Michigan
10-4, 10-4
Penn State
4-9, 4-9
Michigan Offense on Display in Twinbill Sweep of Penn State
3/27/2021 8:15:00 PM | Baseball
» Michigan erased a 4-3 deficit in game one with 14 unanswered runs.
» Michigan scored twice in the ninth inning of game two to extend the game before winning it with a pair in the 10th.
» Michigan scored seven unanswered runs to win the nightcap
» Jordon Rogers had four hits and drove in five runs in his first collegiate starts, including the game-winner in the nightcap.
Site: State College, Pa. (Medlar Field at Lubrano Park)
Scores: #18 Michigan 17, Penn State 4; #18 Michigan 8, Penn State 6 (10 inn.)
Records: U-M (11-4, 11-4 B1G), PSU (4-10, 4-10 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 3 -- vs. Northwestern (College Park, Md.) 4 p.m.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The No. 18-ranked University of Michigan baseball team continued its comeback ways Saturday (March 27) at Penn State, sweeping a doubleheader at Lubrano Park. Michigan pounded the Nittany Lions in the opener, 17-4, before scoring seven unanswered runs in the nightcap to win, 8-6, in 10 innings.
In game one, Michigan scored 11 runs in the middle innings, overcoming a 4-3 fifth-inning deficit to win going away as a balanced offense saw six different players drive home at least two runs.
PSU's Johnny Piacentino connected for a solo homer to left in the first inning before the Michigan offense got on track in the fourth, taking a 3-1 lead thanks in part to a two-run homer from Clark Elliott, who pounced on a 3-0 fastball and drove his it over the wall in right-center for his third round-tripper of the season.
Penn State retook the lead, 4-3, in the fourth as U-M starter Cameron Weston struggled with his accuracy. The Nittany Lions turned a pair of walks and wild pitches into a three-run inning thanks to a bloop double down the right-field line from Tayven Kelley.
Michigan reclaimed the lead with a five-run fifth inning against three PSU pitchers. The big blow was delivered by Jordon Rogers, who sent a two-out, two-run single to right field to make it 8-4. Michigan scored three more times in the sixth on just one hit as Tito Flores drove home his second run of the game with a single through the right side as part of another damaging inning to Penn State.
Weston (3-1), meanwhile, settled down nicely, finishing with eight strikeouts in seven innings to earn his third win of the year.
Jimmy Obertop added a long solo home run in the eighth to finish with two hits, along with Elliott and Rogers. Joey Velazquez provided a pinch-hit, two-run single as part of a five-run ninth.
In game two, a second-inning line drive to left field from Benjamin Sems drove home Elliott (single) for a 1-0 lead.
PSU took a 5-1 lead in the third inning as two U-M pitchers issued four walks, one wild pitch, two infield singles and a bloop to left. The Nittany Lions extended their lead to 6-1 before Sems got that run back in the fifth when he launched his first home run in a Michigan uniform high over the right-field wall.
Michigan edged closer with two more runs in the sixth inning as Rogers sent a two-out, two-run single through the left side to make it a 6-4 game.
Jacob Denner provided outstanding relief for the Wolverines with five impressive innings in which he allowed just one run, while striking out five including the side in the eighth.
In the ninth inning, two batters reached base with one out against PSU righty Mason Mellott. Obertop laced a ball to shortstop that ate up Jay Harry. He tried rushing an ill-advised throw to second and it got away, rolling into the outfield and allowing Mofletta to score. Elliott then tied the game when he blooped a single into center field, forcing Penn State back to the bullpen with one out. Steven Miller did the job, inducing an inning-ending double-play ball.
In the 10th inning, Sems was hit by a pitch with one out, went to second on a passed ball and to third base on a wild pitch. Against a drawn-in infield, Rogers delivered, sending a bounding ball over shortstop and into shallow center field, hustling into second with a double. Molfetta followed with a ringing double inside the first-base bag to make it 8-6.
Willie Weiss shut the door, striking out three batters in two shutout innings to earn the win.
Molfetta, Elliott, Sems and Rogers had two hits apiece, with Rogers delivering magical moments in his first starts.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Weston, Cameron (3-1)
L: Larkin, Conor (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Mazur, Griffin 1 ; Obertop, Jimmy 1
HR: Obertop, Jimmy 1 ; Elliott, Clark 1
RBI: Velazquez, Joey 2 ; Obertop, Jimmy 2 ; Elliott, Clark 3 ; Flores, Tito 2 ; Burton, Ted 1 ; Sems, Benjamin 2 ; Rogers, Jordon 2
SF: Obertop, Jimmy 1 ; Flores, Tito 1 ; Burton, Ted 1 ; Sems, Benjamin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Velazquez, Joey 1 ; Molfetta, Christian 3 ; Mazur, Griffin 2 ; Obertop, Jimmy 3 ; Elliott, Clark 3 ; Flores, Tito 1 ; Burton, Ted 1 ; Bertram, Riley 1 ; Sems, Benjamin 1 ; Rogers, Jordon 1
HBP: Mazur, Griffin 2 ; Flores, Tito 1 ; Sems, Benjamin 1
Batting:
2B: Piacentino, Johnny 2 ; Kelley, Tayven 1
HR: Piacentino, Johnny 1
RBI: Piacentino, Johnny 1 ; Kelley, Tayven 2
SH: Hannon, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Piacentino, Johnny 2 ; Spiegel, Josh 1 ; Homer, Gavin 1
SB: Homer, Gavin 1
PO: Bartels, Cole 1
