Michigan

Emerging ace leads Michigan into Big Ten Tournament

Published

2 years ago

May 21, 2024

Emerging ace leads Michigan into Big Ten Tournament

Michigan’s baseball team entered 2024 needing to fill holes in its starting rotation after losing its top two pitchers from last season.

Second-year head coach Tracy Smith was forced to juggle his rotation the first half of the year because of inconsistent results, but a surprise ace has emerged for the Wolverines (30-26, 14-10), who finished fourth in the Big Ten and open conference tournament play against No. 5 seed Iowa at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Omaha, Nebraska.

Sophomore Kurt Barr tossed just 23 2/3 innings as a freshman in 2023 and began this year in the bullpen, but back-to-back superb long-relief appearances in mid-march thrust him into the starting rotation.

The former Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggitt graduate has seized the opportunity and will be on the mound to start against the Hawkeyes in the double-elimination Big Ten Tournament.

He leads the team in ERA (3.52) and innings pitched (76 2/3) and is an all-Big Ten third-team selection.

“You earn it,” Smith said of Barr’s larger role. “It isn’t anything bestowed on anybody. I tell that to the guys all the time: you have to go out there and stack good performance on top of good performance, and when you do that, it earns you more opportunity.

“I think Kurt has done a really good job this season of stacking good performances on top of each other. He has put himself in position to lead the staff.”

During last season’s exit meetings, Barr told Smith he wanted to be a weekend starter in 2024 and pitch in high-leverage situations. He posted a respectable 4.18 ERA as a freshman in limited action but also walked 19 in 23 2/3 innings – a glaring stat that needed to be shored up.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder spent a month last summer working with private pitching coach Dom Johnson in San Diego refining his mechanics. He ditched the overhead windup and focused on simplifying his delivery so he could find a more consistent and reliable arm slot.

During the fall – essentially the preseason for NCAA baseball – Barr said he wasn’t getting the results he envisioned, but his new-and-improved motion started paying off this spring. His walk rate has dropped significantly and he also leads the team with a 1.26 WHIP.

“It was just simplifying things,” Barr said of his adjustments. “It wasn’t adding much. It was reworking the way my arm moved a little bit. That took a little bit of time to adjust, I’m thankful for it now because it has made my delivery a lot more consistent and repeatable.

“I’ve been able to land my curveball a lot better in any count. That keeps the hitters a little more off-balance. This new motion has helped me get my curveball down and my fastball down more consistently.”

Barr’s first eight appearances this season came out of the bullpen, but he pitched at least five innings in consecutive appearances before making his first start March 23. On March 12, he tossed six scoreless innings and yielded just three hits in a 7-6 Michigan 12-inning victory.

Five days later, he entered in a 1-1 game against San Diego and pitched five innings of one-run ball in a 3-2 Wolverines win.

“I think I just needed to see it click again,” said Barr, who was a two-time first-team all-state honoree in high school. “Not that I really lost much confidence, but early in the season, I was getting reliever type innings, one or two, and then I had a game where I was able to stretch it out. Since then, I feel like I’ve taken a major stride. Seeing that (success) again and telling myself, ‘This is who I am.’ I’ve been able to roll with that.”

Barr will make the most important start of his career Wednesday in a crucial opening game for Michigan. The path to a tournament title becomes more difficult with a first-round loss, especially for a Wolverines team that finished eighth in the conference in ERA and doesn’t have the pitching depth like others in the league.

Michigan won the season series against the Hawkeyes (31-21, 14-10), taking two of three in early-April. Barr took the only loss in the series but allowed just one run on four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

“Our mindset has kind of been the same since we started Big Ten play,” Barr said. “The mentality was “win the weekend, be weekend warriors.’ It helps we’ve seen them a little bit. I’ve thrown four or five innings against those guys and we did win the series against them last time so that gives us a little bit of confidence heading into this game.”

Likely to oppose Barr is Iowa ace Brody Brecht, a projected early-round pick in the MLB draft. Michigan touched him for five runs in 5 2/3 innings in April, but he’s a tough matchup when he’s on his game. He features a high-90s fastball and has struck out 118 in 71 innings.

The Wolverines need to win the tournament to reach the NCAAs after missing last year for the first time since 2018.

“Our thing is, ‘Who are we playing today?’” Smith said. “It is always Michigan. We are going to worry about what we are doing in our dugout because we think if we do that well, it doesn’t matter who we are playing. If you go back and look at some of our box scores, they are generally not very pretty, but we find a way to win. Just keep scrapping and keep battling, and that served us well all year.”

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Michigan

Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for Jan. 11, 2026

Published

4 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Press Room

Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for Jan. 11, 2026

The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 11, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 11 drawing

Midday: 7-9-8

Evening: 9-9-9

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 11 drawing

Midday: 9-8-3-6

Evening: 4-3-6-4

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 11 drawing

05-06-12-14-24, Lucky Ball: 12

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Poker Lotto numbers from Jan. 11 drawing

AD-QS-6C-8D-4S

Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Jan. 11 drawing

02-04-17-20-30

02-05-13-20-23

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily Keno numbers from Jan. 11 drawing

02-07-08-10-14-23-25-29-32-34-39-45-54-55-59-60-61-65-69-74-78-80

Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lottery’s Regional Offices.

To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to:

Michigan Lottery

Attn: Claim Center

101 E. Hillsdale

P.O. Box 30023

Lansing, MI 48909

For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a driver’s license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2.

If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows:

Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325
Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325
Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325
Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325
Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325
Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325

For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery’s prize claim page.

When are Michigan Lottery drawings held?

Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m.
Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily
Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily
Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily
Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Michigan

Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder to enter NFL Draft

Published

16 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder to enter NFL Draft

After debating whether to return for another season, Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder had decided to prepare for the NFL Draft.

Rolder, a second-team All-Big Ten selection, led the team in 2025 with 73 tackles, including seven tackles for loss and two sacks. He also had an interception.

“This journey has been anything but certain,” Rolder wrote in a social media post on Sunday announcing his decision. “There were highs, lows, doubts, growth, and moments that tested me — but every step shaped who I am today. … The ups and downs, the lessons, the brotherhood — I’m grateful for it all.”

Rolder is the second potential linebacker returner who has moved on. Michigan also this offseason lost linebacker Cole Sullivan, who entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal on Jan. 2, the day it opened, and is now at Oklahoma.

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Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for Jan. 10, 2026

Published

1 day ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 10, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

Midday: 7-4-9

Evening: 2-0-2

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

Midday: 2-5-0-8

Evening: 6-1-1-0

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

17-24-36-38-43, Lucky Ball: 17

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Poker Lotto numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

QH-KH-2D-5D-7H

Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

01-02-17-26-31

02-07-12-32-37

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily Keno numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

01-04-09-12-20-21-25-38-39-42-43-45-47-49-52-53-67-70-72-77-78-79

Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Classic Lotto 47 numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

14-21-24-28-30-37

Check Classic Lotto 47 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto Double Play numbers from Jan. 10 drawing

02-06-15-16-43-44

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Michigan Lottery

Attn: Claim Center

101 E. Hillsdale

P.O. Box 30023

Lansing, MI 48909

Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325
Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325
Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325
Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325
Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325
Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325

For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery’s prize claim page.

When are Michigan Lottery drawings held?

Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m.
Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily
Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily
Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily
Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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