Eighth-Inning Rally Lifts Michigan to Series Win Over Long Beach State

Saturday, April 27

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

22-21

Long Beach State

20-19-1

Long Beach State

Michigan

Stephen Hrustich (Michigan Photography)

Eighth-Inning Rally Lifts Michigan to Series Win Over Long Beach State

4/27/2024 6:28:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Conor Stemme

» The Wolverines clinched a non-conference series victory with a 7-5 win over Long Beach State.
» Three Wolverines contributed RBI to the victory, while Collin Priest recorded a multiple hit game.
» Will Rogers earned his first victory of the season, while Jacob Denner earned the save.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- With a two-run bottom of the eighth, the University of Michigan baseball team grabbed the lead and eventually a 7-5 series-clinching victory over Long Beach State on Saturday (April 27) in its final non-conference homestand of the season at the Wilpon Complex, home of ray Fisher Stadium.

Michigan (22-21) had a team effort to take the series with eight different players recording a hit; Collin Priest recorded two and was the only Wolverine with more than one.

Though the Dirtbags (20-19-1) struck first with an RBI single in the first inning, the Wolverines tied it in their half with a Joe Longo that scored Stephen Hrustich.

After Chase Allen tossed a scoreless second inning, Michigan took the lead in the bottom of the frame. A double from Kyle Dernedde and a LBSU throwing error each contributed a run and U-M took a 3-2 lead. The Dirtbags trimmed the lead to 3-2 in the top of the third, and in the fifth, the Wolverines extended their lead. A Priest RBI single and subsequent wild pitch gave the Maize and Blue two more runs to put the score at 5-2.

Allen gave way to Will Rogers in the sixth inning after a solid outing that saw him allow three runs, two earned, on seven hits with a strikeout and two walks over 5.2 innings of work. Long Beach State scored a pair following the pitching change, capitalizing on a two-run double to the center-field wall and trimming the U-M lead to 5-4.

LBSU wiped the slate clean at five-all in the top of the eighth, but the Maize and Blue reclaimed the lead in their half of the inning. A walk, error and single loaded the bases with one out. A wild pitch brought Dernedde home before a Hrustich sacrifice fly brought home Brock Leitgeb to put Michigan ahead 7-5.

With a two-run lead, Michigan turned to Jacob Denner in the ninth and he delivered, retiring the Dirtbags 1-2-3 inning to seal the victory and earn the save.

U-M goes for a sweep of the Dirtbags on Sunday (April 28) in the series finale at Ray Fisher Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on B1G+.