EAST LANSING — The Wolverines couldn't have set a better script for a memorable weekend series and the chance to halt their recent losing skid.

Its opponent was Michigan State, a team nine games below .500. The Wolverines were set to retire former pitcher Jim Abbott’s No. 31 jersey before Saturday’s game. And to top it off, a win by senior pitcher Chris Fetter on Friday would push him past Abbott for fourth on the Michigan all-time career wins list.

But Michigan (5-7 Big Ten, 21-16 overall) lost 8-7 Friday in extra innings at East Lansing and 3-1 at home on Saturday. It avoided a sweep by taking yesterday's away game, 9-2.

“You know they’re trying so hard, so you just got to play through it,” Michigan coach Rich Maloney said. “You hope that before it’s too late from a playoff standpoint that somehow you find a way. … (The games are) all big now. We’ve got a tough road to go. But nevertheless, the game of baseball, things can change."

Having lost six of their last 10 games and looking for a spark, Michigan sent its ace to the mound for Friday's series opener.

Fetter pitched eight innings and allowed just one earned run, while striking out six batters in the effort.

“What a great job he did,” Maloney said. “I didn’t think he had his best stuff, and yet he pitched like a champion. And that’s the sign of a champion ... somebody who pitches well without even having their best stuff.”

But after Fetter's eight stellar innings helped the Wolverines build a 5-3 lead, the wheels came off when Michigan dipped into its bullpen, a trend that has happened all too often this season.

Sophomore Tyler Burgoon attempted to close out the game in the bottom of the ninth but gave up two quick singles. The next batter bunted the ball to Burgoon, who threw the ball just out of reach of senior Kevin Cislo at first, giving the Spartans two runs that tied the game.

In the 10th inning, junior first baseman Mike Dufek hit a two-run homer to snatch the lead back. But the Spartans surged back in the bottom half with a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly off of junior Eric Katzman. Michigan State (5-7, 14-22) ended the marathon after scoring on an error by Michigan redshirt sophomore Anthony Toth.

"We hit a two-run jack and so you think, I mean, c’mon," Maloney said. "They were down as they could be at that moment. And then we just gave them life again."

Before Saturday's game, Michigan retired Abbott’s number, and Abbott threw out the first pitch in front of a record crowd.

“Jimmy’s a very special person,” Maloney said. “He was a great player for us, and this honor is very well deserved. It puts him in a very elite class of people, and we’re thankful for everything he has contributed to our program."

Fittingly, the Wolverines' pitching was a bright spot on the day they honored their legendary ace. But it came from a rather unusual source.

Junior Alan Oaks made his first career start for the Wolverines and almost matched Fetter's Friday performance. Oaks pitched 7.2 innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out four batters.

“I was hoping (Oaks) would give us a chance to win, and he did even more than that," Maloney said. “I thought he was great ... You know that gave our team a lift, gave us a chance. And unfortunately, like I said, we couldn’t get the big hit.”

The Wolverines failed to cash in on any of their chances Saturday as they left 14 runners on base, nine in scoring position.

Even after the pair of disheartening losses, Michigan found a way to get back on track yesterday at McLane Stadium, where the Spartans had been undefeated before the game. Katzman allowed just two runs in 5.2 innings, and he benefited from an explosive nine-run offensive effort to pick up the win and avoid the sweep.