Michigan Defeats Kent State to End Seven-Game Homestand

Wednesday, May 3

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

22-20

Kent State

31-13

KENT STATE

Michigan

Tito Flores (Michigan Photography)

Michigan Defeats Kent State to End Seven-Game Homestand

5/3/2023 7:39:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Conor Stemme

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team defeated Kent State 7-5 on Wednesday (May 3) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium behind home runs from Tito Flores and Mitch Voit to cap its seven-game homestand.

Kent State (30-13) got off to a quick start on Noah Rennard and the Wolverines (22-20), scoring a run in the first. The Golden Flashes threatened to put up more, but two strikeouts and a fielder's choice left the bases loaded. U-M got the run back in the bottom half. Cody Jefferis singled to lead off the inning and stole second. He then came around to score on a Jimmy Obertop single to knot the game at 1.

Rennard tallied two more punchouts in a 1-2-3 second inning before the Wolverines took the lead in the bottom of the second. A pair of singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases before Tito Flores scored on a balk to make the score 2-1, but the other runners were stranded.

Ahmad Harajli took the ball in the third inning and tossed a 1-2-3, but Kent State took the lead in the top of the fourth on a two-run home run off of Chase Allen. U-M tied it up on the first pitch of the bottom of the fourth when Voit crushed a ball to center field for a leadoff home run.

After giving up the fourth inning homer, Allen retired six of the next seven batters he faced, allowing just a one-out walk in the fifth. The Wolverines retook the lead in the home half of the fifth, started with an Obertop single. With two outs, Flores hit a two-run home run to give Michigan a 5-3 lead heading into the sixth.

The Golden Flashes cut into the U-M lead in the sixth on an RBI triple after a leadoff single before being held scoreless by Jacob Denner and Voit over the next two innings.

U-M added some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out double from Jonathan Kim. Jefferis and Gabe Sotres singled with one out, before Kim brought the runners home to give Michigan a 7-4 lead. Kent State got one back in the top of the ninth on a solo home run, but Voit retired the final batter with a strikeout to end the game.

The Wolverines, will hit the road Friday through Sunday (May 5-7) as they return to Big Ten play with a series at Minnesota. Friday's (May 5) series opener is set for a 6 p.m. CDT start at Siebert Field and will be streamed live on B1G+.