Harvard jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first. Michigan ace Michael Penn walked Salsgiver to open the game. Salsgiver then advanced on a single by sophomore second baseman Zak Farkes and a pass ball, before scoring on grounder by junior catcher Schuyler Mann to put the Crimson up 1-0.

After the Wolverines evened the score in the top of the second, Harvard went ahead for good with two runs in the bottom of the third.

Sophomore left fielder Chris Mackey—who celebrated his 21st birthday over the weekend—lined an RBI double to left and advanced to third on a single by Salsgiver. Farkes then laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring home Mackey, and Salsgiver later scored on a wild pitch.

Harvard rapped out 10 hits, led by Hendricks and Farkes, who finished the game 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.

Third baseman A.J. Scheidt led Michigan’s offense with three hits, including his team-leading third homer. Penn (1-1) took his first loss of the season, allowing seven hits and three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings.

HARVARD 3, MICHIGAN 1

For seven full innings, junior Rob Wheeler sat in the dugout and watched his Harvard teammates swing and miss. But in the eighth—after a single by Salsgiver, a double by Hendricks and a Mann walk loaded the bases—Wheeler had to watch no more.

With the score knotted at 1-1 and sophomore Josh Klimkiewicz up, Harvard coach Joe Walsh called for his favorite pinch hitter, and Wheeler did not disappoint, knocking a two-RBI double down the right field line to put Harvard ahead for good.

“I had the same plan that I have every time I go up to pinch hit,” Wheeler said, “and that’s to swing at anything in the strike zone. And it worked out. I got a pitch low in the zone, which is what I like, and I took it to right field.”

Brunnig (1-1) earned the win in a stellar pitching perfomance. The 6’7 hurler rebounded from a rocky season-opening start two weeks ago in Texas to toss eight innings, allowing only one earned run on three hits while striking out six.

Hendricks tossed a perfect ninth to seal the win and pick up the save.

“Both [Hendricks and Brunnig] came up huge for us,” Salsgiver said. “They were around the plate all weekend and did a great job keeping the Michigan hitters off balance.”

Michigan took the early 1-0 lead on an RBI single by left fielder Brad Roblin in the first, but Brunnig quickly settled in, facing only 12 batters over the next four frames.

The Crimson tied the game in the fourth when senior Bryan Hale was hit by a pitch to open the inning, Hale advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored on a fielder’s choice.

Salsgiver—who finished 2-for-4—had the only multi-hit day for Harvard, who won despite striking out a season-high 14 times while only collecting six hits.