Franklin Lifts Michigan to Sweep of Delaware, 12th Consecutive Win

Sunday, April 1

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan

16-11

Delaware

13-12

Delaware

Michigan

Franklin Lifts Michigan to Sweep of Delaware, 12th Consecutive Win

4/1/2018 5:33:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Katie Gwinn Hewitt

» The win marks Michigan's 12th in a row, which is the longest streak under head coach Erik Bakich.
» Freshman Jesse Franklin knocked in the go-ahead run in the sixth and added an insurance run with a solo homer in the eighth.
» Michigan's pitching staff allowed just one earned run and stranded 11 Delaware baserunners.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Score: Michigan 4, Delaware 2
Records: U-M (16-11), DEL (13-12)
Next U-M Event: Wednesday, April 4 -- vs. Toledo (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team picked up its 12th straight win and its third series sweep on Sunday afternoon (April 1), with a 4-2 win over Delaware at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium.

The Wolverines have now won 12 in a row, including 11 straight at home, which marks the longest streak under head coach Erik Bakich. The next-longest win streak by a Wolverine team came in 2008, when Michigan won 16 consecutive games. The series sweep is also Michigan's third straight.

In addition to strong pitching, Michigan's scrappy offense was the story of the day. In total, the Wolverines recorded 10 hits and stole three bases. U-M put runners on in every inning and left just five runners on base.

Freshman Jesse Franklin led Michigan at the plate with three hits and two runs batted in, including the eventual go-ahead run in the sixth and an insurance run in the eighth on a solo home run. Junior Jonathan Engelmann also went 3-for-4 and drove in a run to give Michigan a 1-0 lead in the first.

Starting pitcher Karl Kauffmann allowed just two runs (one earned) in six innings of work, while freshman Jeff Criswell and junior William Tribucher combined for three scoreless innings of relief, despite Delaware putting runners on base in all but two frames.

The Blue Hens also put runners on third base in the first, sixth, eighth and ninth innings, but Delaware plated just two runs and left 11 men on base in the loss.

Delaware tied the score at 1 in the third on an unearned run, but Michigan took the lead back in the fifth on an RBI groundout from junior Ako Thomas that scored senior Brock Keener.

The Blue Hens scored their only earned run in the top of the sixth with a leadoff single, a double and an RBI groundout that tied the score at 2, but Michigan regained the lead in the bottom of the frame on a leadoff single by Engelmann and a run-scoring hit from Franklin.

The Wolverines added a run to extend the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth on Franklin's solo homer, his third of the season.

Michigan was aggressive on the bases, as seen by four runners caught stealing and one runner being thrown out at home to end the fifth.

All but two Wolverines starters reached base in the effort, and Thomas improved his streak of reaching base safely to 27 games.

Tweet of the Game

Junior LHP Will Tribucher earned his second save in today's win over Delaware! Here's the strikeout that clinched the sweep.#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/qzy04mnqXP
— Michigan Baseball (@umichbaseball) April 1, 2018

Michigan will be back in action on Wednesday (April 4) with a non-conference midweek game against Toledo at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. [ Tickets ]