniels fired eight straight balls to put runners on first and second with one out. The next pitcher appeared to force a groundout, but Jonathan Engelmann was ruled safe on the play to load the bases. In the next at-bat, Franklin lofted a popup to right field to bring home leadoff hitter Christian Bullock for the win.

The victory won’t put the Wolverines into the NCAA Tournament alone, but snapped Michigan’s 1-5 skid to close the season in addition to reversing a 1-4 record in the Big Ten Tournament since Michigan won it all in 2015. Instead of scrapping for their lives in the losers’ bracket, the Wolverines will advance to face the winner of Purdue and Ohio State Thursday at 6 p.m.

And after surviving an unexpected injured pitcher, Michigan feels like it’s ready for anything.