The University of Michigan baseball team suffered a 6-5 defeat in 10 innings against San Diego on Friday night at Fowler Park and Cunningham Field in San Diego, California.
A Back-and-Forth Contest
Michigan initially took the lead in the third inning with a solo home run from Drew Culbertson, his first as a Wolverine. Both teams then erupted for four runs in the fourth inning. Colby Turner’s double scored Brenden Stressler, and Brayden Jefferis followed with a triple that brought home both Matthew Ossenfort and Turner. Jefferis then scored on a sacrifice fly by Greg Pace Jr.
San Diego responded with four runs of their own in the fourth, aided by five walks issued by Michigan pitchers. The Toreros tied the game in the fifth with a two-out RBI single. The score remained tied through the ninth inning, despite both teams having opportunities to take the lead.
In the 10th inning, Cade Ladehoff was hit by a pitch but was quickly out at second on a fielder’s choice by Brenden Stressler. Jonathan Kim’s pinch-hit single advanced Stressler to third, but the threat ended when San Diego secured the walk-off victory with a single to left field.
Brayden Jefferis and Colby Turner each recorded two hits and scored a run for Michigan. Jefferis drove in two runs, although Turner added one RBI. Max Debiec pitched 2.2 scoreless innings in relief, striking out six batters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of the game?
The final score was San Diego 6, Michigan 5.
Who hit the first home run of the game?
Drew Culbertson hit the first home run of the game in the third inning.
How many strikeouts did Max Debiec record?
Max Debiec struck out six batters in 2.2 innings of relief work.
Michigan will continue its series against San Diego on Saturday, February 28, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. PT and streamed live on ESPN+.
With this series opener resulting in a close loss, what adjustments do you reckon the Wolverines will need to make to find success against San Diego in the upcoming games?
