Donovan Walks It Off to Help Michigan Sweep Rutgers

Sunday, April 28

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

31-11, 0

Rutgers

17-24, 0

Rutgers

Michigan

4/28/2019 4:30:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Joe Donovan's three-run homer in the 10th inning won the game.
» Jordan Brewer and Miles Lewis had two-hit games.
» Michigan pitchers held Rutgers to one extra-base hit in the three-game series

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Score: Michigan 4, Rutgers 1
Records: U-M (31-11, 11-3 B1G), Rutgers (17-24, 7-8 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 3 -- at Maryland (College Park, Md.), 6:30 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Sophomore catcher Joe Donovan's walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning spurred the University of Michigan baseball team to 4-1 sweep-clinching win over visiting Rutgers on Sunday afternoon (April 28) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium.

With the game tied at 1 in the 10th, junior center fielder Jordan Brewer singled with one out. Then, with two down, sophomore shortstop Jack Blomgren was hit by a pitch from Rutgers' closer Serafino Brito (2-3). Donovan was on the hard-throwing closer, and fouled four pitches straight back as he worked a full count before driving a 92 mph fastball high over the left-center field wall for his sixth homer of the year.

The big hit completed a weekend sweep of the Scarlet Knights and solidified Michigan's place atop the Big Ten Conference standings at 31-11 overall and 11-3 in the league.

Michigan took a 1-0 lead in a pitchers' duel thanks to a two-out rally in the bottom of the third. Sophomore left fielder Jordan Nwogu and sophomore designated hitter Jesse Franklin both worked walks and Brewer drove an 0-2 curve ball into left field for his 11th double of the season.

Michigan sophomore starter Jeff Criswell cruised into the eighth inning where he ran into trouble. Tyler McNamara dribbled a leadoff single up the middle and a sacrifice bunt attempt put both runners on base with no outs as Criswell elected to try to get the lead runner at second but was unsuccessful. A passed ball then put runners in scoring position and Carmen Sclafini lofted a sacrifice fly to center. Brewer threw out a runner at third to slow the Scarlet Knights but a double and a walk chased Criswell from the game. Freshman right-hander Willie Weiss entered and walked the first batter he faced to load the bases. He then went 3-0 on Kevin Welsh before gassing the left-handed hitter on three straight pitches to get out of the jam.

In the top of the ninth, Weiss walked two more batters, who eventually advanced into scoring position. With two outs, he again worked a full count before striking out Sclafini with a devastating slider to work out of trouble.

Benjamin Keizer (3-0) worked a much calmer 10th inning, during which he worked around a two-out baserunner to earn the victory.

For the series, Michigan pitchers held Rutgers batters to a .141 batting average with just one extra-base hit.

Michigan will take to the road next weekend when they open a three-game series with Maryland beginning on Friday (May 2).