Michigan Baseball takes first game of series against Rutgers

The Michigan Wolverines (19-7) won their sixth-straight game on Friday afternoon in a 6-4 comeback win over Rutgers (12-13) in Friday’s series opener at Ray Fisher Stadium. Michigan came back twice in the game from deficits of 3-0 and 4-2 to capture the eventual win.

Friday starter Steve Hajjar was touched up for three runs in the first inning, two of which were unearned. He would finish the day with five innings pitched, allowing four hits and four runs (one earned) with two walks and nine strikeouts. Michigan’s bullpen worked four scoreless innings of relief, capped off by Willie Weiss grabbing the save and striking out the side in the top of the ninth.

Rutgers took a 3-0 lead after the first inning, but Michigan got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Tito Flores and a sacrifice fly from Ted Burton. The Scarlet Knights would strike with a solo home run from Danny DiGeorgio in the fourth. Michigan answered again in the bottom of the fourth inning with an RBI double from Flores and an RBI triple from Burton to tie the game at 4-4.

A pair of RBI singles from Riley Bertram and Jordon Rogers gave Michigan a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning before Weiss came into the game to shut down and hopes of a Rutgers comeback.

Saturday’s game has been moved up to a noon start and will be streamed live on Big Ten Network+. The series will conclude Sunday at 1 p.m. ET and also be broadcast via Big Ten Network+.