Ninth-Inning Comeback Propels Michigan to Series Win Over Illinois

Saturday, March 8

Vero Beach, Fla.

4:00 PM

Michigan

8-5, 0

Illinois

6-6, 0

Michigan

Illinois

Joe Longo (Michigan Photography)

Ninth-Inning Comeback Propels Michigan to Series Win Over Illinois

3/8/2025 8:44:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Conor Stemme

» Michigan used a three-run ninth inning to defeat Illinois 6-5, improving to 8-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
» Joe Longo hit a pinch-hit home run to lead off the ninth.
» Jeter Ybarra tallied two doubles and scored a run.

VERO BEACH, Fla. -- A three-run, ninth-inning rally led the University of Michigan baseball team to a 6-5 victory over Illinois on Saturday (March 8) at Holman Stadium. With the win, the Wolverines secured a series win over the Illini and improved to 8-5 overall and 2-0 in Big Ten play.

Trailing 5-3 in the top of the ninth inning, pinch hitter Joe Longo led off and sent the second pitch he saw over down the left-field line for a home run to trim the deficit. Will Rogers followed with a double and was pinch run for by Greg Pace Jr. Noah Miller laced a double to center field to score Pace, tying the game at five. With the bases loaded, Jonathan Kim singled to second base. Illinois challenged the play, and after a review, everyone was safe, allowing pinch-runner AJ Garcia to score and U-M took a 6-5 lead. Cade Connolly (2-1) pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to earn the win.

U-M was led offensively by Jeter Ybarra and Kim, who each picked up two hits in the contest. Starter David Lally Jr. allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and striking out six over five innings. Connolly pitched the final two innings and held Illinois scoreless with four strikeouts.

The Wolverines scored a run each in the first two innings to take a quick 2-0 lead. Benny Casillas reached on a passed ball strikeout and later scored on a Mitch Voit single. In the second, AJ Rausch reached on an error and scored two batters later on another error.

Illinois (6-6, 0-2 Big Ten) got on the board in the third inning after a two-out error and a bases-loaded walk. In the fifth, Ybarra doubled with one out and scored on a Cole Caruso single.

U-M had a chance to add to its lead with two on and two out, but a groundout ended the sixth. Illinois took the lead in the home half of the inning, scoring four runs on three hits and one error to take a 5-3 lead.

Connolly pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out the side to give U-M a chance to rally.

Michigan will return to action on Sunday (March 9) at noon when it takes on Illinois in the series finale at Holman Stadium. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.