Nail-Biter for 19th: Extra-Inning Walk-Off Squeeze Bunt Preserves Win Streak

Saturday, April 21

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

23-11, 0

Penn State

8-24, 0

Penn State

Michigan

Nail-Biter for 19th: Extra-Inning Walk-Off Squeeze Bunt Preserves Win Streak

4/21/2018 8:23:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Katie Gwinn Hewitt

» A squeeze bunt by Jack Blomgren scored Dominic Clementi in the bottom of the 11th inning for the walk-off win.
» The win is Michigan's 19th straight and 10th consecutive in Big Ten play.
» Michigan's 19-game win streak is the program's longest since 1987 and the fourth-longest in program history.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Score: Michigan 8, Penn State 7 (11 innings)
Records: U-M (23-11, 10-0 B1G), PSU (8-24, 1-13 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 22 -- vs. Penn State (Wilpon Complex), 1 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Two singles and a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the 11th inning allowed the University of Michigan baseball team to extend its win streak to 19 games on Saturday (April 21) with an 8-7 victory over Penn State in the second game of their weekend series at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium.

The 19-game win streak is Michigan's longest since 1987. The streak is also the fourth-longest in program history and stands as the second-longest active win streak in the NCAA. Michigan also is 10-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 2008.

A pinch-hit solo home run by Penn State in the top of the ninth inning tied the score at 7, and forced Michigan to play extra innings for the first time this season. Following a scoreless 10th inning, sophomore Dominic Clementi got things going for the Wolverines with a one-out infield single. Clementi advanced to third base on a base hit up the middle by senior Brock Keener. With runners on the corners, freshman Jack Blomgren executed a squeeze bunt that allowed Clementi to slide home safely for the 8-7 walk-off victory.

Junior William Tribucher earned his third win of the season after tossing 3.2 innings of relief.

Michigan took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a leadoff double by freshman Jesse Franklin and an RBI single off the bat of junior Blake Nelson, but Penn State tied the score in its next at-bat with an unearned run.

The Wolverines took the lead back in the third when a run-scoring double by junior Jonathan Engelmann and a sacrifice fly from Franklin put Michigan up, 3-1.

Following a scoreless fourth inning, the Nittany Lions rallied for four runs on four hits to go up, 5-3, in the fifth. Michigan got one run back in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run by sophomore Christan Bullock to cut the deficit to one. The homer was the first of Bullock's career.

Penn State tacked on one run in the seventh, but Michigan tied the score at 6 in the bottom of the inning with two runs on a double by freshman Jordan Nwogu that scored Franklin and Bullock.

Michigan added a run in the bottom of the eighth on a sac fly from Engelmann before a solo blast in the top of the ninth forced extra innings.

Freshman Ben Dragani started for the Maize and Blue and tossed 4.1 innings before turning the ball over the bullpen. Following Dragani's departure, senior righty Alec Rennard made his first appearance for the Wolverines since March 2 with two complete innings. Freshmen Angelo Smith and Jeff Criswell also appeared on the mound and combined for one scoreless inning of relief.

Michigan totaled 13 hits in the extra-inning affair, including multi-hit efforts from Bullock, Engelmann, Nelson and Keener. All but one Wolverine starter reached base.

Tweet of the Game

The squeeze bunt, the walk-off win, and the celebration.

Congrats, boys! #GoBlue #Team152 pic.twitter.com/ZcmYm7hndb
— WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWolverine Baseball (@umichbaseball) April 21, 2018

Michigan (23-11, 10-0 B1G) and Penn State (8-24, 1-13 B1G) will wrap up the three-game Big Ten set with the series finale on Sunday (April 22). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium. [ Tickets ]