Michigan Sweeps Minnesota Behind Long Balls, Defense

Sunday, April 18

Minneapolis, Minn.

1:00 PM CT

Michigan

18-7, 0

Minnesota

4-20, 0

Michigan

Minnesota Gophers

Jacob Denner (Michigan Photography)

4/18/2021 5:54:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Ted Burton's two-run double in the third inning gave U-M a lead it did not relinquish.
» Benjamin Sems hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning.
» Michigan hit three homers and turned four double plays on defense.

Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Siebert Field)
Score: #25 Michigan 9, Minnesota 5
Records: U-M (18-7, 18-7 B1G), Minnesota (4-20, 4-20 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Friday, April 23 -- vs. Rutgers (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The No. 25-ranked University of Michigan baseball team hit three home runs and turned four double plays Sunday (April 18) as the Wolverines defeated Minnesota 9-5 to sweep the weekend series from the Gophers at Siebert Field.

Ted Burton stayed hot, lacing a two-run double in the second inning to score Griffin Mazur (single) and Benjamin Sems (single) with Riley Bertram following with a sacrifice fly to score Tito Flores (hit by pitch) for an early 3-0 lead.

Easton Bertrand cut into the deficit in the third inning when, following a walk, he took an 0-1 fastball over the center-field wall for a two-run blast to make it a 3-2 game.

Sems got those runs back a few innings later as he guided a first-pitch fastball high over the right-field wall to plate Clark Elliott (walk) and gave Michigan a 5-2 lead.

Michigan lefty Jacob Denner (3-0) made his way through an efficient five innings of work, scattering just three hits against five strikeouts to earn the win.

Minnesota got back on the board in the sixth inning against reliever Will Proctor, as Chase Stanke connected for an RBI single to score Bertrand, who singled to lead off before stealing a base to get into scoring position. Another single put two runners on base and U-M went back to the bullpen in favor of Ben Dragani, who fell behind in the count, 3-1, before inducing a 1-4-3 double-play ball to get out of further trouble.

Michigan again answered the Minnesota run when Bertram led off the seventh with a line-drive single to right, went to second on a wild pitch and stole third without a throw before scoring on a sharp single from Jordon Rogers. Mazur soon followed with a long sacrifice fly to left for a 7-3 lead.

Minnesota kept it close in its half of the inning, scoring a run without the benefit of a hit. Dragani worked into trouble, loading the bases with two outs on three walks before he gave way to Joe Pace, who induced a grounder from Zach Raabe, the league's leading hitter, only to see a fielding error extend the inning. Pace then got another grounder to maintain order in a 7-4 game. The Gophers got to Pace in the eighth inning, again with two outs, as a single and a double made it a 7-5 game before a four-pitch walk chased him from the game in favor of closer Willie Weiss. As he did on Saturday, Weiss got the job done, inducing a harmless fly ball to left field to end the threat. He then threw a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save of the year, aided by a solo homer from Elliott as part of a two-run top of the ninth.

Michigan will be at home for its next series, a three-game affair against Rutgers. The opener against the Scarlet Knights is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Friday (April 23) at the Wilpon Complex, Home of Ray Fisher Stadium.