Kauffmann Fans 10 as Michigan Overcomes Early Deficit to Clip Binghamton

Saturday, February 16

Port St. Lucie, Fla.

1:00 PM

Michigan

2-0

Binghamton

0-2

Binghamton

Michigan

Karl Kauffmann

Kauffmann Fans 10 as Michigan Overcomes Early Deficit to Clip Binghamton

2/16/2019 4:41:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Jack Blomgren drove home the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
» Karl Kauffmann struck out 10 batters against just three hits in eight innings of work.
» Willie Weiss, the 2018 Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year, struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth for his first career save.

Site: Port St. Lucie, Fla. (First Data Field)
Score: Michigan 5, Binghamton 4
Records: U-M (2-0), Binghamton (0-2)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 17 -- vs. Binghamton (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) 11 a.m.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan baseball team scored with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning en route to a 5-4 victory over Binghamton on Saturday (Feb. 16) at First Data Field.

With the score tied and two down against Binghamton reliever Jake Miller (0-1), Michigan's Blake Nelson singled to left field, advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a wild pitch. Jack Blomgren then drove him home with a single up the middle, capping Michigan's comeback from an early 4-2 deficit.

The story of the game was pitching as the Wolverines received another impressive effort from starter Karl Kauffmann (1-0). The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, native overpowered Binghamton throughout the game, finishing with 10 strikeouts against just three hits and one walk in eight innings of work. Binghamton benefited from five U-M errors to score three unearned runs, and a case could be made that without the errors the Bearcats would have been kept off the board entirely given how the action played out.

With Kauffmann's day finished after eight sterling innings, freshman Willie Weiss entered the game to close things out for a save in his collegiate debut. The 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year in his home state of Oregon allowed a single but then struck out the next three batters to finish an impressive pitching day for the Wolverines.

Blomgren and Nelson each finished with two runs batted in, while Christan Bullock singled in his first two at-bats of the season and Jordan Brewer added two more hits to his tally.

Binghamton plated an unearned run in the top of the first on a fielding error, infield single and an RBI groundout before Kauffmann worked his way to the dugout with a pair of strikeouts.

Michigan put together a two-out rally in the second to claim a 2-1 lead thanks to Nelson, who jumped on the first pitch he saw and drove a two-run double to the gap in right-center.

Michigan gave the lead right back to Binghamton in the third, however, as three Wolverine errors led to three Binghamton runs and the Bearcats claimed a 4-2 lead. Sam Freedman delivered a big two-run double to center field.

The Wolverines got a run back in the fourth, putting their first two batters on base before Blomgren narrowed the deficit with an RBI groundout.

Michigan then tied the game in the following inning with its prototypical hard-nosed play. Jesse Franklin walked to start the inning and, with one out, he surprised Binghamton by tagging up and advancing to second on a flyout to center by Miles Lewis. With two outs, Brewer drove a double down the left-field line to score Franklin with the tying run. Brewer also stole third but was left stranded.

The Wolverines and Bearcats will conclude their three-game, season-opening series on Sunday (Feb. 17). First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at First Data Field of the New York Mets Spring Training Complex in Port St. Lucie.