Senior Jimmy Obertop hit two home runs in the University of Michigan baseball team’s series opener against Ohio State on Thursday (May 18) at Bill Davis Stadium, but three scoring innings for the Buckeyes outpaced the Wolverines in a 7-3 loss.
Ted Burton doubled with one out in the top of the first inning for the first hit of the day, but two outs on four pitches ended the frame with Burton stranded in scoring position.
Ohio State (29-25, 7-15 Big Ten) got its offense going in the bottom of the first inning, scoring two runs for an early lead on a U-M error, a walk and a two-out, two-run double.
Jimmy Obertop cut the Buckeye lead to just one with a two-out solo homer in the top of the second, and Michigan starting pitcher Connor O’Halloran held Ohio State scoreless through its next three at-bats, giving up a leadoff single in the second before retiring nine Buckeyes in a row.
U-M (26-24, 11-9 Big Ten) threatened with bases loaded in the top of the third and put another runner in scoring position in the fifth, but could not convert.
Ohio State tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 5-1 lead, but graduate student Eamon Horwedel took the mound in relief and prevented further damage. The righty came in to pitch with one out and the bases loaded and retired the final two batters of the inning on just five pitches to leave three Buckeyes stranded.
Obertop gave the Wolverines another spark with a two-out homer in the top of the sixth, putting Michigan within two, 5-3. Tito Flores got things started with a one-out double down the left field line. On a 3-0 count, Obertop hit a home run to right center for his second of the night and the fourth two-homer game of his career.
The Buckeyes extended their lead with a bases-loaded walk in the sixth and added another in the seventh on a U-M wild pitch. The Wolverines could not mount a comeback and went down in order in back-to-back innings to end the game with OSU on top, 7-3.
Obertop ended the night with two hits, two runs and three RBI, while Burton and Flores picked up extra-base hits.
O’Halloran tossed 4.1 innings and struck out five while allowing five runs on seven hits in the loss. He struck out the leadoff batter in the bottom of the third inning, recording the 100th K of his season and becoming the first Wolverine with two 100-strikeout seasons. It is just the 12th 100-plus strikeout season in Michigan’s all-time history.
U-M continues its final regular-season series against Ohio State on Friday (May 19) at 5 p.m. at Bill Davis Stadium. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.
Source: Michigan Athletics
