Michigan Baseball Opens Home Season vs. Western Michigan: Free Admission & ESPN+ Stream
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — After a lengthy stretch to begin the season away from home, the University of Michigan baseball team will finally play at Ray Fisher Stadium, hosting Western Michigan in a midweek contest on at 4 p.m. Admission to the home opener is free, and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Wolverines (8-6) return home after completing a 14-game road trip that saw them navigate a challenging schedule against San Diego and Pepperdine. Michigan finished the spring break portion of their schedule with a 4-3 record, demonstrating resilience despite suffering three walk-off losses. Those defeats came against San Diego on , CSUN on , and Pepperdine in the second game of their series.
Despite the frustrating walk-off losses, several Wolverines have begun to emerge as key contributors. Redshirt freshman Dane Morrow experienced a breakout weekend against Pepperdine. Initially seeing limited playing time with just six at-bats entering the series, Morrow seized his opportunity, going 3-for-3 with two home runs and three runs scored in a late-inning appearance on . He followed that performance with a 1-for-4 outing and a walk in his subsequent start. Morrow is now hitting .385 on the season with five runs and two RBIs, quickly establishing himself as a potential offensive threat.
Freshman Jack Laffitte has also begun to make an impact. Laffitte, who had just four plate appearances before the spring break trip, reached base in three of those opportunities. He capitalized on increased playing time, going 4-for-10 across five games with four runs and five RBIs. His performance culminated in a three-hit game against Pepperdine, where he drove in two runs and scored one himself.
Redshirt junior Greg Pace Jr. continues to be a consistent presence in the Michigan lineup. He matched his season high with three hits in the finale against Pepperdine, bringing his season average to .316 with a .438 on-base percentage. Pace was particularly productive during the series against San Diego, scoring six runs and driving in four.
Sophomore Brayden Jefferis enjoyed a strong spring break trip, increasing his hit total from five to 15 over the seven games played in California. Jefferis recorded four multi-hit games – two against San Diego and two against Pepperdine – and scored runs in five games while adding RBIs in three. He is currently batting .288 with 10 runs and six RBIs.
On the pitching side, sophomore Grant Bradley has emerged as a reliable arm out of the bullpen. He earned a three-inning save against San Diego, striking out five and allowing just two baserunners. Bradley followed that up with a scoreless start against Pepperdine, keeping the Waves off the board over three innings while striking out two. He boasts a 0.00 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP across three outings.
Junior Colby Turner has been a steady offensive force, currently slashing .322/.349/.593. His .593 slugging percentage leads the Wolverines, and he is one of only two players on the team with multiple home runs, having hit four along with four doubles. Turner recorded two hits and a run in two games against Pepperdine.
Tuesday’s matchup against Western Michigan (6-7) presents a different challenge. The Broncos are coming off a series win over Akron and, like Michigan, faced CSUN earlier in the season, winning two of three games while the Wolverines dropped a midweek contest to the Matadors. All-time, Michigan holds a significant advantage in the series with a 96-80-4 record, including a 48-33-3 mark at home. But, Western Michigan has won the last two meetings and four of the last six indicating a recent shift in the series dynamic. This history suggests a competitive game is likely, despite Michigan’s overall series advantage.
The home opener provides a welcome change of scenery for the Wolverines, who have spent the first month of the season on the road. The team will be looking to build on the positive performances from several players during their spring break trip and establish a strong presence at Ray Fisher Stadium as they move further into the 2026 season.