Michigan
7-2
Loyola Marymount
4-5
Big First Inning at LMU Helps Michigan Stretch Win Streak
3/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 2, 2017
» Sophomore Miles Lewis picked up his first homer of the season, while senior Harrison Wenson tallied his third of the year and third in the last three games.
» The Wolverine pitching staff allowed just five hits to tie a season low.
» The Wolverines are now 5-0 on their spring break trip and will resume play Friday (March 3) at UCLA.
Site: Los Angeles, Calif. (Page Stadium)
Score: Michigan 14, Loyola Marymount 2
Records: U-M (7-2), LMU (4-5)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 3 -- at UCLA (Los Angeles, Calif.), 6 p.m. PST
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The University of Michigan baseball team improved to 5-0 on its spring break trip, blasting six extra-base hits in a 14-2 defeat of Loyola Marymount on Wednesday night (March 1) at Page Stadium.
Michigan got on the board quickly and efficiently, plating seven runs in the top of the first inning as the entire Michigan batting order reached base safely the first time around. Sophomore Ako Thomas started the inning with an infield single, and junior Jake Bivens followed with a bunt single to give Michigan two men on. Sophomore Miles Lewis was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and a walk to junior Drew Lugbauer scored Thomas for a 1-0 lead. With the bases still loaded, senior Harrison Wenson sent double down the leftfield line to score Bivens and Lewis, but Lugbauer was thrown out at third for the first out.
With Michigan leading 3-0 and Wenson on second, senior Michael Brdar followed with another RBI double, and sophomore Nick Poirier continued the run with a short outfield single that allowed Brdar to score from second. A walk to sophomore Jonathan Engelmann then put two men on, and senior Johnny Slater reached on an error by the leftfielder to load the bases once again. From there, Thomas took first on a fielder's choice that resulted in an out at second, but a throwing error allowed Poirier and Engelmann to score for the final runs of the inning.
The Lions plated a run in the bottom of the first inning, but the Wolverines added two more in the top of the second for a 9-1 lead on a two-run homer from Wenson, and they added two more in the third on a two-run shot from Lewis, his first of the season, and led 11-1 through three complete.
Michigan tacked on another run in the top of the fifth when Slater scored on an RBI single from Thomas. Up by 11, the Wolverines added another lone run in the sixth when Brdar led off with a double and scored on an RBI from Engelmann to make it 13-1.
Following scoreless seventh and eighth innings, Michigan scored its final run of the day in the top of the ninth. Slater led off the inning with a single to leftfield, and freshman Christan Bullock reached on an error to give Michigan two men on. The pair then moved up a base on a wild pitch, and sophomore Jimmy Kerr sent a long sacrifice fly to the outfield to score Slater for a 14-1 lead.
After seven scoreless outings, the Lions rallied for one run in the bottom of the ninth.
Sophomore lefty William Tribucher got the start for Michigan in the contest and tossed three complete innings with three strikeouts before leaving the game. Due to a predetermined pitching schedule, he was credited with the win, improving to 1-1 on the season.
Following Tribucher's start, freshman Jack Weisenburger took the mound in his first career appearance and threw two complete innings, allowing no runs on two hits. In the bottom of the sixth, redshirt freshman Benjamin Keizer came in for his career debut as well and tossed one complete inning with a strikeout.
From there, senior Keith Lehmann, sophomore Grant Reuss and sophomore Jack Bredeson combined to close out the game. The trio allowed just one run on two hits and combined for five strikeouts.
In total, the Wolverine pitching staff surrendered just five hits, tying their season low.
Michigan's offense tallied 14 hits in the contest and scored a season-high 14 runs. The Wolverines also walked seven times and recorded a season-high six extra-base hits, including Slater's first triple of the year.
The 12-run victory is Michigan's biggest run-differential of the season and the first since a 13-1 victory over Rutgers in May 2016.
Michigan will get back in action on Friday (March 3) as the Wolverines kick off the Dodgertown Classic with a single game at UCLA. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. PST in Los Angeles.
Communications Contact: Katie Gwinn Hewitt
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tribucher, William (1-1)
L: SKOLARZ, Steven (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Wenson, Harrison 1 ; Brdar, Michael 2
3B: Slater, Johnny 1
HR: Lewis, Miles 1 ; Wenson, Harrison 1
RBI: Thomas, Ako 2 ; Kerr, Jimmy 1 ; Lewis, Miles 2 ; Lugbauer, Drew 1 ; Wenson, Harrison 4 ; Brdar, Michael 1 ; Poirier, Nick 1 ; Engelmann, Jonathan 1
SF: Kerr, Jimmy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thomas, Ako 2 ; Bivens, Jake 1 ; Lewis, Miles 2 ; Lugbauer, Drew 1 ; Wenson, Harrison 2 ; Brdar, Michael 2 ; Poirier, Nick 1 ; Engelmann, Jonathan 1 ; Slater, Johnny 2
HBP: Lewis, Miles 1 ; Engelmann, Jonathan 1
Batting:
RBI: ERDMAN, Spencer 1 ; HIRSCH, Dylan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CAULFIELD, Phil 1 ; SHEARER, Brandon 1
HBP: SOGARD, Nick 1 ; HIRSCH, Dylan 1
