Late Inning Heroics Help Wolverines Split Doubleheader Against Bethel

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn baseball team split a doubleheader against the Bethel (Ind.) Pilots on Friday (Sept. 27). The Wolverines dropped a lopsided game one 16-3, and UM-Dearborn regrouped in game two, winning 7-6 after scoring the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth. 

Jacob White was the catalyst behind getting the Wolverines in the groove after a disappointing game one. White began the game with two scoreless innings to set the tone. After giving up a single run in the third and fourth, the Wolverine bats woke up in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs. 

The inning started with three straight walks to Carter Stephenson, Max Granatstein, and Brady Dion. The Wolverines forced the Pilots into a pitching change, and on the next batter, the Pilot defense kicked a routine groundball from Jameson Grunenwald, scoring Stephenson on the play. Bryce Schwab delivered a two-RBI single in the following at-bat to give the Wolverines a 3-2 lead. The Wolverines finished their four-run inning with a sac fly from Gavin Hampton to make it 4-2. 

The Pilots would retake the lead in the top of the sixth, but timely hitting from Dion, Schwab and freshman Tucker Corby plated three runs, giving the Wolverines some needed insurance. Mari Hegenberger-Ellars got the win in relief, while Alvaro Hernandez closed out the seventh to give the Wolverines their first win of the year.