Michigan
Maryland
No. 18 Maryland Scores Late, Escapes Michigan 8-7
5/13/2022 9:49:00 PM | Baseball
» Maryland scratched for an eighth-inning run to break a 7-7 tie.
» Michigan trailed 7-0 in the sixth inning.
» Jake Marti hit his first career home run.
» Matt Frey hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to tie the game at 7-7.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The University of Michigan baseball team erased a 7-0 deficit to tie the game against the No. 18-ranked Maryland Terrapins only to give up a late run in an 8-7 setback Friday night (May 13) at Bob Smith Stadium.
Michigan trailed 7-0 before scoring once in the sixth and six times in the seventh inning to tie the game.
Nick Lorusso and Matt Shaw connected for solo home runs with two outs in the first inning against U-M starter Noah Rennard and the Terrapins were off and running.
The home side plated five runs in the fourth inning, punctuated by a two-run homer from Kevin Keister. Bolstered by a big early advantage, starter Jason Savacool worked around a bases-loaded situation to get Maryland through six innings.
Michigan got on the board in the sixth when Jake Marti ripped his first career home run over the left-center field wall to lead off the inning. U-M loaded the bases with one out but Savacool escaped the jam with an inning-ending double-play ball to second base to finish his night with seven strikeouts against four hits.
Working against the Maryland bullpen In the seventh, Joey Velazquez led off with a double inside the first-base bag and two walks loaded the bases with no outs, prompting Maryland to go deeper into the pen. Marti drove another ball deep to the outfield, this one going for a sacrifice fly. Following another walk, Joe Stewart roped a two-run single to center and Matt Frey followed with a towering three-run homer to centerfield to suddenly tie the game at 7-7 in front of a stunned Maryland crowd.
Maryland benefitted from some wildness by Michigan hurler Connor O'Halloran to scratch for the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. With one out, O'Halloran issued two walks on eight straight pitches and then uncorked a pair of wild pitches to bring a run home before regaining control and getting out of the inning.
Michigan was unable to rally in the ninth inning against Maryland closer Nigel Belgrave. Frey drew a lead-off walk and pinch-runner Jordon Rogers went to second base on a wild pitch but Maryland escaped trouble as Tito Flores lined a shot right at the left fielder and closer Nigel Belgrave got a strikeout to end it.
The teams will continue their three-game Big Ten Conference series on Saturday (May 14) with first pitch at 2 p.m. at Bob Smith Stadium.
