Michigan
Illinois
Illini's Journell Shuts Down Wolverine Rally, 6-5
4/2/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Ray Fisher Stadium)
Scores:Â Illinois 6, Michigan 5
Records:Â U-M (13-12, 3-2 Big Ten), Illinois (15-6, 5-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game:Â Saturday, April 3 -- DH vs. Illinois (Ray Fisher Stadium), 1 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Defending Big Ten Conference baseball champion Illinois fought from behind and then held off the host University of Michigan Wolverines in a 6-5 Fighting Illini win in the series opener Friday (April 2) afternoon.
The Wolverines (13-12, 3-2 Big Ten) jumped to a 3-0 first-inning lead off RHP Jason Anderson, but Illinois battled back to tie the game in fifth inning and scored twice in the sixth to take a 6-4 lead.
The Wolverines knocked Anderson out of the game in the eighth on back-to-back doubles by senior first baseman Bryan Besco (Westland, Mich./John Glenn HS) and senior centerfielder Brian Bush (Warren, Ohio/Howland HS). Bush moved to third on junior Rob Bobeda's (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt HS) single that marked Anderson's last "complete' batter.
Anderson moved the count to a ball and two strikes on senior DH Dan Sanborn (Grand Ledge, Mich./Grand Ledge HS) when Illinois coach "Itch" Jones brought in closer Jimmy Journell. Journell retired three straight to get out of the eighth and retired three of the four Wolverines he faced in the ninth to record his second save of the season. Anderson moved his record to 4-0 and Michigan starter Luke Bonner (Taylor, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child HS) evened his record at 3-3 with the loss.
Michigan grabbed its 3-0 first inning lead as senior second baseman Bobby Scales (Roswell, Ga./Milton HS) doubled and scored on a single by senior third baseman Mike Cervenak (New Boston, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child HS). Besco's pop fly fell for a single and both runners advanced a base when the outfielder overran the ball for an error. Anderson balked in Cervenak and Bobeda drove in Besco with an infield single.
Illinois took advantage off opportunities and scored its six runs from the third to the sixth innings -- 2-1-1-2 -- with D.J. Svihlik scoring the tying run in the fifth inning on a single, an error, a passed ball and a run-scoring groundout by DH Luke Simmons.
The winning rally produced two runs in the sixth inning as singles by Craig Marquie and Chris Basak and a walk to Jeff Gertz loaded the bases with one out. Bonner's pickoff attempt at second base went for an error, allowing Marquie to score, and moments later Basak scored on a sacrifice fly by Dan O'Neill.
Michigan's fourth run came on an inside-the-park home run by Bush as Marquie made a great effort to catch the fly to right but ran into the fence. Bush circled the bases as Illini centerfielder Todd McClure chased the ball.
The loss snapped Michigan's season-best four-game winning streak. 'M' has won seven of its last nine games. The win keeps Illinois undefeated (5-0) and in first place in the conference along with the three first-game winners as the entire Big Ten saw action Friday.
The Wolverines host Illinois in a Big Ten doubleheader on Saturday, with righthanders Bryce Ralston (Tacoma, Wash./Curtis HS) and J.J. Putz (Trenton, Mich./Trenton HS) expected to get the 'M' pitching starts. Ralston is 3-1 (3.00 ERA) and Putz is 0-2 (4.91).
NOTES
• Co-captain Bobby Scales, who had a 12-game hitting streak to open the season, extended his current streak to 10 games with his first-inning double vs. Illinois. Scales has at least one hit in 23 of the 25 games this season and he has scored 28 runs in 25 games. Scales has scored a first-inning run in five of the last six games (and seven of nine).
• Michigan's "B-Attack" came through vs. Illinois as the "Three B's" that hit in consecutive order (4-5-6) in the lineup -- Bryan Besco, Brian Bush and Rob Bobeda -- each had two hits vs. Illinois. They combined for 6-for-13, two doubles, a homer, three runs scored and three runs batted in.
• Seniors Jason Alcaraz (Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado HS) and Mike Cervenak each added hits in the opener vs. Illinois. Cervenak ranks fourth on Michigan's career list with 239 hits, one shy of Casey Close (240 hits, 1983-86) in third place. Alcaraz is fifth with 225 hits. The Michigan career hit leader is Ken Hayward (267 hits, 1982-85).
• Senior 1B Bryan Besco hit the 39th double of his career to move into an eighth-place tie on Michigan's all-time doubles list with Rodney Goble (39 doubles, 1992-95). Current teammate Jason Alcaraz is in seventh place with 41 doubles.
• 'Strange Play' Defense: Illinois came up with the odd scoring playing of the day when 'M' co-captain Bobby Scales hit a foul pop behind third base leading off the seventh inning. The fly ball popped out of the glove of third baseman Chris Basask and was snagged by shortstop Jon Anderson before the ball could hit the ground for a 5-6 foul popout.
