Michigan Baseball takes 2-of-3 at Minnesota, wins seventh straight Big Ten series

The offense would stay alive in the fifth inning and got the aid of some sloppy defense. With runners on first and second, an error from Minnesota first baseman Jack Bello allowed Greg Pace to score. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from Colby Turner and Matthew Ossenfort helped drive in two more runs to make it a 5-5 game. Bello would atone for his error in the bottom of the sixth, though, hitting a two-run homer to give Minnesota a 7-5 lead.

Michigan would chip away at the lead again in the seventh with an RBI infield single from Turner. A bunt single in the eighth from Noah Miller allowed Jefferis to score from third base as well, making it a 7-7 game. Michigan would finally grab the lead for good in the ninth inning, with Miller at the plate again with the bases loaded. He hit a single up the middle, driving in two runs in the process.

Minnesota got a run back in the bottom of the ninth, but the Wolverines were able to hold on for a thrilling 9-8 victory to even the series.

Game 3 – Sunday

Michigan continued its momentum into the rubber match on Sunday afternoon. The Wolverines opened the second inning with three straight singles to load the bases before a Minnesota error allowed two runs to score. Michigan scored another courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Elie Kligman to go up 3-0.

In the top of the third, Colby Turner led things off with a solo homer to make it 4-0, while Matthew Ossenfort and Brenden Stressler each had RBIs to go up 6-0. Minnesota got a run back in the bottom of the third with a sac fly from Weber Neels to make it 6-1.

In the top of the fifth, Dane Morrow drove in Stressler with a double in the right-center field gap. Michigan then added another run in the top of the sixth via a solo homer from Evan Haegar. Minnesota’s Ty Allen clubbed a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth to make it a little closer at 8-2.

The Golden Gophers wouldn’t wait too much longer to keep chipping away, with Jack Mosh hitting a homer to right field in the bottom of the seventh. They’d get two more runs later in the inning with a two-run homer from Davis Hamilton to make it 8-5. But Michigan’s bullpen would close it out without allowing further damage, helping Michigan clinch the series victory in the finale.

By winning 2-of-3 over the weekend, Michigan advanced to 32-18 overall on the year and clinched its seventh consecutive series win. The Wolverines’ late-season push has continued to cement their case for an NCAA Tournament bid, but they’ll still have to close out the regular season strong. They’ll play an important road game against Kent State — the best team in the MAC — on Tuesday night before one final series against a stingy Ohio State team beginning on Thursday night in Ann Arbor.