Michigan
Penn State
U-M Leads From Start to Finish in Series-Clinching Win Over Penn State
3/25/2023 7:10:00 PM | Baseball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball picked up where ot left off on Friday (March 24), this time leading from the start of a 12-3 victory over Penn State on Saturday (March 25) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium to earn a series win against the Nittany Lions.
After Chase Allen dispatched Penn State (12-7, 0-2 Big Ten) on eight pitches to start the game, Michigan (11-11, 2-0 Big Ten) took a 4-0 lead in its half of the frame.
The first six U-M batters reached base, with Cody Jefferis and Tito Flores drawing back-to-back walks, followed by Ted Burton singling to score Jefferis and consecutive doubles from Joe Longo and Joey Velazquez to plate Flores, Burton and Longo.
The Wolverines added a run in the third inning when a Jake Marti groundout scored Gabe Sotres, who tripled one batter prior.
While Allen allowed just three Nittany Lions to reach base over the first three innings, he gave up his first run in the fourth to cut the Michigan lead to 5-1. The Wolverines got that run back in the bottom of the fourth when Burton singled home Jefferis from second, and U-M led 6-1.
The Nittany Lions touched Allen for a run fifth to bring them within four runs at 6-2. After U-M and PSU went scoreless to end the fifth and top of the sixth inning, Michigan struck for five runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The inning started with the first three Wolverines batters reached base without making contact. Flores was hit by a pitch and Burton and Longo drew walks to load the bases with no outs. After two quick outs, Marti singled through the right side to score Robert Pitts Jr. -- who pinch-ran for Flores -- and Burton. Mitch Voit walked to reload the bases before Jonathan Kim hit a bases-clearing double to left, giving Michigan an 11-2 lead.
U-M added a run in the seventh when Jack Van Remortel led off with a double to center and scored two batters later on a Cody Hultink groundout out to first.
Van Remortel was the last Wolverine to score on the day, but it was more than enough. Noah Rennard and Eamon Horwedel combined for 3.1 innings of relief and allowed just two hits and an eighth-inning run while striking a pair.
Allen improved to 3-2 after allowing two runs on nine hits over 5.2 innings of work with two walks and five strikeouts. Marti and Kim drove in three runs each, while Jefferis, Burton, Longo each scored twice.
The Wolverines seek a series sweep when they wrap up their three-game set against Penn State on Sunday (March 26) at 1 p.m at Ray Fisher Stadium. The series finale will be streamed live on B1G+.
