Michigan baseball beats Michigan State again

Michigan baseball was looking to get back on track against Michigan State on Tuesday night and had to rally from a terrible start but still beat the Spartans. 

After dropping six of their last seven games, the Wolverines got off to a rough start as Michigan baseball hosted rival Michigan State for their final regular-season meeting of the season, yet in the end, it didn’t matter as U-M still came away with the 11-8 win.

The Spartans scored four runs in the top of the first inning. However, Michigan baseball didn’t wait long to respond and after five consecutive Big Ten losses, there had to be some frustration building that was unleashed in the bottom of the first inning with nine runs on seven hits.

Ted Burton came through with a two-run single to tie the score at 4-4 as he ripped a base hit to the outfield with the bases juiced.

Clark Elliott then doubled in a run before Joe Stewart brought home two runs on a double as Michigan baseball built a five-run lead.

If the fifth inning, Michigan State loaded the bases and had the go-ahead run at first base, but the Spartans stranded three runners and still trailed U-M 9-7.

Michigan State again put the go-ahead run on second in the top of the seventh inning, however, Willie Weiss, who was the seventh pitcher brought on for Michigan baseball, got a key strikeout to preserve the lead at 9-8.

Needing some insurance runs, Michigan baseball added two in the bottom of the seventh, with one run coming after a walk and another on an RBI single by Tito Flores to extend the lead.

Weiss then retired the side in the eighth and ninth innings to put the win on ice.

Matt Frey, Jimmy Obertop, Stewart, Flores, and Riley Bertram all notched two hits each in the win for Michigan which is now 11-11 in the Big Ten and 26-24 overall.

The Wolverines are also 4-0 against Michigan State.