Slow Start Dooms Michigan at No. 24 Pepperdine

Friday, March 6

Malibu, Calif.

2:00 PM PT

Michigan

7-6

Pepperdine

11-2

Michigan

Pepperdine

Jack Blomgren (Michigan Photography)

3/6/2020 10:06:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Kyler Ludlow

» Jack Blomgren scored both Michigan runs and had two hits on the day.
» Blomgren's sixth-inning home run was his first of the season.
» Jeff Criswell struck out seven in five-plus innings of work.

Site: Malibu, Calif. (Eddy D. Field Stadium)
Score: #24 Pepperdine 12, #16 Michigan 2
Records: Pepperdine (11-2), U-M (7-6)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 7 -- at Pepperdine (Malibu, Calif.), 10 a.m. PST

MALIBU, Calif. -- In a battle of top-25 opponents, the No. 16-ranked University of Michigan fell behind early and never recovered, falling, 8-2, to No. 24 Pepperdine in the first game of a three-game series Friday (March 6) at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

Junior Jack Blomgren highlighted the offensive performance, going 2-for-4 with a double and his first home run of the season. The shortstop scored both of the Wolverines' runs on the day.

Pepperdine jumped ahead out of the gate, scoring three runs on starter Jeff Criswell (0-1). After struggling through the first inning, Criswell finished throwing five-plus frames and striking out seven while allowing three earned runs.

After scoring their first run of the game on a wild pitch in the fourth, the Wolverines made it a one-run game thanks to the Blomgren homer in the sixth. The Waves surged back, scoring a single run in the bottom of the sixth inning, and then poured it on with four runs in each of the seventh and eighth innings.

Redshirt freshman Jordon Rogers collected his first career base hit as part of a three-hit ninth inning for the Wolverines. Freshmen Joey Velazquez and Tito Flores also singled in the frame as pinch-hitters.

Michigan and Pepperdine will wrap their three-game set with a Saturday (March 7) doubleheader starting at 10 a.m. PST. The second game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.