Michigan
Army
Michigan to Kick off 2018 Season in Port St. Lucie
2/13/2018 1:03:00 PM | Baseball
THIS WEEK
Friday, Feb. 16 -- vs. Army (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), 2 p.m.
Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 17 -- vs. Army (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), 1 p.m.
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Sunday, Feb. 18 -- vs. Army (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), 10 a.m.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team will open up the 2018 season with a three-game series against Army in Port St. Lucie, Florida, from Friday-Sunday (Feb. 16-19). The series marks the third straight year that Michigan will open up its season at Tradition Field, as the Wolverines have played a series at the home of the Mets' High-A affiliate every season since 2007.
• Michigan's season-opening series against Army was originally scheduled for four games, but the schedule was changed due to a conflict with Saturday's doubleheader. The Wolverines and Black Knights will now play a single game Friday (Feb. 16), Saturday (Feb. 17) and Sunday (Feb. 18). Sunday's game time was also moved up one hour (to 10 a.m.) to accommodate travel for both teams.
• Coming off a 42-17 season in 2017 that included a trip to the NCAA Tournament, Michigan returns 21 players and four everyday starters to this year's squad, along with two starting pitchers. Despite losing key players to graduation and the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft, the future looks bright for Michigan's oldest athletic program which celebrates its 152nd season this year. Along with 15 newcomers, five seniors and a nine-man junior class look to bring the Wolverines back to the NCAA postseason in 2018.
• After spending the first four weeks on the road and playing 15 contests across Florida, California and Tennessee, the Maize and Blue will face Bowling Green for a three-game series (March 16-18) in its home opener in mid-March.
• The Wolverines will face six 2017 NCAA Tournament teams in 2018 for a total of 16 contests against regional competitors. Michigan will also play 22 games at home this season inside the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium.
• Led by 14 upperclassmen, Michigan's oldest team on campus is celebrating its 152nd season this year. Through 151 years of baseball, Michigan has captured two College World Series titles, made seven College World Series appearances and earned 23 selections to the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, Michigan has had 176 players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
• The meeting between Michigan and Army West Point will mark the second in history and the first in over 100 years. The first meeting occurred in 1912, with Army taking the game by a 12-4 score. The Black Knights finished the 2017 campaign with a 25-31 record and advanced to the Patriot League baseball tournament.
• Michigan lost 15 total players at the close of the 2017 season, including a program-best 11 selections in the Major League Baseball Draft. The large draft class tied Texas to lead the country.
• Coming off a 42-17 season in 2017, Michigan returned 21 players and four everyday starters to this year's squad, along with two starting pitchers.
• Michigan will return approximately 40 percent of its offense in juniors Ako Thomas, Jonathan Engelmann, Miles Lewis and Jimmy Kerr, as well as key contributors Brock Keener, Dominic Clementi, and Joe Pace. Thomas led the Big Ten with a .354 batting average last season and earned an All-Big Ten Conference first team selection, while Kerr was named a Big Ten Player of the Week in early May.
• With only four defensive starters returning, the Wolverines will have to fill the remaining four spots in the field, including large holes at shortstop and behind the plate. With four catchers and 17 total field players on the roster, competition has been hot for starting roles on defense. As a team, the Wolverines finished the 2017 campaign with 37 errors and ranked second-best in the country with a .983 fielding percentage.
• After losing six pitchers to the MLB Draft and two others to graduation, the Michigan roster has many new faces on the pitching staff. Seniors Alec Rennard and Jayce Vancena as well as junior William Tribucher are the only returning pitchers with starting experience, though sophomores Tommy Henry and Karl Kauffmann may see time in that role. In total, the Maize and Blue has 16 pitchers competing for time on the mound.
• In addition to a strong defense, Michigan repeated a strong offensive showing during the 2017 season. Through 59 games last year, the Wolverines outscored their opponents 386-229. Of Michigan's 42 wins, four came in extra innings, while six of the Wolverines' losses came by just one run.
• In addition to 15 newcomers on the field, Michigan's coaching and support staff gained new faces in the offseason. Michigan alumnus and former pitcher Chris Fetter was named the program's pitching coach in the summer of 2017, and former catcher/infielder John DiLaura was named the volunteer assistant coach. Recent graduate and former St. Louis Cardinals prospect Michael Brdar also joined the team this winter as a program assistant.
