Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Bullpen Shines, Helps Zahn Collect 100th Win
4/13/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Ray Fisher Stadium)
Score:Â Michigan 10, Eastern Michigan 8
Records: U-M (19-16), EMU (10-16)
Next U-M Game:Â Wednesday, April 14 -- vs. Oakland University (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team battled for a 10-8 non-conference win over Eastern Michigan on Tuesday (April 13) as Wolverine head coach Geoff Zahn notched his 100th career win. Zahn is now 100-95-1 in his fourth year with the Wolverines.
The visiting EMU Eagles jumped out early, scoring four runs in each of the first two innings and knocking Michigan starter Bobby Korecky (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) out of the game in the second inning. RF Clint Rodger (pair of doubles) and cleanup hitter Chris Kirian (single, double and three RBIs) paced the Eagle attack in the first two innings.
Michigan's 'lefty brigade' did the job out of the bullpen as junior Bryan Cranson (Bronson, Mich./Bronson HS), freshman Jeff Trzos (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington HS) and Nick Alexander (Alpena, Mich./Alpena HS) held EMU to just one hit -- a two-out single in the ninth inning by Chris DeShetler -- over the final 7.2 innings.
Trzos worked four scoreless innings and recorded four strikeouts to earn his first career win and Alexander picked up his first career save. The strong bullpen effort allowed the offense to get back in the game and the Wolverines chipped at deficits of 4-0 and 8-3.
Senior RF Dan Sanborn (Grand Ledge, Mich./Grand Ledge HS) set the tone as he blasted his second homer of the season as the second Wolverine batter of the day, following a leadoff walk by co-captain Bobby Scales (Roswell, Ga./Milton HS). Sanborn went 3-for-4 with a walk, while Scales had his hitting streak snapped at 18 games.
Sophomore shortstop Scott Tousa (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS) played a major role in the win by hitting a pair of clutch doubles. His first hit came with the bases loaded in the fifth inning and drove in two runs, cutting EMU's lead to 8-7, but designated hitter Jason Alcaraz (Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado HS) was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
In the seventh inning, Alcaraz hit a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 8-8 and Tousa launched his second double of the day into the right-center gap to score catcher David Parrish (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) from first base (he reached on a walk).
Sanborn highlighted the insurance-run rally in the eighth inning as he walked to lead off the frame and raced from first to third base on a sacrifice bunt by senior CF Brian Bush (Warren, Ohio/Howland HS). Senior co-captain Mike Cervenak's (New Boston, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child HS) sacrifice fly plated Sanborn with the 10th run of the afternoon.
Michigan hosts Oakland University on Wednesday (April 14) at 3 p.m. in non-conference action. The Golden Grizzlies are 11-11 after dropping a 3-2 decision at Michigan State on Tuesday afternoon.
NOTES
• Freshman Nate Wright (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew HS) made his first career start as designated hitter in the Eastern Michigan game. He grounded to short in his first at-bat and singled to center to lead off the fourth, going 1-for-2. His first appearance was as a defensive replacement at first base vs. EMU in the first meeting of the cross-county rivals (April 7).
• Freshman LHP Jeff Trzos entered the EMU game Tuesday with an ERA of 19.80 in five innings of work. He pitched four scoreless innings to drop his ERA more than eight points to 11.00. Trzos has 12 strikeouts in nine innings.
• Sophomore shortstop Scott Tousa doubled his double output for the season to four by hitting his pair Tuesday vs. Eastern Michigan. Tousa, who started slowly this season (1-for-18, .056) has been hitting at a .379 clip (22-for-58) to move his season average to .250.
• CF Brian Bush took over the team hitting lead (.357) with his 2-for-3 game, while 2B Bobby Scales dropped to .353 by having his hitting streak snapped at a career-best 18 games. Bush leads the team with 50 hits.
• Career hit list update -- Mike Cervenak had one hit Tuesday and Jason Alcaraz had none, entering the game as a pinch hitter at the DH slot. However, both drove in clutch runs late in the game with sac flies. Alcaraz tied the game at 8-8 in the seventh inning and Cervenak added insurance by knocking in the 10th run. Cervenak is third with 248 career hits and Alcaraz is fifth with 236. For the season, the two are tied for the team RBI lead (32).
• WTKA Radio has added Wednesday's (April 14, 3 p.m.) game vs. Oakland University to its schedule, with sports director Doug Karsch calling the action. The next broadcast will be vs. Michigan State (first game of May 1 doubleheader).
