Wolverines' Late-Inning Comeback Attempts Fall Short in Opener at Rutgers

Friday, March 27

Piscataway, N.J.

6:00 PM

Michigan

12-13, 1-6

Rutgers

15-10, 4-3

Michigan

Rutgers

Noah Miller (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines' Late-Inning Comeback Attempts Fall Short in Opener at Rutgers

3/27/2026 10:38:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Conor Stemme

» Michigan dropped the first game of its three-game series 4-3 at Rutgers.
» Colby Turner hit his sixth home run of the season in the first inning.
» Turner and Noah Miller tallied multi-hit games.
» Kurt Barr allowed two runs over five innings while striking out four.

PISTCATAWAY, N.J. -- The University of Michigan baseball team put the tying run on base in the ninth inning, but was unable to complete the comeback in a 4-3 setback against Rutgers on Friday night (March 27) in the opener of their three-game series at Bainton Field.

Michigan (12-13, 1-6 Big Ten) got off to a hot start with a solo shot from Colby Turner with one out in the first inning. The Wolverines added two more runs in the second, which opened with a double from Noah Miller. Evan Haeger brought Miller home with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly from Greg Pace Jr. to give the Wolverines a 3-0 lead.

Rutgers (15-10, 4-3 Big Ten) was stymied offensively over the first three innings, tallying only one hit, but got two runs back in the fourth on three hits. However, Kurt Barr limited the damage to keep U-M ahead 3-2.

The Wolverines faced struggles of their own over the middle innings, collecting just three from the third through the sixth. In the sixth, U-M did load the bases with one out after a double from Cade Ladehoff and two walks, but left them stranded. A pair of U-M singles in the eighth put runners on first and second with two outs, but they were also left on base.

Shane Brinham (1-3) settled in after the sixth inning and allowed just one baserunner over the final two frames to give Michigan a chance in the ninth. Turner singled with two outs to put the potential tying run at first base, but a popout to first retired the go-ahead run and ended the game.

Michigan will take on Rutgers in game two of the three-game set at 3 p.m. on Saturday (March 28) at Bainton Field. The contest will be streamed live on B1G+.