Michigan Blanks Iowa in Nightcap to Split Doubleheader

Sunday, March 7

Round Rock, Texas

2:00 PM CT

Michigan

1-1, 1-1

Iowa

1-1, 1-1

Michigan

Iowa

Griffin Mazur (Michigan Photography)

Michigan Blanks Iowa in Nightcap to Split Doubleheader

3/7/2021 10:21:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 PDF Boxscore (Game 1)PDF Boxscore (Game 2)Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Griffin Mazur hit a grand slam in game two for his first U-M hit.
» Jimmy Obertop's first hit of the season was a home run in game two.
» Jacob Denner struck out seven batters while allowing two hits in five scoreless innings to win game two.

Site: Round Rock, Texas (Dell Diamond)
Scores: Iowa 8, Michigan 3 (7 innings); Michigan 7, Iowa 0
Records: U-M (2-1), Iowa (1-2)
Next U-M Event: Monday, March 8 -- vs. Iowa (Round Rock, Texas), 11 a.m. CST

ROUND ROCK, Texas -- The University of Michigan baseball team split a Sunday (March 7) doubleheader against Iowa at Dell Diamond. Iowa came from behind to win the opener, 8-3, in a scheduled seven-inning game, while the Wolverines controlled all facets of the game in claiming the nightcap, 7-0.

After a setback in game one, Michigan got on track in the second inning of game two. After leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, Michigan again loaded the bases in the second with a run coming across on a bases loaded walk. That set the table for graduate transfer Griffin Mazur, who connected for a grand slam, deep into the Iowa bullpen beyond the wall in left-center field to take a 5-0 lead. It was Mazur's first hit in a Wolverines uniform.

Jimmy Obertop joined the festivities the next inning when he hit a ball to the same location as Mazure to give U-M a 6-0 lead.

On the opposite side of those fireworks was left-hander Jacob Denner, who was masterful in his first start of the season. He had at least one strikeout each inning, including all three outs in the second as he steadied the evening for Michigan. He got into a bit of trouble in the fifth but, with the bases loaded, induced a harmless grounder to third to keep the Hawkeyes scoreless. Denner finished his night tossing five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts against two hits and two walks.

Michigan made it 7-0 in the sixth inning when Danny Zimmerman walked to lead off and scored on a throwing error.

Jack White struck out three batters in two scoreless innings of work and Connor O'Halloran struck out the first batter of his U-M career en route to two scoreless innings of relief.

Jake Marti continued his impressive play with a 2-for-4 outing at the plate to go with a walk.

In the first game, Iowa took a 1-0 first-inning lead thanks to a pair of doubles.

Michigan loaded the bases with one out in the second, but Iowa starter Drew Irvine got a pair of strikeouts to avoid trouble. The Hawkeyes then capitalized on some bad luck for U-M in the third when a one-out walk was followed by a fly ball that got lost in the sun and went for a double. An RBI grounder followed to make it 2-0.

In the fourth, Michigan again threatened as the first two batters walked and Logan Pollack laced an 0-2 fastball through the left side to load the bases again. Riley Bertram delivered an RBI single off Irvine's hand to chase him from the game. Pollack scored on a wild pitch and Tito Flores earned a bases-loaded walk to give Michigan a 3-2 lead. Iowa escaped further trouble with an inning-ending double play.

With one out in the fifth, a single and a walk chased Cameron Weston (0-1) from the game in favor of lefty Angelo Smith. Smith could not find the range, walking and hitting a batter to tie the game at 3. Michigan went back to the mound in favor of Joe Pace who yielded a two-run double to center field with two more runs coming home on a throwing error as Iowa took a commanding 7-3 lead. The Hawkeyes added a run in the bottom of the sixth and held on for the final margin.

Pollack had two hits in his season debut to lead the U-M offense.

The Wolverines and Hawkeyes will complete their four-game series Monday (March 8) at 11 a.m. CST at Dell Diamond. The finale will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus.