It has been a rough year for the Michigan baseball team. This year's team still has a handful of players left over from 2019's near-National Championship-winning team, but the 2022 Wolverines can't seem to get out of their own way.
Michigan has been strong at the plate, but poor pitching and defense has been this team's Achilles' heel all season long. The Wolverines are now 10-8 in the Big Ten after being picked to finish second in the preseason poll.
Game 1
Behind strong relief outings from Willie Weiss and Noah Rennard, Michigan was able to secure a come-from-behind win. The Wolverines jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning when Matt Frey doubled, scoring Joe Stewart.
Indiana answered with the game's next three runs, two of which were via solo home runs. The Hoosiers led, 3-1, after the top of the fifth inning. However, Jimmy Obertop drove in three runs, and Dylan Stanton hit his second home run of the season to finish off the Hoosiers, 8-4.
Game 2
Unlike the series opener, Michigan's bullpen did not have a strong outing in game two on Saturday. The Wolverines posted two runs in the bottom of the first inning, and Frey launched a three-RBI double to right center field, giving Michigan a 5-2 lead.
However, Angelo Smith and Jacob Denner each gave up three runs in relief, and the Hoosiers pulled away late, claiming a 9-5 victory. Frey, Stanton and Joey Velazquez all recorded multi-hit games, but it wasn't enough as the bullpen faltered down the stretch.
Game 3
The bullpen struggled once again in the series finale on Sunday, as Indiana scored at least one run in each of the last five innings to win the back-and-forth battle with the Wolverines.
Michigan's highlight of the game came in the third inning when Velazquez crushed a 432-foot home run to right field.
Although the bullpen did give up a few runs late in the game, the Wolverines also committed three errors as a team, contributing to the 10-8 loss.
What's next?
Michigan now sits at 24-20 overall on the season and 10-8 in the Big Ten. It will take a small break from conference play as it hosts Xavier and Wright State this week before heading to Maryland for a three-game weekend series with the Terrapins.
