Wolverines Split Doubleheader, Take Series Win Against Bradley

Sunday, March 19

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan

9-9

Bradley

5-9

Bradley

Michigan

Joe Longo (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Split Doubleheader, Take Series Win Against Bradley

3/19/2023 7:40:00 PM | Baseball

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

By: Conor Stemme

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team split a Sunday (March 19) doubleheader against the Bradley Braves at Ray Fisher Stadium, taking the first game, 6-4, before falling, 5-1, in game two.

Both teams earned runs in the first inning with Bradley hitting a leadoff double and scoring two batters later. Cody Jefferis walked to lead off the bottom of the first for the Wolverines and after stealing second, scoring on a Joe Longo single up the middle.

Chase Allen allowed just two hits over the next three innings and held the Braves to just the first-inning run through four. U-M's bats continued as it scored in the second and third innings as well. Joey Velazquez singled to lead off the second and scored on a Mitch Voit single. In the third, Longo hit a monster solo home run over 400 feet to left field to give the Wolverines a 3-1 lead after three innings.

Bradley hit a lead off home run in the fifth to bring the game tp within one, but the Wolverines extended their lead again in the bottom of the inning. Ted Burton reached first base on a hit by pitch and stole second base. Burton scored on a Tito Flores single through the right side. Velazquez then singled to advance Flores before Flores scored on a Voit sacrifice fly.

The Braves scored again in the sixth but were matched by the Maize and Blue. Burton singled with two outs scoring Cody Jefferis , who reached base on a hit by pitch and stole second base. Bradley scored the last run of the game in the seventh as Noah Rennard took the mound. Rennard gave up a single that scored a runner from second left on base by Allen.

Michigan tallied only one more hit in the seventh and eighth but was able to pull out the two-run victory. Rennard gave up only two hits in 2.2 innings and struck out two including the final batter of game one for the Braves.

In game two, U-M gave up an early lead in a seven inning game as Bradley hit a leadoff home run, but unlike the first game were unable to respond. Jefferis singled to lead off the bottom of the first, but was out in a double play.

Jacob Denner pitched a 1-2-3 second inning that included two strikeouts, before he gave up another run in the third. After a leadoff single, Bradley scored on two groundouts and a single which allowed the runner to score.

Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth and fifth, but scored in the sixth. Through five innings U-M had just six total base runners. Jack Van Remortel and Camden Gasser were stranded on the corners in the bottom of the fifth for the Wolverines' best chance of the night so far. Ryan Zimmer came in the game in the fifth and gave up a leadoff walk in the sixth who scored for the Braves. Kurt Barr relieved Zimmer and struck out two to prevent any further runs.

Michigan got on the board in the sixth as Burton reached after being hit by a pitch. Longo singled to advance Burton who scored with two outs with a Flores single. The Wolverines still had two runners on but were left stranded.

Bradley added two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh as they drew two walks and added two hits. Trevor Kilinski struck out, but advanced to first on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh but was left on base as the final batter of the game struck out giving Bradley the final game of the series.

The Wolverines will face Akron at home in a midweek contest scheduled for Tuesday (March 21) at 4 p.m., before a three-game series against Penn State next weekend to open conference play.