Henry Masterful Again as Michigan Tops Cal State Northridge

Friday, March 1

Northridge, Calif.

2:00 PM PT

Michigan

7-0

CSUN

5-5

Michigan

CSUN

Tommy Henry (left)

Henry Masterful Again as Michigan Tops Cal State Northridge

3/1/2019 8:25:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Ako Thomas led off the game with his first career home run, coming off the foul pole in left field.
» Tommy Henry retired the game's first 13 batters and finished with 12 strikeouts over eight innings.
» Willie Weiss earned his second save of the season

Site: Northridge, Calif. (Matador Field)
Score: #17 Michigan 2, Cal State Northridge 1
Records: U-M (7-0), CSUN (5-5)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 2 -- at CSUN (Northridge, Calif.) 1 p.m. PST

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan baseball team received another masterful pitching performance from junior Tommy Henry as the Wolverines improved to 7-0 on the young season with a 2-1 victory Friday (March 1) at Cal State Northridge.

Senior Ako Thomas started the game with a leadoff home run off the left-field foul pole for his first career home run to give the Wolverines an 1-0 lead. CSUN starter Walker Armstrong (0-1) settled down to strike out two Wolverine batters in each of the first three innings to give him eight through five innings.

Henry (3-0) matched Armstrong and retired the first 13 hitters he faced, including striking out the side on 11 pitches in the third inning and fanning seven before the Matadors earned their first hit with one out in the fifth.

Henry was pitching well enough that when U-M got its leadoff hitter on base in the fourth inning, CSUN brought its infield in with one out and a runner on first. Redshirt senior Miles Lewis made the Matadors pay as he bounced a single to left for a 2-0 Michigan lead.

Working against a CSUN team that entered play among the national leaders in offense and home runs, Henry kept rolling and kept the Matadors to only one hit until the eighth inning. Jason Newman led off the frame with a double to left and Austin Elder followed with a single to right. Henry responded with a strikeout and an inning-ending double play to keep the score at 2-0. The Michigan ace has not allowed a run in 23 innings this season, with 34 strikeouts against two walks and 10 hits.

Michigan threatened in the top of the ninth but came up empty. Junior Christan Bullock walked and stole second before sophomore Joe Donovan got aboard on a fielding error. A sacrifice bunt from sophomore Jack Blomgren moved runners into scoring position, but CSUN reliever Blake Sodersten worked out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout.

In the bottom of the ninth, freshman right-hander Willie Weiss entered the game and surrendered a leadoff homer to Denzel Clarke to make it a 2-1 game. The next batter, Robert Bullard, grounded out to first but was awarded the base on catcher's interference. In a turn of play, Weiss struck out Brandon Bohning and Bullard was ruled out on a batter's interference call. Weiss then struck out pinch-hitter Jose Ruiz to end the game and earn the save.

Thomas finished the game with a homer, double and a single to lead Michigan's six-hit attack.

The Wolverines and Matadors will continue their series when they square off in game two on Saturday (March 2) at 1 p.m. PST from Matador Field.