Wolverines Rally for Big Win Over Spartans in Big Ten Opener

Friday, March 23

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

10-11, 0

Michigan State

6-14, 0

Michigan State

Michigan

Wolverines Rally for Big Win Over Spartans in Big Ten Opener

3/23/2018 9:27:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Katie Gwinn Hewitt

» Jonathan Engelmann was a single shy of hitting for the cycle, but blasted a career-high two homers.
» Tommy Henry improved to 3-0 with six scoreless innings of work and six strikeouts.
» The Wolverines extended their win streak to six games and are now 1-0 in Big Ten action.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Score: Michigan 12, Michigan State 3
Records: U-M (10-11; 1-0 B1G), MSU (6-14; 0-1 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 24 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 4 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team took an early lead on Friday (March 23) but broke out the bats for six runs in the eighth inning to cap a 12-3 victory over Michigan State at the Wilpon Complex in the first Big Ten Conference contest of the 2018 season.

Junior Jonathan Engelmann shined in the effort, going 4-for-5 with two home runs, a triple and a double to come a single shy of hitting for the cycle. He also scored a career-high four runs and totaled a career-high five runs batted in.

Backed by a career effort from Engelmann, sophomore Tommy Henry found his groove quickly on the mound. After walking the first batter of the game, the lefty responded with three consecutive strikeouts to put the momentum in favor of the Wolverines as they headed to the bottom of the first inning. Henry left the mound after six scoreless innings of work, during which he allowed just two hits and fanned six.

Michigan took an early lead in the bottom of the first, going up 2-0 on a single by sophomore Christan Bullock and a two-run homer over the brick wall in left field by Engelmann.

The Wolverines added a run in the second inning thanks to a leadoff walk by senior Brock Keener and an RBI single from junior Ako Thomas, then added one more in the third on a double by Engelmann and an RBI from redshirt-junior Miles Lewis.

A sacrifice fly from Thomas in the bottom of the fourth put the Wolverines up by five, and leadoff triple by Engelmann coupled with a passed ball gave Michigan a 6-0 lead through five innings.

Henry and the Michigan defense held the Spartans scoreless through the first six innings of play, and sophomore Jack Weisenburger continued to keep Michigan State at bay in the seventh with a scoreless inning of relief.

After seven scoreless innings, Michigan State got on the board in the top of the eighth with three runs on three hits and a walk, to cut Michigan's lead to 6-3.

The momentum swung back in favor of the Wolverines as they pounded six runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 12-3 lead. Lewis led off the inning and reached on an error, and a base hit by freshman Jordan Nwogu and a walk to Keener loaded the bases with no outs. A bases-loaded walk to junior Matthew Schmidt started the scoring, and a one-out RBI single by Thomas kept things going. A fielder's choice resulted in the second out of the inning and allowed Keener to score for a 9-3 advantage, and Engelmann soon followed with his second homer of the day to plate three more runs and extend Michigan's lead to nine runs.

The Spartans put their leadoff man on base in the top of the ninth, but freshman pitcher Jeff Criswell retired the next three batters in order to clinch the 12-3 victory for the Wolverines.

Michigan totaled nine hits -- five for extra bases. In addition to Engelmann's 4-for-5 outing, Thomas went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Keener scored three runs. Thomas also extended his streak of reaching base safely to 21 consecutive games.

The Wolverines put runners on base in all but the sixth and seventh innings, and left just five men on base.

Tweet of the Game

Ballgame! pic.twitter.com/VIy2Fr7chz
— Michigan Baseball (@umichbaseball) March 23, 2018

The Wolverines will be back at it on Saturday (March 24) when they travel to East Lansing, Michigan, for the second game of a home-and-home series with Michigan State. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the McLane Stadium, and the series finale is set for Sunday (March 25) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium. [ Tickets ]