No. 18 Michigan Drops Game Two at Maryland

Saturday, March 25

College Park, Md.

7:00 PM

Michigan

16-6, 0

Maryland

15-7, 0

Michigan

Maryland

3/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 25, 2017

» Drew Lugbauer totaled a season-high three hits in the contest.
» Ryan Nutof and Alec Rennard combined for 12 strikeouts in the effort.
» The loss marks the first time this season that Michigan has dropped two consecutive games.

• Box Score

Site: College Park, Md. (Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium)
Score: Maryland 5, Michigan 4
Records: U-M (16-6, 0-2 B1G), UMD (15-7, 2-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, March 26 -- at Maryland (College Park, Md.), 1 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Despite a 12-strikeout effort by the Wolverine pitching staff and multi-hit outings from Drew Lugbauer and Michael Brdar, the No. 18-ranked University of Michigan baseball team came up just short on Saturday (March 25), dropping a 5-4 decision to Maryland inside Turtle Smith Stadium.

After being held scoreless for eight of nine innings on Friday (March 24), the Wolverines got back to their scoring ways in the top of the first on Saturday for an early lead. Brdar got the inning going with a two-out single to right field, and Lugbauer blasted an RBI triple to the right-field wall to score Brdar for a 1-0 Michigan lead.

The Terps responded quickly, however, loading the bases in the bottom of the same inning. A sacrifice flyout scored one to tie the game, but Michigan settled in to retire the next two batters and strand two Maryland runners.

The Wolverines regained the lead in the top of the next inning, going up 2-1. Senior Johnny Slater led off the at-bat with a single to right field, and senior Harrison Wenson was hit by pitch, giving Michigan two men on base. Sophomore Jimmy Kerr then executed a sacrifice bunt to push both runners into scoring position, and a walk to sophomore Jonathan Engelmann loaded the bases for the Maize and Blue. It was sophomore Ako Thomas who followed with the sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Slater for a one-run Michigan lead.

After a scoreless third, Michigan added another in the top of the fourth as Wenson led off with a single and later beat the throw home on another RBI from Thomas.

Michigan's two-run lead was cut short as Maryland plated two runs in the bottom of the fourth on two singles and a walk, tying the game at 3-3.

The Wolverines were quick to respond once again, however, taking the lead back in the top of the fifth. Brdar and Lugbauer led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and Slater laid down the sacrifice squeeze bunt to score Brdar.

Michigan maintained a 4-3 lead through the next full inning, but a solo homer off the bat of Maryland's Will Watson tied the game once more in the bottom of the sixth.

Michigan put runners in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings but could not score. Two singles and a sacrifice fly in the Maryland half of the eighth was the deciding shift of the game, as the Terps took home the 5-4 victory.

The loss marks the first time this season that Michigan has dropped two consecutive games.

Despite the loss, Michigan's pitching staff was solid in the effort, allowing just six hits on the day with 12 strikeouts. Junior starter Ryan Nutof tied his career high with eight strikeouts through six innings, and junior Alec Rennard was the only reliever to toe the rubber in the effort. Rennard struck out four through two complete innings and was credited with the loss.

Lugbauer and Brdar led the Wolverines in hitting on the night, recording three and two hits, respectively. The pair was the only Michigan players to record multiple hits in the outing, while Thomas knocked in a team-high two runs.

Michigan and Maryland will wrap up the three-game Big Ten opening series on Sunday (March 26). First pitch of the series finale is set for 1 p.m. in College Park, and fans can watch the game live on BTN2Go.

Communications Contact: Katie Gwinn Hewitt