Michigan's Ninth-Inning Comeback Thwarted in Loss to No. 24 Texas Tech

Saturday, March 4

Houston, Texas

11:00 AM CT

Michigan

4-6

Texas Tech

11-1

Michigan

Texas Tech

(U-M Athletic Communications)

Michigan's Ninth-Inning Comeback Thwarted in Loss to No. 24 Texas Tech

3/4/2023 4:28:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Conor Stemme

HOUSTON, Texas -- The University of Michigan baseball team (4-5) scored four runs ove the final two innings, but were unable to complete the comeback in a 10-7 loss to No. 24-ranked Texas Tech on Saturday (March 4) at Minute Maid Park in the Shriners College Classic.

Michigan trailed 4-0 early after allowing two runs in the first inning and three in the second.

The Wolverines scored their first runs of the weekend in the third inning. With U-M trailing 5-0, Jack Van Remortel hit an infield double before being erased when the next batter, Mitch Voit hit into a fielder's choice. Cody Jefferis was hit by a pitch and Gabe Sotres walked to load the bases with two outs. Back-to-back singles from Ted Burton and Flores scored three and cut the Red Raiders' lead to two runs. Burton tried to score on a wild pitch but was tagged out at the plate to end the inning.

Tech extended its lead back to three runs in the bottom of the inning after an opening walk, single and fielder's choice. Noah Rennard entered for starter Chase Allen and held the Red Raiders to just one run in the inning, stranding the bases loaded while striking out his batter of the game.

After scoring nine runs over the first three innings, pitching took over with both teams going three up, three down in the fourth and keeping each other scoreless in the fifth.

Texas Tech added a run in the sixth to push its lead to 7-3, and Rennard (4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 5 K, 2 BB) was lifted for Walker Cleveland prior to the start of the seventh inning, when the Red Raiders pushed their advantage to 8-3.

U-M got one run back in the top of the eighth when Jefferis was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, then Stores singled to put runners at first and second. Burton advanced Jefferis to third on a fielder's choice and Flores grounded out to score Jefferis. In the bottom of the eighth, Cleveland gave up a leadoff triple, followed by a walk and an intentional pass to load the bases. Eamon Horwedel entered the fray to relieve Cleveland, and after striking out the next batter, allowed a two-run single to give the home team a 10-4 lead. Horwedel struck out the next batter and enduced a lineout to end the threat.

Joe Longo started the Michigan ninth doubling down the left-field line before advancing to third on a Casey Buckley ground out. Later in the innings, Joey Velazquez was hit by a pitch before Jefferis hit a triple to deep left field, scoring Longo and Velazquez to cut the Tech lead to 10-6. Jefferis scored on a passed ball giving the Wolverines their third run of the inning. Sotres walked, puttimg the tying run in the on-deck circle, but Burton struck out to end the Wolverines' comeback and the game.

The Wolverines will finish the Shriners College Classic on Sunday (March 5) at 11 a.m. CST against No. 14 Louisville at Minute Maid Park in a rematch of the 2022 NCAA Regional, where the Cardinals took two of three from Michigan to advance to the Super Regional. The game will be streamed live on Astros.com.