Five-Run Third Boosts Broncos Past Wolverines

Monday, February 28

Jacksonville, Fla.

1:00 PM

Michigan

1-3

Western Michigan

1-2

Western Michigan

Michigan

2/28/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Western Michigan used a five-run third inning and three-hit pitching to beat the University of Michigan baseball team by a 6-2 margin Monday (Feb. 28) in Harmon Stadium.

The Broncos (1-2) notched their first win of the season behind sophomore RHP Kody Naylor, who allowed just three hits and fanned seven in his seven innings of relief. LHP Angelo Palazeti and RHP Josh Clark pitched the final two innings.

For the fourth time in as many games on the spring trip the Wolverines scored first, taking a 1-0 lead when junior All-American candidate David Parrish (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) lofted a long flyball homer to lead off the second inning. The homer, Parrish's first of the season and 15th of his career as a Wolverine, extended his hit streak to three games.

Freshman DH Jordan Cantalamessa (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) extended his hitting streak to three games with a third-inning double, but the only hit in the final six innings for the Wolverines was a seventh-inning single by sophomore first baseman Dan Dombos (Kalamazoo, Mich./Mattawan HS).

WMU sent 10 batters to the plate in the five-run third inning against Michigan starting and losing pitcher Bobby Korecky (Saline, Mich./Saline HS). SS Ryan Kochen gave WMU the lead with a two-run triple and RF John Toner added a two-run single to close out the scoring in the inning. WMU scored the five runs on three hits, a walk, two hit batters and an error.

Senior/junior shortstop Bill LaRosa (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS) provided the defensive highlights for the Wolverines, starting three double plays.

The Wolverines (1-3) meet host North Florida in Kennel Club Classic action Tuesday (Feb. 29, 7 p.m.) with freshman LHP Rich Hill (Milton, Mass./Milton HS) or sophomore RHP Phil Lobert (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake HS) as the possible starting pitchers. Hill worked 3.1 innings out the bullpen in the opener and Lobert has not pitched yet.

N O T E S

Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) had his three-game hitting streak snapped vs. WMU. He had been the only Wolverine with hits in every game. Wolverines with active three-game hitting streaks are David Parrish and Jordan Cantalamessa. Cantalamessa has a hit in all three games he has played.

Catcher David Parrish gunned down a pair of potential base stealers in the WMU game. After four games, Michigan has stolen four bases in six attempts, while the opponents are 1-for-6.

Michigan's game with North Florida Tuesday (Feb. 29) will be taped for television and shown Wednesday on Fox Sports Net in Florida.

Freshman RHP Tim Leveque (Northridge, Calif./Crespi HS) fanned three WMU Broncos in his Wolverine debut as he retired all eight batters he faced Monday (Feb. 28). Leveque's back-to-back 1-2-3 innings (8th and 9th) matched the team total of 1-2-3 innings in the first three games.

Brock Koman (6-for-16) leads the Wolverines in hitting with a .375 batting average followed by Jordan Cantalamessa (.333, 4-for-12), Dan Dombos (.333, 1-for-3) and senior RF Jay Dines (.250, 2-for-8).

Four Wolverine pitchers have 0.00 ERAs, including senior LHP Bryan Cranson (1-0, 6 IP), Rich Hill (0-0, 3.1 IP), Tim Leveque (0-0, 2.2 IP) and Jeff Trzos (0-0, 2 IP).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423