Michigan
Rutgers
Offense Awakens, Powers Michigan to Series-Evening Win at Rutgers
3/28/2026 6:46:00 PM | Baseball
» The Wolverines used three home runs to even the series against Rutgers, winning 11-5.
» Evan Haeger homered twice.
» Colby Turner went 4-for-4 with two extra-base hits, including a three-run home run.
» Erik Puodziunas earned his first career win, throwing 5.1 innings and striking out two.
PISTCATAWAY, N.J. -- The University of Michigan baseball hit three home runs, including two from Evan Haeger, as part of a 10-hit day to lift the Wolverines to an 11-5 victory over Rutgers on Saturday (March 28) at Bainton Field.
Michigan (12-13, 1-6 Big Ten) got off to a strong start, drawing two walks with one out. Noah Miller brought home Colby Turner on a sacrifice fly, and Haeger followed with a two-run home run to put the Wolverines up 3-0.
U-M added four more runs in the third with Cooper Mullens, Miller and Haeger hitting doubles, while Turner added a single. Mullens and Turner scored on Miller's double, and Miller scored on Haeger's. Cade Ladehoff's sacrifice fly scored Haeger, and Michigan led 7-0.
Rutgers (15-10, 4-3 Big Ten) was shut down by Erik Puodziunas early in the game with only two baserunners reaching over the first four innings. The Scarlet Knights singled to open the fifth, their first hit since the first inning, and it set up Rutgers' first run of the game. Working into the sixth inning, Puodziunas allowed two singles and a home run before being relieved by Cade Montgomery. After allowing a single, Montgomery got the next two batters looking and kept the Wolverines in the lead, 7-3.
After a scoreless bottom of the seventh, Haeger added an insurance run with his second home run of the day, this one to center field off the batter's eye.
The Scarlet Knights drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth, but Montgomery ended any threat with a groundout, strikeout and flyout to keep the score at 8-4. The Wolverines added three runs on a Turner home run in the top of the ninth. Rutgers homered and doubled in the ninth, but the U-M lead was too large, and it evened the series with an 11-5 win.
Three Wolverines tallied multi-hit games, led by Turner's four hits. Haeger homered twice on a three-hit day, while Mullens scored twice on two hits. Puodizunas (1-0) allowed four runs over 5.1 innings to earn his first win, while Montgomery earned his first save with 3.2 innings of relief work, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts.
Michigan will take on Rutgers in the rubber match of their three-game series on Sunday (March 29) at Bainton Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on B1G+.
