Wolverines Fall to Kentucky in Midweek Non-Conference Clash

Tuesday, May 14

Lexington, Ky.

7:00 PM

Michigan

37-14

Kentucky

26-26

Michigan

Kentucky

Jordan Brewer (David Rearic photo)

Wolverines Fall to Kentucky in Midweek Non-Conference Clash

5/14/2019 10:52:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Jordan Brewer hit his 12th home run of the season, tied for the team lead with Jesse Franklin.
» Jordan Nwogu collected a pair of hits including a home run, extending his hit streak to nine games.
» Michigan will travel to Nebraska for a three-game weekend series to conclude the regular-season schedule with a 1.5-game lead in the Big Ten standings.

Site: Lexington, Ky. (Kentucky Proud Park)
Score: Kentucky 7, Michigan 4
Records: U-M (37-14), Kentucky (26-26)
Next U-M Event: Thursday, May 16 -- at Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.), 7:30 p.m. CDT

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Jordan Brewer and Jordan Nwogu both went deep, but the University of Michigan baseball team was unable to come away with a win, falling to Kentucky, 7-4, in a midweek non-conference matchup Tuesday night (May 14) at Kentucky Proud Park.

The Wolverines outhit Kentucky, 8-6, with Brewer, Nwogu and Jack Blomgren collecting two hits apiece.

Kentucky jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, scoring on a balk. U-M got out of the jam, stranding two runners in scoring position.

The Wolverines evened the score in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly to deep center field from Jimmy Kerr that scored Jesse Franklin, who reached on a walk then advanced to third on a double by Brewer.

In the top of the fifth, Brewer's two-run homer to left field gave Michigan its first lead of the night, 3-1. The home run was Brewer's 12th of the season, which ties Franklin for the team lead.

The lead was short-lived, as the Wildcats scored four runs in the bottom half of the inning. The hosts collected an RBI single followed by a double to center field that drove in two. A sacrifice fly to the warning track to center drove in their fifth run of the night, before second baseman Ako Thomas made a diving play in the gap with runners at the corners to contain the damage and get out of the inning.

Nwogu went opposite field into the Wolverines bullpen for a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to cut the deficit to 5-4. Nwogu has recorded three consecutive two-hit games and has gotten a hit in 21 out of his last 22 games, including the last nine.

Kentucky regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh off a bases-loaded walk and a fielder's choice.

Walker Cleveland suffered the loss in his first career start, going 4.1 innings with two strikeouts while being on the hook for three earned runs. He held the Wildcats hitless through four innings before giving up a double, his lone hit surrendered, and hitting the last batter he faced.

The Maize and Blue will conclude its regular-season schedule when it heads to Nebraska for three games (May 16-18). Michigan remains atop the Big Ten Conference in the final weekend of regular-season play with a 15-5 record and holds a 1.5-game lead over Indiana (14-7) and a 2.5-game lead over Nebraska, Illinois and Minnesota, which are all 13-8. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CDT on Thursday (May 16) to kick off the series in Lincoln, Nebraska.