Burton's Two-Run Shot Triggers Ninth-Inning Rally to Down Minnesota

Saturday, April 17

Minneapolis, Minn.

1:00 PM CT

Michigan

17-7, 0

Minnesota

4-19, 0

Michigan

Minnesota Gophers

Ted Burton (Michigan Photography)

Burton's Two-Run Shot Triggers Ninth-Inning Rally to Down Minnesota

4/17/2021 5:09:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Ted Burton's two-run homer in the ninth sparked a four-run inning.
» Jordon Rogers and Christian Mofletta added RBIs in the ninth.
» Willie Weiss struck out all five batters he faced, including two in the eighth with the bases loaded.

Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Siebert Field)
Score: #25 Michigan 4, Minnesota 0
Records: U-M (17-7), Minnesota (4-19)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 18 -- at Minnesota (Siebert Field), 1 p.m. CDT

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Sophomore Ted Burton's two-run homer in the ninth-inning sparked a four-run frame on Saturday (April 17) as the University of Michigan baseball team broke open a scoreless game and went on defeat Minnesota 4-0 at Siebert Field.

With one out in the ninth and Michigan boasting just two infield hits in the game, Tito Flores awoke the offense with a long triple off the right-field wall. Burton stepped to the plate and took the first pitch he saw from Ryan Duffy over the wall in left-center field for a stunning 2-0 lead.

Riley Bertram was then hit by a pitch and immediately stole second and third base in quick succession. Jordon Rogers laced an RBI single to center and came around to score on an errant pickoff attempt and an RBI groundout from Christian Molfetta as a close game was suddenly broken wide open.

Michigan's Cameron Weston dueled Minnesota left-hander Jack Liffrig with the pair putting up zeroes on the scoreboard throughout their matchup.

Weston dazzled, overcoming several first-inning full-count situations to throw fewer than 100 pitches over seven innings of work in which he scattered six hits while walking one and striking out eight batters with an overpowering fastball. Liffrig, meanwhile, went seven innings, scattering two infield hits against one walk and eight strikeouts.

In the bottom of the eighth, Bret Bateman led off the frame with an opposite field single against reliever Joe Pace. A sacrifice bunt was followed by an intentional walk to Zack Raabe and another walk to load the bases with one out. Michigan opted for closer Willie Weiss, who answered the bell with back-to-back strikeouts of Ronald Sweeny and Jack Kelly to get out of trouble.

That set the stage for the dramatic ninth-inning outburst, and Weiss finished it off by striking out the side in the ninth for five strikeouts of the five batters faced.

Weiss (4-1) earned the win, while Flores was Michigan's lone batter with multiple hits.

Michigan and Minnesota will conclude their weekend series Sunday (April 18) in a 1 p.m. CDT start in a game streamed live on Big Ten Network+.