Eight-Run Fourth Inning Launches U-M to B1G-Opening Win Over Penn State

Friday, March 24

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

10-11, 0

Penn State

12-6, 0

Penn State

Michigan

(Michigan Photography)

Eight-Run Fourth Inning Launches U-M to B1G-Opening Win Over Penn State

3/24/2023 8:36:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Conor Stemme

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team opened the Big Ten Conference season with a 13-4 win over Penn State on Friday (March 24) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium, behind a big eight-run fourth inning.

The Nittany Lions (12-6, 0-1 Big Ten) held a 2-1 lead after solo home runs off Connor O'Halloran in the first and third frames, and while PSU went quietly in the top of the fourth, the Wolverines (10-11, 1-0 Big Ten) did not in the bottom half.

Joey Velazquez hit his first home run of the season to open the inning to tie the game at 2. Michigan then loaded the bases when Jake Marti singled, Gabe Sotres was hit by a pitch and Mitch Voit reached on a bunt single.Jonathan Kim singled to plate Marti and give Michigan a 3-2 lead, followed by Cody Jefferis drawing a full-count to score Sotres. Tito Flores hit a sacrifice fly to plate Voit for a 5-2 lead with just one out. Burton doubled to left field to score Kim, and Jefferis came home on a wild pitch before Joe Longo capped the eight-run inning with hit a two-run homer to left to give the Maize and Blue a 9-2 advantage.

The Wolverines added two more in the bottom of the fifth to take an 11-2 lead. Voit doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a Kim single. Kim scored as Jefferis hit his second of three doubles on the day, this time down the right-field line.

Michigan added to its lead once again in the bottom of the seventh as Kim led off the inning with a single. After Jefferis doubled to advance Kim, Burton hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Kim. Jefferis scored as well when Longo hit a single to left field to give Michigan a 13-2 lead after seven.

Penn State attempted a late comeback, adding two in the eighth inning after a single, walk and double, but that momentum was not enough as Cam Hart shut down the Nittany Lions -- allowing just one walk and struck out one batter for a scoreless ninth.

O'Halloran ran his record to 4-1 on the season after he pitched eight solid innings, allowing four runs and striking out seven while scattering eight hits. Jefferis and Kim led the Wolverines' charge with three runs and three hits each. Longo and Burton both had three RBI.

The Wolverines will continue their series against Penn State on Saturday (March 25) at 2 p.m. when they host tje Nittany Lions at Ray Fisher Stadium. Game two of the series will be streamed live on B1G+.