Michigan
Cal State-Northridge
Ninth-Inning Miscues Hurt Wolverines in 7-4 Loss
3/19/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Site:Â College Station, Texas (Olsen Field)
Score:Â Cal State-Northridge 7, Michigan 4
Records:Â U-M (5-7), CSUN (18-14)
Next U-M Games:Â Saturday, March 20 -- vs. Nevada-Las Vegas (1 p.m. CST), at Texas A&M (5 p.m. CST) at Continental Classic (College Station, Texas)
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Cal State-Northridge snapped a 4-4 tie with three unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning to hand the University of Michigan baseball team a 7-4 loss Friday (March 19) in the first game of the Texas A&M Aggie Continental Airlines Classic. The Wolverines' record fell to 5-7, while the Matadors improved to 18-14.
Northridge jumped on top in the fourth inning, scoring four runs after the first two batters were retired on strikes. Jeremy Sickles' three-run triple, which came after two walks sandwiched around a single and passed ball, was the big blow in the inning.
Michigan answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth as an error, a hit and RBI singles by Mike Cervenak (New Boston, Mich./Divine Child HS) and Jay Dines (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) cut the lead in half. The Wolverines threatened to add more runs but Cervenak, trying to score on David Parrish's (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) single to left field, was cut down at the plate to thwart the rally.
The Wolverines tied the game with a pair of runs in the fifth, again benefitting from an error. With one out, Brian Bush (Warren, Ohio/Howland HS) reached on a boot by the Matador shortstop and Bobby Scales (Roswell, Ga./Milton HS) singled to put runners on first and second. After Alcaraz flied out, Cervenak's two-out double scored both runners.
In the eighth, Mike Seestedt's (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Sacred Heart HS) base hit started a two-out rally in the eighth. Parrish followed with a double, but the Matadors threw out Seedstedt, the potential go-ahead run, at the plate to preserve the tie.
In the top of the ninth, Northridge scored three unearned runs without a hit, using two Michigan errors, a walk, a hit batsman, a passed ball and two wild pitches.
Luke Bonner (Taylor, Mich./Divine Child HS) put together another solid outing as the Wolverine starter on the mound but was the hard-luck loser. Bonner (2-2) went 8 1/3 innings, striking out seven while allowing seven hits, three walks and six runs (three earned) before being relieved by Ryan Kelley (Northville, Mich./Divine Child HS).
Bush and Scales each went 2-for-5 for Michigan, with Scales extending his hitting streak to 12 straight games in 1999 and 16 in a row over two seasons. Cervenak and Parrish were both 2-for-4 with a double, and Cervenak drove in three of U-M's four runs.
The Wolverines will play two tournament games on Saturday (March 20), facing Nevada-Las Vegas (1 p.m. CST) and the host Aggies (5 p.m. CST).
