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Usually during the recruiting process, we hear a lot about dual-sport athletes, but it doesn’t necessarily happen often. But, when you’re committed to a rival school for baseball before flipping to football, chances are, you really are a player who can do both.
Such is the case for Wolverines linebacker Joey Velazquez, who also plays for the baseball team. While he might not be a mainstay for the defense nor the batting order, we’ve seen him make big plays on both the gridiron, and now the diamond as well.
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Velazquez was responsible for forcing a pivotal fumble on special teams at Wisconsin in Week 5 last year, and now he’s helped aid the maize and blue in baseball. In the top of the eighth against Maryland, the game tied at four-all, Velazquez came in as a pinch hitter, and hit a three-run shot to give Michigan baseball the lead.
T8 | JOEY V! 3-RUN HOME RUN!
Velazquez pinch hits, his first AB of the year after missing time while practicing with @UMichFootball, and drives his 1st career homer to give us the lead! #GoBlue 7 – Maryland 4 pic.twitter.com/rIGqHUVMzZ
— Michigan Baseball (@umichbaseball) March 4, 2022
As a result of Velazquez’s dinger, the Wolverines won the game by the aforementioned 7-4 score.
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