Michigan Drops Spring Break Opener at San Diego

Friday, February 23

San Diego, Calif. (Fowler Park)

6:00 PM PT

Michigan

2-2

San Diego

4-2

Michigan

San Diego

Photo by: Ryan Dowd

2/23/2018 11:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Katie Gwinn Hewitt

» The Wolverines scored one run on a season-low three hits.
» Marcus Chavez recorded his first career hit with a double to right field in the eighth inning.
» Jeff Criswell made his career debut for the Wolverines with a relief-pitching appearance in the eighth.

Site: San Diego, Calif. (Fowler Park)
Score: San Diego 5, Michigan 1
Records: U-M (2-2), San Diego (4-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 24 -- vs. Arizona (San Diego, Calif.), 1 p.m. PST

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The University of Michigan baseball team (2-2) dropped the first game of the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament on Friday night (Feb. 23), falling to San Diego by a 5-1 score at Fowler Park.

Michigan had the first baserunner of the game thanks to a leadoff walk to junior Ako Thomas, but neither team recorded a hit through the first two innings. In the top of the third inning, sophomore Dominic Clementi picked up the first hit of the game by beating out an infield single, but the Wolverines were unable to bring him around to score.

Despite a slow start at the plate, San Diego opened up the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the frame, going up, 2-0, on two singles and a double.

Neither team scored again until the seventh, when the Toreros added two runs on a triple, two walks and a two-run single to take a 4-0 lead.

After seven innings without a run, the Wolverines plated one in the top of the eighth to cut the deficit to three. Redshirt freshman Marcus Chavez led off the inning with his first career hit, sending a double to right field. He then took third when junior Jimmy Kerr reached base on an infield error and scored on the ensuing groundball double play.

The Toreros responded with a run in the bottom of the eighth to extend their lead back to four, and with Michigan unable to score in the top of the ninth, San Diego took the game, 5-1.

Senior right-handed pitcher Alec Rennard got the start for the Wolverines and tossed a season-high six innings before leaving the game. He allowed two earned runs and struck out three in the loss.

Sophomore Jack Weisenburger and freshman Jeff Criswell combined to close out the game for Michigan on the mound. The pair surrendered three runs and struck out three.

Michigan will get back in action on Saturday (Feb. 24), when the Wolverines face Arizona in the second game of the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT at Tony Gwynn Stadium on the campus of San Diego State University.