The Big Ten played a conference-only baseball schedule this season, which significantly impacted the league’s NCAA Tournament résumés, according to Michigan head coach Erik Bakich.

The Wolverines finished third in the Big Ten standings, but nearly missed out on the NCAA Tournament because of their poor RPI ranking. Michigan made the tournament anyways, but Bakich was still critical of the league’s approach to this season on Monday.

“I feel this way about softball, and I feel this way about baseball – the Big Ten, we did this to ourselves,” he told reporters on Monday afternoon. “I wouldn’t have blamed the selection committee if we were not included.”

The Big Ten was the only major conference to avoid nonconference games this season.

Michigan was one of the ‘Last four in’ to make the Field of 64. Nebraska and Maryland — the only other B1G teams to make the tournament — were the only Big Ten teams to be ranked inside the top-60 of RPI.

College baseball analyst Aaron Fitt noted on Monday that Michigan normally wouldn’t have been considered for an at-large berth, but the selection committee took note of the Big Ten’s conference-only schedule.

The Big Ten also chose to not play a conference tournament in baseball this season, which meant Nebraska automatically qualified for the NCAA Tournament after winning the regular season title.

Despite their excellent season, the Huskers received a tough draw from the selection committee — a trip to Fayetteville to play as the No. 2-seed vs. No. 1-ranked Arkansas. The Razorbacks are the clear favorite to win the National Championship this season.

NCAA regionals begin on Friday, June 4.