Michigan Wraps Homestand with 13-2 Win Over Butler

Tuesday, April 11

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

18-14

Butler

7-24

Butler

Michigan

Cody Jefferis (Michigan Photography)

4/11/2023 8:43:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Conor Stemme

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team used an eight-run sixth inning to defeat the Butler Bulldogs 13-2 on Tuesday (April 11th) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium.

Michigan (18-14, 6-3 Big Ten) had a five-run lead through the five innings before Butler got on the board in the top of the sixth with a two-run homer. In the bottom of the sixth, however, the floodgates opened for the U-M offense. The Wolverines loaded the bases early with no outs and Tito Flores was hit by a pitch, which scored Joe Longo. Mitch Voit drew an RBI walk in the next at-bat, which allowed Jack Van Remortel to advance home, and Gabe Sotres added to the rally with a single to left field to score the Wolverines' third run of the frame. Cody Jefferis followed with his fourth RBI of the day -- a groundout to second base -- to score Flores, and Jonathan Kim kept things going with a two-out two-RBI single to right field that plated two more runs. In his second plate appearance of the inning, Longo hit a two-run home run to left field which capped off the eight-run inning and put Michigan up, 13-2.

Butler (7-24, 0-3 Big East) was unable to mount a comeback as the Bulldogs managed only two baserunners over the final three innings with Walker Cleveland, Ryan Zimmer and Brandon Mann having strong pitching appearances for the Wolverines. Brandon Mann pitched a scoreless ninth for U-M to cap off the 13-2 victory over the Bulldogs.

Reliever Noah Rennard earned his fifth win of the season after tossing 1.1 innings in which he did not allow a hit. Longo led Michigan with three runs scored on the day while Van Remortel tallied three hits, and Jefferis knocked in a team-leading four runs while Kim posted three RBI.

Right-handed pitcher Kurt Barr started on the mound for Michigan and pitched three scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and tallying two strikeouts. The Wolverines got on the board early with a two-run first inning and never relinquished the lead. Ted Burton singled with one out and advanced to second on an error before Jonathan Kim brought Burton home with a base hit up the middle. Joey Velazquez singled with two outs before Longo pinch ran for him, and Longo scored on the next play as Jack Van Remortel doubled to left field, giving Michigan a 2-0 lead after one complete inning.

Eamon Horwedel came to the mound in the third after a leadoff walk by the Bulldogs and was quickly in a tough situation with runners on second and third with just one out. He induced a groundout before striking out the final batter of the inning to escape the jam.

In the top of the fifth, Horwedel struck out the third batter with runners on second and third, providing a crucial out before Rennard came in for relief. The next Bulldog reached first as Rennard made a smart play by getting the force out at home to keep the Bulldogs scoreless in the inning, and a flyout ended the frame with Michigan still up, 2-0 after five.

After the Wolverines loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Jefferis hit a crucial double down the right field line which cleared the bases and scored three runs. The Bulldogs responded, however, scoring their first and only runs of the game with a two-run home run that shrunk the deficit to 5-2 before Michigan broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth.

The victory wraps up a five-game home stand for the Wolverines, who will hit the road this weekend (April 14-16) as they return to Big Ten Conference play. U-M will visit Rutgers for a three game series starting on Friday (April 14) at 6 p.m. at Bainton Field, and the weekend opener will be streamed live on B1G+.