Michigan
8-6, 0
Illinois
7-6, 0
Illinois Takes Series Finale From Wolverines In Florida
3/9/2025 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
» Michigan lost to Illinois 6-2 in the series finale.
» Cole Caruso had a three-hit day, including a solo home run.
» AJ Rausch tallied two hits with an RBI.
» Dylan Vigue drew the start and pitched a career-high 7.1 innings
VERO BEACH, Fla.-- The University of Michigan baseball team dropped the series finale to Illinois 6-2 at Holman Stadium on Sunday afternoon (March 9).
Michigan (8-6, 2-1 Big Ten) was led offensively by Cole Caruso, who tallied a three-hit day with a home run. AJ Rausch added a multi-hit day with two hits and an RBI. Dylan Vigue pitched a career-high 7.1 innings and struck out six batters, allowed five earned runs and two before the seventh inning.
The Wolverines opened strong with a home run from Caruso to lead off the second inning and had another batter reach in the inning but managed one run. After a scoreless third despite two walks with one out, U-M doubled their lead in the fourth. With two outs, Will Rogers and Robbie Hamchuk were hit by pitches, and Rogers scored on a single from Rausch. A groundout ended the inning. Vigue was dominant for the first three innings, retiring the nine batters he faced in order.
Illinois (7-6, 1-2 Big Ten) got to Vigue in the fourth as the first four batters reached with two scoring to tie the game, but a double play and a strikeout prevented further damage. Michigan got two base runners in the fifth and sixth but were held off the board.
Vigue regrouped after the fourth and allowed just two hits across the next three innings while striking out five to keep the game tied heading into the eighth.Caruso led off the top of the eighth with a single but was left on base after a sacrifice bunt and two strikeouts.
The Fighting Illini got to Vigue again in the eighth with five of the first six batters reaching base, scoring four runs on three hits.
The Wolverines singled and walked with one out in the ninth but could not comeback.
Michigan will open its home season on Tuesday (March 11) against Toledo at 4 p.m. with the game streaming live on B1G+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bates, Zach (1-0)
L: Vigue, Dylan (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Voit, Mitch 1
HR: Caruso, Cole 1
RBI: Caruso, Cole 1 ; Rausch, AJ 1
SH: Miller, Noah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Caruso, Cole 1 ; Rogers, Will 1
SB: Voit, Mitch 1 ; Rausch, AJ 1
HBP: Rogers, Will 1 ; Hamchuk, Robert 1
Batting:
2B: Zebig, Jack 1
RBI: Zebig, Jack 3 ; Valincius, Vytas 2
SH: Groves, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chee-Aloy, Cameron 2 ; Groves, Nick 1 ; Ross, Grant 1 ; Zebig, Jack 1 ; Schroeder, Jacob 1
HBP: Ross, Grant 1
