Michigan
22-11, 0
Penn State
8-23, 0
Michigan Extends Win Streak to 18 in Rout of Penn State
4/20/2018 9:27:00 PM | Baseball
» The win marks Michigan's 18th straight and ninth consecutive in Big Ten play.
» Every Michigan starter reached base as the Wolverines totaled a season-high 18 hits.
» Michigan took a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Score: Michigan 19, Penn State 5
Records: U-M (22-11, 9-0 B1G), PSU (8-23, 1-12 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 21 -- vs. Penn State (Wilpon Complex), 2 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team extended its win streak to 18 games on Friday (April 20) as the Wolverines defeated Penn State, 19-5, in the opening game of their weekend series at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium.
The victory is Michigan's 18th straight and ties the program's longest win streak since 1988. The Wolverines own the second-longest active win streak in the NCAA and are 9-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 2008.
In addition to a season-high 18 hits, the 19-5 win also marks Michigan's largest margin of victory this season and the most runs scored by the Wolverines in a Big Ten game since 2015.
The Nittany Lions did not score in the first inning despite putting two men on base, but Michigan did damage in the bottom of the frame to take a five-run lead. Junior Ako Thomas led off with a walk and advanced to second on sophomore Christan Bullock's infield single. Junior Jonathan Engelmann followed with a base hit to right field that pushed Thomas home. Michigan added four more runs in the frame on run-scoring hits from sophomore Dominic Clementi, junior Blake Nelson, and senior Brock Keener.
The Wolverines doubled the lead with five runs in the second inning before adding two more in the third and six in the fourth to go up, 18-0. Following a scoreless fifth inning, Michigan tacked on its final run in the bottom of the sixth for a 19-0 lead.
Neither team scored in the seventh or eighth innings, but Penn State rallied for six hits in the top of the ninth to score five runs.
Despite the surge, redshirt sophomore Benjamin Keizer closed out the game for the Wolverines to help clinch the 19-5 victory.
Every Michigan starter reached base in the win as Michigan totaled a season-high 18 hits. Nelson led the effort with six RBI and a career-high four hits -- which included three of Michigan's four doubles -- while Bullock and Keener each tied their career-high with three hits. Engelmann and freshman Jesse Franklin each knocked a home run in the win. Franklin has now homered in each of the last three games.
Michigan starting pitcher Tommy Henry earned the win and improved to 7-0 on the season. The lefty tossed five innings and allowed just one hit with eight strikeouts.
Following Henry's departure, sophomore Jack Weisenburger and seniors Jayce Vancena and Austin Batka combined to throw three innings of relief.
Tweet of the Game
18 in a row. #GoBlue #Team152 pic.twitter.com/pd7IOUm9mR
— WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWolverine Baseball (@umichbaseball) April 21, 2018
Michigan (22-11, 9-0 B1G) and Penn State (8-23, 1-12 B1G) will continue their three-game set on Saturday (April 21). First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium. [ Tickets ]
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Henry, Tommy (7-0)
L: Hagenman, Justin (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Bowersox, Jordan 1 ; Klemann, Connor 1
3B: Bowersox, Jordan 1
RBI: Bowersox, Jordan 2 ; Klemann, Connor 1 ; Hendershot, Parker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bowersox, Jordan 1 ; Orndorff, Derek 1 ; Klemann, Connor 1 ; Larkin, Conor 1 ; Hughes, Conlin 1
HBP: Nadeau, Mason 1 ; Weisenseel, Joe 1
Batting:
2B: Clementi, Dominic 1 ; Nelson, Blake 3
HR: Engelmann, Jonathan 1 ; Franklin, Jesse 1
RBI: Thomas, Ako 1 ; Bullock, Christan 1 ; Engelmann, Jonathan 3 ; Franklin, Jesse 2 ; Clementi, Dominic 3 ; Lewis, Miles 1 ; Nelson, Blake 6 ; Keener, Brock 2
SF: Engelmann, Jonathan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thomas, Ako 2 ; Bullock, Christan 2 ; Engelmann, Jonathan 3 ; Franklin, Jesse 3 ; Clementi, Dominic 4 ; Lewis, Miles 3 ; Nelson, Blake 1 ; Keener, Brock 1
HBP: Franklin, Jesse 1 ; Clementi, Dominic 1
