Michigan
4-0
Canisius
0-4
No. 15 Michigan Sweeps Canisius with Win in Series Finale
2/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 21, 2016
» Junior Harrison Wenson earned Michigan's first home run of the season with a blast over the leftfield wall.
» A perfect 4-0 start has not occurred for Michigan baseball since 2009.
Site: Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Tradition Field)
Score: #15 Michigan 9, Canisius 3
Records: U-M (4-0), Canisius (0-4)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 26 -- vs. St. Joseph's (Santa Clara, Calif.), 10 a.m. PST
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan baseball team wrapped up a four-game series against Canisius with a 9-3 victory on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 21) at the New York Mets Spring Training Complex. The win brings Michigan's win streak to four straight, marking the team's best start to a season since 2009.
The Wolverines were the first on the board once again, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first for an early lead. Sophomore Jake Bivens led off the inning with a single up the middle, advancing to single on the following single from senior Matt Ramsay and taking third on deep flyball off the bat of junior Carmen Benedetti. With runners on first and third, a Canisius balk allowed Bivens to score and Ramsay to take second freely. One out later, Ramsay stole third and took home when the Canisius catcher sent the ball flying into left field.
Michigan tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the second inning, taking a 5-0 lead. Junior Johnny Slater led off the at-bat with a single to right field, and junior designated hitter Harrison Wenson followed by blasting U-M's first home run of the season over the left-field wall for a 4-0 lead. With no outs and the score in favor of the Maize and Blue, junior Michael Brdar took first base on a walk and was sacrifice bunted over to second by freshman Ako Thomas. A single up the middle allowed Brdar to score and U-M to close out the inning with a five-run lead.
Two errors, a wild pitch and a passed ball allowed Canisius to score a run in the top of the fourth inning, but the Michigan offense was not finished.
Two more runs in the bottom of the fifth pushed the Wolverines ahead by six, thanks to RBI from Bruder and Wenson.
The Wolverines added an additional run in the bottom on the seventh inning, as a clutch RBI from Brdar allowed Wenson to cross the plate for an 8-1 lead.
Two unearned runs for Canisius in the top of the seventh brought the score to 8-3 in favor of Michigan, but a timely RBI from Bruder in the bottom of the eighth allowed freshman Jimmy Kerr to cross the plate for the defining 9-3 lead.
Sophomore lefty Oliver Jaskie started on the mound for Michigan in the contest, tossing six complete inning and allowing just three hits. He struck out a career-high nine batters in the outing while stranding five Canisius baserunners.
Junior righty Keith Lehmann appeared in relief for the seventh inning, facing the minimum three batters and fanning two. The following inning, freshman RHP Jack Bredeson made his collegiate debut, allowing two walks and striking out one. Benedetti closed out the game in the top of the ninth with two strikeouts and a flyout.
On the weekend, Michigan outscored Canisius, 27-5, allowing just one earned run in four games.
The 4-0 record marks Michigan's best start since 2009, when the Wolverines won five straight to begin the season.
Michigan wins another! We're 4-0 to start the year, folks. #GoBlue #Team150 pic.twitter.com/Ku7WIASBZ4
-- Michigan Baseball (@umichbaseball) February 21, 2016
Michigan will return to action on Friday, Feb. 26, when it heads to California for an eight-game road series. The first contest of the road swing is slated for a 10 a.m. PST start against St. Joseph's in Santa Clara.
Communications Contact: Katie Gwinn
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jaskie, Oliver (1-0)
L: Kneussle, Andrew (0-1)
Base Running:
RUNS: Kensinger, Tim 1 ; McKenna, Mark 1 ; Wilson, Liam 1
Batting:
2B: Benedetti, Carmen 1
HR: Wenson, Harrison 1
RBI: Bivens, Jake 1 ; Bruder, Cody 2 ; Wenson, Harrison 3 ; Brdar, Michael 1
SH: Thomas, Ako 1
SF: Wenson, Harrison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bivens, Jake 1 ; Ramsay, Matt 1 ; Kerr, Jimmy 1 ; Benedetti, Carmen 1 ; Bruder, Cody 1 ; Slater, Johnny 1 ; Wenson, Harrison 2 ; Brdar, Michael 1
SB: Bivens, Jake 1 ; Ramsay, Matt 1 ; Bruder, Cody 1 ; Slater, Johnny 1
