Michigan
Maryland
U-M Hands No. 21 Maryland First Loss of Season
3/4/2022 4:15:00 PM | Baseball
» Michigan scored seven runs between the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to erase a 4-0 deficit.
» Two-sport athlete Joey Velazquez hit a pinch-hit, three-run go-ahead homer in the eighth for his first career homer.
» Senior Riley Bertram hit his first career homer in the seventh, a two-run shot.
» Cameron Weston struck out nine batters in 5.0 innings.
» Head coach Erik Bakich won his 300th game at U-M, doing so at his alma mater's stadium.
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The University of Michigan baseball team (7-3) erased a four-run deficit against No. 21-ranked Maryland (8-1) on Friday (March 4) as the Wolverines topped the previously undefeated Terrapins, 7-4, in the opening game of the Keith LeClair Classic, hosted by East Carolina University at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Two-sport athlete Joey Velazquez connected for a pinch-hit, three-run home run off the left field foul pole in the eighth inning to break a tie game and gave Michigan the 7-4 lead in a high-level game involving two conference title contenders.
The win marked number 300 for head coach Erik Bakich, who accomplished the feat on the grounds against his former club and at of his alma mater not far from where he used to run a conditioning program called "300." In the 2021 season, Michigan earned its 3,000 program win against Maryland.
A leadoff error in the second proved costly as a two-out, wind-blown homer to left field off the bat of Luke Shliger gave the Terps to a 3-0 lead. Then, to start the fifth, a misplayed fly ball resulted in another run to make it 4-0 before U-M got it going in the sixth.
With one out, Matt Frey sent a double to the gap in right against Maryland ace, Nick Dean. Following a hit batter, Tito Flores doubled to right-center to score Frey, marking the first run of the season allowed by Maryland's ace. Ted Burton followed with a run-scoring groundout to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Riley Bertram tied the game in the seventh when the senior yanked a 1-1 fastball high over the right field fence for a two-run homer to score Jack Van Remortel, who walked to lead off. It marked the first career homer for the second baseman.
Another first career homer further sparked Michigan in the eighth. Jimmy Obertop and Burton singled, and coach Bakich went to Velazquez to pinch-hit. After missing time due to football practice, the two-sport athlete, earning his first at bat of the season, answered with a three-run homer off the left field foul pole to suddenly give U-M a 7-4 lead.
Noah Rennard earned the win with a sparking relief performance. Rennard entered the game with runners in scoring position and one out in the sixth, got out of that jam, and ended up with four strikeouts against just one hit in 2.2 innings of work.
Willie Weiss pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his second save of the year.
Cameron Weston didn't factor in the decision, but the junior righty was impressive in the early season outing, allowing one earned run on four hits in 5.0 innings of work while striking out nine batters.
Next up in the tournament, Michigan will play Saturday (March 5) against host ECU at 4:30 p.m. The game will be available on ESPN+.
