Michigan coach Rich Maloney knows that hitting is contagious.

It’s been a catchphrase for the Michigan baseball team this season — and it’s been true more often than not.

In Tuesday’s doubleheader against Ball State, the Wolverines used their contagious hitting to down the Cardinals in both games, 8-5 and 5-2.

In the first game, Michigan allowed Ball State to take an early 1-0 lead in the first inning before the Wolverines came charging back in the second inning, scoring seven runs. Redshirt junior Nick Urban gave the Wolverines the lead with his three-run home run, and Michigan never looked back as it registered 11 hits during the first game.

Sophomore designated hitter Jack McLouth helped carry the offensive load by going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI. Junior catcher Chris Berset and redshirt sophomore Anthony Toth also chipped in with two hits and an RBI each.

Three Wolverines saw significant time on the mound. Senior Mike Wilson got the start and pitched 3.2 innings, striking out four batters. Redshirt sophomore Matt Gerbe came in as a reliever but was replaced after 1.1 innings after giving up four hits and two runs. Sophomore Matt Miller pitched 1.2 innings and registered two strikeouts, only allowing a single hit.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, junior Eric Katzman came in for Michigan to close out the game, striking out the Cardinals' leading batter, Jeremy Hazelbaker. The Wolverines bullpen held Hazelbaker, who bats .420, to 0-for-5 in the first game.

“We pitched out of stuff that we normally hadn’t,” Michigan baseball coach Rich Maloney said. “Those are moments and we executed in those moments. That’s a positive.”

In the second game, the Michigan bullpen held the Cardinals at bay once again, allowing only eight hits. Sophomore Travis Smith got the start and struck out six batters in five innings. Sophomore Tyler Burgoon closed the game for the Wolverines by not allowing any hits the final 1.2 innings, registering two strike outs in his time on the mound.

Michigan was able to get on the scoreboard first with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the opening inning, and the Wolverines used their contagious hitting to crank out four runs in the fourth.

Once again McLouth led the charge by hitting a two-run single that brought Toth and sophomore Ryan LaMarre home. Sophomore Garrett Stephens also got in on the action with a long single and an RBI. Despite only batting 3-for-23 in the second game, Maloney was pleased that his team did what they needed to do to get the win.

With the two wins over Ball State, Michigan closed out its home season with a three-game winning streak, which they hope to continue as they hit the road for their final Big Ten series against Northwestern beginning Thursday.

With the sixth place spot in the Big Ten Tournament up for grabs between Purdue and Michigan, the Wolverines have found themselves in a must-win position if they hope to keep their season alive.

“At this point, now, they know what they have to do,” Maloney said.