Wolverines Ride Early Offense, Kauffmann to Series Win Over Rutgers

Sunday, May 6

Piscataway, N.J.

Noon

Michigan

29-14, 14-3

Rutgers

24-20, 7-11

Michigan

Rutgers

Wolverines Ride Early Offense, Kauffmann to Series Win Over Rutgers

5/6/2018 4:36:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Katie Gwinn Hewitt

» Dominic Clementi led the Wolverines with three hits, including two triples and a double.
» Starting pitcher Karl Kauffmann allowed just two hits over seven innings to earn the win.
» The series win is Michigan's fifth in Big Ten Conference play this season.

Site: Piscataway, N.J. (Bainton Field)
Score: Michigan 6, Rutgers 1
Records: U-M (29-14, 14-3), RUT (24-20, 7-11)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, May 8 -- at Central Michigan (Mount Pleasant, Mich.), 3 p.m.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- A strong start by sophomore Karl Kauffmann and the Wolverines scoring runs in four consecutive innings led the University of Michigan baseball team to a 6-1 victory at Rutgers on Sunday (May 6) in the final game of the weekend series at Bainton Field.

The series win marks Michigan's fifth in Big Ten Conference play this season, and ninth overall.

Michigan totaled just six hits in the effort, but five went for extra bases. Sophomore Dominic Clementi led the effort with three hits, including two triples and a double, while freshman Jesse Franklin walked twice and knocked in two runs.

After a 1-2-3 first, the Wolverines loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second, but were unable to score after a foul out and a strikeout ended the inning.

Michigan got the offense rolling in the top of the third as two hits and two walks allowed the Wolverines to take a 2-0 lead. Freshman Jordan Nwogu led off the inning with a base hit through the left side, and a double by Clementi moved Nwogu to third. A walk to junior Jonathan Engelmann then loaded the bases with no outs, and Franklin drew a bases-loaded walk to score Nwogu for a 1-0 lead. With the bases still loaded, Engelmann scored on a 4-6-3 double play to give Michigan a two-run edge.

Kauffmann retired the first six batters faced, but a walk and a Michigan error in the bottom of the third allowed the Scarlet Knights to score their first and only run of the day.

The Wolverines quickly got the run back on a solo home run by junior Jimmy Kerr in the top of the fourth. With Kauffmann continuing to hold the Scarlet Knights at bay, the Maize and Blue added two insurance runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to go ahead, 6-1.

Rutgers threatened in the bottom of the eighth, but sophomore Christan Bullock reached above the fence on a long fly ball to rob what could have been a three-run home run. Bullock then threw the ball to second base and doubled up the Scarlet Knight baserunner that did not tag up on the play.

Kauffmann (6-2) pitched into the eighth, allowing just two hits and three walks through seven-plus innings of work. He struck out eight before freshman Jeff Criswell and junior William Tribucher combined to close out the game.

Tweet of the Game

ABSOLUTELY ROBBED! Bullock with a big time snag in the outfield!

That puts two outs on the board for Criswell. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/iYxvhWmTxG
— Michigan Baseball (@umichbaseball) May 6, 2018

Michigan (29-14) will be back in action on Tuesday (May 8) with a midweek game at Central Michigan. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. at Theunissen Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich.