Michigan Tops WMU in Series Finale, Earns Four-Game Split With Broncos

Sunday, February 18

Phoenix, Ariz.

11:00 AM MT

Michigan

2-2

Western Michigan

2-2

Western Michigan

Michigan

Stephen Hrustich (Michigan Photography)

Michigan Tops WMU in Series Finale, Earns Four-Game Split With Broncos

2/18/2024 5:52:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Conor Stemme

» Michigan won the finale of its four-game, season-opening series 6-2 to earn a series split.
» Stephen Hrustich led the Wolverines with two hits -- one a home run -- two walks and two runs.
» Chase Allen pitched five strong shutout innings, allowing just two hits for his first win of the season.

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Chase Allen threw five shutout innings, the defense turned five double plays and the offense continued producing runs to help the University of Michigan baseball team defeat Western Michigan 6-2 on Sunday (Feb. 18) at Camelback Ranch. The win earned U-M a four-game series split with the Broncos to open the season.

Allen allowed just two hits and seven total baserunners, facing the minimum three batters in two of his five innings. Ricky Kidd came on in relief and continued what Allen started, throwing the four innings to earn Michigan's first save of the season.

On the offensive side, Collin Priest and Stephen Hrustich led the way. Priest and Hrustich each collected a pair of hits, with Priest driving in two runs and Hrustich blasting solo home to lead off the eighth inning. Every Wolverine who started reached base -- six tallying hits, six earning walks and three were hit by a pitch. Jonathan Kim's sixth-inning single continued his hot start with his batting average at .529 (9-for-17).

After offensive fireworks over the first three games of the series produced 60 combined runs over three games -- 19 of those coming in the first three innings -- Sunday was the opposite. Western Michigan (2-2) saw just four base runners in the first four innings with just one of them advancing past first base. A 3-6-3 double play ended the top of the second inning, and a 5-4-3 double play retired the first two batters of the top of the third.

The Wolverines had one base runner in the first inning, two in the second, and three in the third before finally breaking through in the fourth.

Cole Caruso drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Kyle Dernedde double aided by ricocheting off of the third-base bag. Brock Leitgeb reached on a bunt single and moved to second on a passed ball. Mack Timbrook drew a walk to load the bases. Three batters later, Mitch Voit reached on an error to plate Dernedde. Priest then walked to bring home Leitgeb. After a busy inning, U-M led 3-0.

A scoreless fifth inning was helped by another double U-M double play, this one of the 4-3 variety as Timbrook, who snagged a liner at second, fired to Voit at first to double-up the Broncos. Kidd came out to start the sixth and allowed a leadoff home run but retired the next three batters to limit the damage.

In the bottom of the sixth, U-M regained a three-run lead after Hrustich drew a one-out walk and moved to second on an infield single by Kim. Hrustich then came around to score on a Priest single. Kidd faced the minimum three batters in the seventh after another 5-4-3 double play.

For the eighth inning, Kidd allowed two singles, but he forced a flyout to Timbrook at second base which ended the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Hrustich hit a leadoff home run to left field. Priest doubled with two outs and was pinch-ran for by AJ Garcia. Garcia came around to score on a Caruso single up the middle which put Michigan ahead 6-1 heading into the ninth inning.

Kidd issued a leadoff free pass and a double to start the ninth, putting runners at second and third. Kidd then got the first out on a strikeout, then a pair of flyouts ended the game -- the first plating WMU's second run.

The Wolverines return to the diamond next Friday through Sunday (Feb. 23-25) for the College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Michigan will start with a 3 p.m. CST game against Oklahoma State, which will be streamed live on FloSports.