O'Halloran's Gem Sparks Michigan Past Dayton to Kick Off First Home Series

Thursday, March 17

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

9-8

Dayton

8-7

Dayton

Michigan

Connor O'Halloran (Michigan Photography)

O'Halloran's Gem Sparks Michigan Past Dayton to Kick Off First Home Series

3/17/2022 9:17:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Kurt Svoboda

» Connor O'Halloran struck out 13 batters in 8.0 innings of work.
» A third-inning sacrifice fly from Jimmy Obertop was the eventual game-winner.
» Chase Allen picked up his second save of the season.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Score: Michigan 2, Dayton 1
Records: U-M (9-8), Dayton (8-7)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 18 -- vs. Dayton (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team received a 13-strikeout performance from sophomore Connor O'Halloran Thursday (March 17) as the Wolverines won their home opener by a score of 2-1 against Dayton at the Wilpon Complex's Ray Fisher Stadium.

O'Halloran (2-2) fanned at least one batter in each of his 8.0 innings of work and struck out the side in the fifth. He scattered just three hits while not walking a batter.

Chase Allen came on in the ninth, and the sophomore turned in a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout to earn his second save.

A bases-loaded walk to Brandon Lawrence pushed across a run for U-M in the second inning, but Dayton escaped further damage as Clark Elliott flied out to the wall in right to leave them full. Michigan added to the lead the following inning thanks to a leadoff double by Joe Stewart, who stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly from Jimmy Obertop.

O'Halloran logged 10 punchouts through six innings and retired 13 consecutive batters at one point before Dayton scratched for a run in the seventh inning on a one-out double followed immediately by a seeing-eye single up the middle.

With the lead cut to 2-1, Michigan threatened in the bottom of the seventh, but with a runner in scoring position Matt Frey was robbed of an RBI and extra bases as Dayton first baseman Marcos Pujols snared a rocket inside the first-base bag and flipped to a covering pitcher to get the final out.

Michigan and Dayton are scheduled for a 4 p.m. game Friday (March 18) to continue the three-game set. The series will wrap up Sunday (March 20) at 1 p.m. Tickets are available at MGoBlue.com/tickets.