The Washington Huskies baseball team lost 8-7 to the Michigan Wolverines in a closely contested series opener on April 24. The game took place at Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
This loss brings Washington’s record to 18-23 overall and 8-11 in Big Ten play. The matchup was notable for strong offensive performances from Casen Taggart and Jackson Hotchkiss, who each hit home runs early in the game. Taggart’s homer was his third in four games, continuing a streak where he has batted .462 with three home runs and five RBIs over that stretch. Hotchkiss added his team-leading 14th home run of the season, bringing him within two homers of eighth place on the school’s single-season record list.
Pitcher Noah Kenney started for Washington and allowed just one run on five hits while striking out five batters over six innings. Despite holding an early lead after scoring three runs by the third inning, Washington fell behind when Michigan scored three times in the seventh to take a one-run advantage.
Washington rallied with four runs in the eighth inning, including an RBI single from Mic Paul, a bases-loaded walk by Braeden Terry, and a two-RBI single from Hotchkiss that put them ahead 7-4 heading into the bottom half of the frame. However, Michigan responded with four runs in their final at-bat—including a decisive three-RBI double—to secure the win.
Both Hotchkiss and Taggart finished with two hits each for Washington; Hotchkiss also led all players with four RBIs. The teams will continue their series Saturday morning at Ray Fisher Stadium.
Looking ahead, Washington aims to rebound as they face Michigan again on Saturday at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
