Michigan
18-15, 6-4
Rutgers
19-15, 3-4
Michigan Bats Quiet in Series-Opening Loss at Rutgers
4/14/2023 9:20:00 PM | Baseball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The University of Michigan baseball team was shut out 13-0 by Rutgers on Friday (April 14) in the series opener at Bainton Field.
Connor O'Halloran struggled from the start, allowing four first-inning runs. The first six batters reached base, including an RBI single, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and two-run single, to give Rutgers a quick 4-0 lead. After a mound visit, O'Halloran settled in and struck out the next two batters before a fielder's choice ended the inning and his night.
The Scarlet Knights (19-15, 3-4 Big Ten) added to their lead in the second with three runs on three singles and a sacrifice fly off Ahmad Harajli to go up 7-0. U-M (18-15, 6-4 Big Ten) was quiet on offense as they did not have a baserunner until the third inning. Mitch Voit and Cody Jefferis singled in the third, but were left on base when a groundout ended the inning.
Jake Keaser came on in the second and pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings with just two hits allowed. Brandon Mann pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth but struggled in the fifth, surrendering three runs on back-to-back home runs and the Wolverines trailed 10-0.
Ted Burton got Michigan's first and only extra-base hit of the night with a one-out double in the sixth but was left stranded after two quick outs. Rutgers added another in the bottom of the sixth off Eamon Horwedel to lead 11-0.
Michigan had its best chance of the night after Joey Velazquez singled to center field to lead off the seventh. Trevor Kilinski was hit by a pitch and the Wolverines had two on with no outs. The pair was left stranded as three consecutive strikeouts ended the inning.
Rutgers added two more runs in the eighth to cap the scoring and the game.
The Wolverines will look to draw even in the series on Saturday (April 15) at noon when they take on the Scarlet Knights in game two at Bainton Field, amd the contest will be streamed live on B1G+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Coppola, Christian (2-3)
L: O'Halloran, Connor (5-2)
Batting:
2B: Burton, Ted 1
Base Running:
HBP: Kilinski, Trevor 1
Batting:
2B: Lasko, Ryan 1
HR: Kuroda-Grauer, Josh 1 ; Axelson, Andy 1
RBI: Kuroda-Grauer, Josh 2 ; Lasko, Ryan 3 ; Sleight, Evan 2 ; Love, Cameron 3 ; Axelson, Andy 3
SH: Brito, Chris 1
SF: Sleight, Evan 1 ; Axelson, Andy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kuroda-Grauer, Josh 4 ; Cohen, Trevor 2 ; Lasko, Ryan 2 ; Brito, Chris 1 ; Sleight, Evan 1 ; Sweeney, Jordan 1 ; Pinkney, Hugh 1 ; Axelson, Andy 1
SB: Kuroda-Grauer, Josh 1 ; Cohen, Trevor 1 ; Lasko, Ryan 1
CS: Love, Cameron 1
HBP: Sleight, Evan 1
