The Michigan baseball team put up three good fights against the Big Ten-leading Iowa Hawkeyes over the weekend, but they weren’t able to find any wins.
The Michigan Wolverines hosted the top team in the Big Ten over the weekend in the Iowa Hawkeyes . All three games went down to the wire, as Michigan played the top team in the conference tough. However, Iowa left Ann Arbor with three conference victories.
Here is how the series went down:
Game 1: Michigan loses back-and-forth battle
Michigan put up a good fight in this one, but wasn’t able to do enough to get the win. David Lally Jr. got the start on the rubber for the Wolverines, and he got out to a shaky start as the Hawkeyes got out to a quick 3-0 lead after two innings.
The Wolverines had an answer, however, in the bottom of the second when Noah Miller knocked in a run on an RBI single. Unfortunately, Iowa stretched the lead back to three in the top of the third inning on an RBI double.
The fourth inning was a big one for Michigan, as it took the lead with four runs in the frame. Miller came up with another big hit to drive in two runs on a double, and then a throwing error by the Hawkeyes helped the Wolverines tie the game. A sac fly from Greg Pace put Michigan up 5-4 after four innings.
Michigan’s defense played well for the remainder of the game, but runs in the fifth and sixth innings by Iowa ended up being the difference. The Wolverines couldn’t get the bats going again, and the Hawkeyes held on for a 6-5 win. Dylan Vigue took the loss for Michigan.
Game 2: Iowa clinches series with another close win
Michigan played the Big Ten’s best team tough in this game as well, but lost another heartbreaker. The Wolverines got on the board first as Mitch Voit launched a home run in the bottom of the first, but unfortunately, that was not a sign of what was going to come.
Iowa tied it in the third inning and then took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth. Of the three runs, only one was earned.
Michigan did its job on defense the rest of the contest, but just like in the first game, the bats went cold down the stretch. Jeter Ybarra hit a sac fly in the eighth inning to make it 3-2, but the Wolverines weren’t able to find the equalizer.
Kurt Barr got the start on the mound for Michigan and pitched a great game, going seven innings and giving up just one earned run on six hits and no walks while striking out eight Hawkeyes. He played really well, but suffered the loss.
Game 3: Iowa wins another close one to sweep Michigan
This game was another close one that came down to the final innings, but once again, Iowa made winning plays down the stretch. Benjamin Casillas put Michigan on the board early with a solo shot in the first inning, and the Wolverines held onto that lead for a while.
Iowa didn’t get on the board until the fifth inning as a two-run single put the Hawkeyes up 2-1. The Hawkeyes added another run in the seventh to make it 3-1, but Michigan wasn’t done just yet.
An error on a Noah Miller single in the seventh inning made it 3-2, and Michigan was able to tie the game in the eighth inning on a Mitch Voit RBI. The Wolverines were in position to get a win, but Iowa turned things up a notch in the ninth.
Iowa scored four runs in the ninth, with three of them coming on a bases-clearing double. Jeter Ybarra hit a solo home run in the bottom of the frame, but Michigan wasn’t able to get any closer. The Hawkeyes won 7-4 and swept the series.
Vigue took the loss for the Wolverines. It was another valiant effort against a strong team, but Michigan couldn’t find a way to win a game in this series.
Up next
Michigan has one midweek week before its next weekend series. The Wolverines will host Bowling Green (25-13) on Tuesday before hosting Michigan State for a three-game series over the weekend.
The Wolverines and Falcons will get underway at 4 p.m. on Tuesday from Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor. The game will be streaming on B1G+.