Shutout Loss Stops Wolverines' Sizable Success Streak vs. Spartans

Monday, March 22

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

9-3, 9-3

Michigan State

6-6, 6-6

Michigan State

Michigan

Griffin Mazur (Michigan Photography)

Shutout Loss Stops Wolverines' Sizable Success Streak vs. Spartans

3/22/2021 6:58:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Michigan State ended a 10-game losing streak to Michigan in the rivalry.
» MSU scored two runs in the third inning without the benefit of a hit.
» Griffin Mazur had a game-high two hits.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Score: Michigan State 3, #18 Michigan 0
Records: U-M (9-3), MSU (6-6)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 26 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 4 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 18-ranked University of Michigan baseball team could not duplicate its late-inning magic Monday (March 22), as Michigan State rebounded from a crushing Sunday loss with a 3-0 decision against the Wolverines at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium. With the win, the Spartans ended a 10-game losing skid in the rivalry series.

Michigan State took a 2-0 lead in the third inning without the benefit of a hit as a pair of leadoff walks and a wild pitch came back to hurt following a sacrifice fly, throwing error and a groundout.

Michigan had a run cut down at the plate in the fourth inning with two outs. Christian Molfetta singled with two outs and stole second base. Benjamin Sems then lined a single to center, but Molfetta was called out at home plate on a one-bounce throw from MSU centerfielder Joe Stewart, eliciting an argument from the U-M bench.

Bailey Peterson added a solo home run in the ninth to make it 3-0.

A day after scoring eight runs in the bottom of the ninth to steal an 8-7 win, Michigan attempted another last-inning rally as Jimmy Obertop led off the bottom of the ninth with a loud double to left and Molfetta walked with one out. That prompted MSU to call on third baseman Zach Iverson to try and close the game on the mound, and he responded by inducing a game-ending 1-6-3 double play.

Michigan starter Blake Beers (0-1) was tagged with the loss despite demonstrating great stuff on the afternoon with an overpowering fastball that surpassed 97 miles per hour on several occasions. He scattered just two hits over 5.2 innings, but four walks and a wild pitch offset his five strikeouts.

U-M received another outstanding relief effort from Joe Pace, with the graduate student throwing 2.1 innings of one-hit ball with one strikeout.

Griffin Mazur had a game-high two hits to lead all players.

Michigan, which earlier in the day moved up in the national rankings to No. 18 by D1Baseball.com, No. 19 by Baseball America and No. 10 by Collegiate Baseball Magazine, will be back in action on Friday (March 26) when the Wolverines start a three-game series at Penn State.