Michigan
1-0
Army
0-1
Michigan Defeats Army in Season Opener
2/16/2018 7:08:00 PM | Baseball
» Senior Hector Gutierrez led the Wolverines with five RBIs, which included a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning.
» Senior Alec Rennard earned the victory in his first start of the season; he tossed five innings while allowing just three hits.
» Twelve Wolverines, including two junior-transfers and two redshirt freshmen, made their Michigan debuts.
Site: Port St. Lucie, Fla. (First Data Field)
Score: Michigan 12, Army 6
Records: U-M (1-0), Army (0-1)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 17 -- vs. Army (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) 1:00 p.m.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Led by seniors Hector Gutierrez and Alec Rennard, the University of Michigan baseball team opened up the 2018 season with a 12-6 victory over Army on Friday (Feb. 16) at First Data Field.
A total of 12 Michigan players made their debuts in the effort, including two junior-transfers, two redshirt freshmen and eight true freshmen.
Despite scoring 12 runs, the Wolverines totaled just nine hits in the effort. Free bases were the key to success, however, as Michigan took advantage of nine walks and four hit batters.
Neither team garnered any offensive momentum until the third inning, when Michigan used timely hitting to force a quick 3-0 lead. Sophomore Christan Bullock led off the inning with a line single to center field, and a walk to freshman Jack Blomgren gave Michigan two runners on with no outs. Junior Ako Thomas then roped a double down the left-field line to score Bullock and give Michigan its defining lead of the contest. Redshirt junior Miles Lewis followed with an infield single to score Blomgren. With runners on the corners, junior Jonathan Engelmann sent a line shot to right-center field that scored Thomas for the Wolverines' final run of the inning.
After a quiet fourth inning, Michigan again took to the bases in the bottom of the fifth and plated two additional runs. Thomas got things started with a walk, and Engelmann sent a one-out single through the left side before a walk to freshman Jesse Franklin loaded the bases. Senior Hector Gutierrez ignited the spark with a first-pitch single to center field that scored Thomas and kept the bases full with only one out. Following an Army pitching change, junior Jimmy Kerr sent a long fly ball to deep center field for a sacrifice fly, which scored Engelmann for a 5-0 Michigan lead.
Michigan tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the sixth for a 9-0 lead. Thomas walked and Engelmann was hit by a pitch before a walk to Franklin loaded the bases with one out. Gutierrez then stepped to the plate and sent the first pitch over the wall in right field for a grand slam, the first home run of his career.
Army got on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh inning, plating two runs on two doubles and a single, but Michigan answered in the bottom of the frame with three runs for a 12-2 lead. Despite scoring three runs in the inning, Michigan recorded no hits, but took advantage of four walks and a hit batter.
Following a scoreless eighth, the Black Knights rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth, but Michigan was able to hold on for the 12-6 win.
Gutierrez led the Wolverines with two hits and five RBIs, while Engelmann added two hits. Thomas led Michigan with three runs scored.
Rennard got the starting nod for Michigan in the season opener, and tossed five innings to earn the win. the righty allowed just three hits and struck out four without a walk issued.
Freshmen Ben Dragani and Blake Beers combined to pitch the next 3 1/3 innings, and surrendered six runs on five hits. Senior lefty Austin Batka appeared in the top of the ninth and gave up one hit with one strikeout to end the game.
The Wolverines and Black Knights will continue their three-game series on Saturday (Feb. 17) with a single game. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at First Data Field, which is part of the New York Mets' Spring Training Complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rennard, Alec (1-0)
L: Giovinco, Tyler (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Hudgins, Matt 2 ; McKenna, John 1
3B: White, Josh 1
RBI: Hurtubise, Jacob 2 ; Siriani, Brendan 1 ; Giachin, Anthony 1 ; White, Josh 1 ; Crompton, Anfernee 1
SF: Siriani, Brendan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hudgins, Matt 1 ; Martin, Trey 1 ; Giachin, Anthony 1 ; McKenna, John 2 ; Crompton, Anfernee 1
Batting:
2B: Thomas, Ako 1
HR: Gutierrez, Hector 1
RBI: Thomas, Ako 1 ; Lewis, Miles 2 ; Engelmann, Jonathan 1 ; Gutierrez, Hector 5 ; Schmidt, Matthew 1 ; Kerr, Jimmy 1
SH: Bullock, Christan 1
SF: Kerr, Jimmy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thomas, Ako 3 ; Lewis, Miles 1 ; Engelmann, Jonathan 2 ; Franklin, Jesse 1 ; Gutierrez, Hector 1 ; Donovan, Joe 1 ; Bullock, Christan 1 ; Blomgren, Jack 2
SB: Thomas, Ako 1
HBP: Nelson, Blake 1 ; Engelmann, Jonathan 1 ; Chavez, Marcus 1 ; Blomgren, Jack 1
