While practicing in Port St. Lucie, Fla., the Michigan baseball team got a glimpse of NASA’s space shuttle, Discovery, taking off.

This weekend, the Wolverines (0-3) hope to see another take-off — their season.

After being swept to open the season, Michigan now turns its attention to Rutgers (1-2) for a three-game set.

“It’s definitely important to get in the win column,” senior pitcher Kolby Wood said Thursday. “We need to get that first one on the board to get some confidence going because we saw a lot of good things (last weekend), but we just couldn’t put it all together at the right times.

“So if we can get one (win) on the board, just build some confidence, it’ll go from there. We have a young team. So I think it’s important to get some confidence going early.”

While scoring runs wasn’t an issue for the Wolverines — they averaged six runs a game — poor pitching and defense proved to be a killer. Michigan made two errors a game on its way to giving up nearly 12 runs per game in losses to No. 21 Louisville, St. John’s and No. 22 UConn last weekend in Florida.

For northern teams like Michigan, who are forced to practice indoors and lack the opportunity to take real fielding practice prior to opening weekend, rust can play a large part in early season defensive woes.

“I think it had something to do with not being out there on dirt (before last weekend),” junior first baseman Gerrett Stephens said. “It’s a lot different than playing on turf, where we’re accustomed to the same feel every ground ball. We’ve got a team that’s very, very capable of being one of the best defensive teams that we’ve had. I think we’re going to work the kinks out defensively to where that’s not going to be a problem for us.”

The Wolverines may have gotten a blessing in disguise from the snowstorm that hit the Midwest Sunday night, delaying the team’s connecting flight home. While stranded in Nashville, Tenn., the team traveled to nearby Lipscomb University and practiced on the Bison’s baseball field.

“It’s always big being able to get outside,” Stephens said. “Every chance we get to see live pitching and to see where your balls going and take ground balls in a game situation — it was really crucial. It was a better time than being in Oosterbaan (Field House). I know that.”

On Friday, Michigan will again turn to its ace, sophomore Bobby Brosnahan, who gave up five runs and eight hits in five innings in the Wolverines' 6-3 opening day loss to the Cardinals.

After Michigan’s other two pitchers — junior Brandon Sinnery and sophomore Ben Ballantine — couldn’t get past the third inning last weekend, the team will look to new starters this weekend.

Senior Travis Smith will make his season debut as the starter of the first game of Saturday’s double-header.

Either redshirt sophomore Tyler Mills, who gave up a run in two innings out of the bullpen last weekend, or Wood will start the nightcap, depending on whether Mills is needed out of the bullpen.

Wood, coming off elbow tendinitis, will be limited to only three innings of work this weekend.

Stephens will look to stay red hot at the plate. He drove in eight of Michigan’s 18 runs last weekend, including the Wolverines' only homer.

Coming into the season, Stephens had just 12 career starts and only 21 RBIs. The Davison, Mich. native credits the confidence of becoming the Wolverines' full-time first baseman for his successful start.

“I think it was really important,” Stephens said. “Not being in the lineup the past couple years to start the year, I was kind of feeling like I had something to prove. And also, following (former All-Big Ten first baseman) Mike Dufek, I knew we wouldn’t want to have a lack of production at (first base), so it was really important to get my confidence going and drive in some runs early.”

Michigan will look to improve its record against the Big East. The conference’s preseason coach’s poll, which ranked the Wolverines' opponents last weekend No. 1-No. 3, tabbed Rutgers No. 6. The Scarlet Nights took one of three games against a top-25 Miami (Fla.) team.

To close the weekend, Michigan will go against the New York Mets for the fourth consecutive year. The Mets — owned by University of Michigan graduate Fred Wilpon — hold a 2-0-1 record against Michigan, despite an all-time score of 30-12.

“For me, I’m going in just looking at it as, ‘How fun is this going to be?’ ” Stephens said.