Weekly Release #5
3/27/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Tuesday, March 28 -- vs. Western Michigan (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3 p.m.
Wednesday, March 29 -- vs. Bowling Green (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3 p.m.
Friday March 31 -- at Indiana* (Bloomington, Ind.), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 1 -- at Indiana* (DH) (Bloomington, Ind.), 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 2 -- at Indiana* (Bloomington, Ind.), 1 p.m. CDT
Tuesday, April 4 -- vs. Toledo (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3 p.m.
Wolverines Host WMU and BGSU, Head To Indiana
The University of Michigan baseball team heads to Indiana for a crucial four-game Big Ten Conference weekend series (March 31-April 2) after hosting Western Michigan (9-8) on Tuesday (March 28, 3 p.m.) and Bowling Green (7-9-1) on Wednesday (March 29, 3 p.m.) in non-conference action at home. The Wolverines (6-12-1, 0-4 Big Ten) enter the week after dropping four games to Minnesota to open Big Ten play. It marks the first time since 1993 that Michigan has opened action at 0-4.
Indiana (17-10, 1-3 Big Ten) opened Big Ten play on the road and beat Penn State 3-1 in the opener, but then dropped three straight to the Nittany Lions. IU enters the series tied for fourth in the Big Ten, while the Wolverines are alone in tenth place. Indiana faces IUPUI (March 28) and Wright State (March 29) before hosting Michigan for the fourth time in the last five years.
Bowling Green is scheduled to host Oakland on Tuesday (March 28). The Wolverines will host Toledo (April 4) before continuing Big Ten action at Illinois (April 7-9).
Bowling Green Game on WTKA Radio
WTKA Radio in Ann Arbor (1050 AM) is slated to carry Wednesday's (March 29) home game with Bowling Green with veteran sports director Doug Karsch handling the play-by-play duties. Karsch is joined in the booth by former Wolverine pitcher Ryan Kelley.
Michigan vs. Western Michigan
Michigan leads the series with Western Michigan 76-64, including a 6-2 loss to the Broncos in Jacksonville, Fla., on the spring trip in February. That win snapped a three-game Wolverine winning streak in the series dating back to 1995. In the game played at North Florida (Feb. 28), Michigan grabbed a 1-0 lead on a David Parrish (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) homer, but the Broncos scored five runs in the third to beat sophomore RHP Bobby Korecky (Saline, Mich./Saline HS). RHP Kody Naylor pitched seven innings to earn the victory.
Michigan vs. Bowling Green
Michigan owns a 32-11-1 edge over Bowling Green in the series that started with a 3-1 Wolverine win in 1963. Michigan won the 1999 contest at BGSU by an 8-7 margin with Robbie Reid, noted more for his three-point shooting touch, slugging his lone career homer for the game-winning hit.
Michigan vs. Indiana
Michigan owns a 106-50 edge in the series with Indiana that started with a 9-0 Wolverine win in 1896, the first year of Indiana's program. Last season Michigan split the series played in Ray Fisher Stadium, winning the first two games of the series 7-1 and 7-3 to stay ahead of the Hoosiers in the playoff race. David Parrish homered in the first game and 1999 co-captain Mike Cervenak homered to set the Wolverine career hit record. Indiana took the last two games of the series 2-1, behind Zach McClellan, and 4-3. The Wolverines clinched their playoff position the next week at Penn State.
Coaching Matchups
Michigan's Geoff Zahn, with a career record of 121-121-2, is in his fifth season at the helm for the Wolverines. Zahn has led Michigan to Big Ten Conference championships in 1997 (regular season) and 1999 (tournament). The Wolverines have made the Big Ten playoffs three times in his four seasons (1996, 1997 and 1999) and advanced to the NCAA playoffs in 1999. Zahn's record vs. WMU is 3-2, and he is 2-3 vs. BGSU and 8-8 vs. Indiana.
Fred Decker, in his 24th season as head coach at Western Michigan, enters the week with a career record of 680-580-6. The Broncos (9-8) placed second in the Akron Invitational last weekend, losing to Cleveland State 9-8 in the championship game.
Danny Schmitz, in his 10th year as a head coach at Bowling Green, enters the week with a career record of 241-242-4. The Falcons (7-9-1) swept three games from Buffalo last weekend.
Bob Morgan, in his 17th year as a head coach at Indiana, enters the week with a 627-348-3 record. In 25 seasons at the collegiate level his record is 919-436-5. He entered the season ranked 18th in career wins among active collegiate coaches with 902. He led Indiana to the 1996 Big Ten Tournament crown. Morgan is 27-36 vs. Michigan.
Probable Pitchers
The probable starting pitchers for the Wolverines this week include freshman Brad McCloskey (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS) vs. Western Michigan on Tuesday (March 28) and sophomore RHP Bobby Korecky (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) vs. BGSU on Wednesday (March 29).
The tentative Wolverine starting rotation for the Indiana weekend series includes junior Nick Alexander (Alpena, Mich./Alpena HS) in Friday's series opener, with freshman Tim Leveque (Northridge, Calif./Crespi HS) and senior Bryan Cranson (Bronson, Mich./Bronson HS) in the doubleheader on Saturday (April 1). The starter for the Sunday (April 2) getaway game is open. Potential matchups:
- Wednesday vs. Western Michigan -- McCloskey (RHP, 0-0, 4.32 ERA) is looking to make first career start vs. WMU and has made four appearances. He made his career debut at North Florida. Has not allowed a run in last two outings, 2.2 innings against defending national champ Miami and 1.2 innings vs. Minnesota. Has seven strikeouts in 8.1 innings of work and opponents are hitting .200 against him.
- Wednesday vs. Bowling Green -- Korecky (RHP, 1-1, 6.62 ERA) pitched a complete-game, six-hit shutout vs. Duquesne in the final start of the spring trip. He lost his first start of the season vs. Western Michigan and lasted just 1.1 innings in his last start, a no-decision vs. Kent State University. Worked 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen vs. Minnesota. Korecky was Michigan's closer in 1999 and led the staff in appearances (25) and saves (5).
- Friday vs. Indiana -- Alexander (LHP, 0-0, 3.00 ERA) is scheduled to make his first start of the season in the Indiana series opener, the sixth start of his career. He retired 10 straight at Miami #3, working final 3.1 innings of 6-6 tie. Worked five innings vs. Minnesota #3 in no-decision. Has 11 strikeouts in 12 innings. For Indiana -- Brad Edwards (So., LHP, 4-1, 3.29 ERA) has 45 strikeouts in 41 innings. Losing pitcher in second game of series last season in Ann Arbor.
- Saturday #1 vs. Indiana -- Leveque (RHP, 1-2, 4.32 ERA) took loss in first career starts at Miami #2 and Minnesota #3. Did not allow an earned until fourth outing of career. Second on team with 17 strikeouts (16.2 innings). Earned first win with eight strikeouts in five innings of relief vs. Charleston Southern #1. For Indiana -- Zach McClellan (Jr., RHP, 2-3, 5.00 ERA) was 7-1 in 1999 with win at Michigan. Has 35 strikeouts in 36 innings this season.
- Saturday #2 vs. Indiana -- Cranson (LHP, 2-2, 5.14 ERA) pitched six innings of shutout ball vs. Xavier #1 for the first U-M win of 2000 and allowed seven hits and three runs in a win at Charleston Southern. Suffered losses to St. John's and Minnesota #2. Lost 8-0 to Gophers, but seven runs unearned. Pitched 6.1 innings at Miami #3, getting no-decision in 6-6 tie. He leads the staff in innings pitched (28) is the active career leader in wins (14). For Indiana -- David Ferris (Jr., LHP, 4-0, 2.14 ERA) took a no-hit shutout into seventh inning at Penn State last week with a 4-0 lead. He ended up with no-decision in an eventual 5-4 PSU win. Ferris has 32 strikeouts in 33.2 innings.
- Sunday vs. Indiana -- To be announced. For Indiana -- Fred Graf (Sr., RHP, 3-4, 4.01 ERA) has 10 appearances and four starts in 2000 and has 35 strikeouts in 33.2 innings.
Tousa Adds Triple and Defensive Chances
Junior infielder Scott Tousa (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS) became the first Wolverine to record a triple in the year 2000 as he continues to flex his muscles. As a sophomore Tousa had seven extra-base hits in 57 games (five doubles and two triples) and in 17 games this season he has nine, including six doubles, a triple and two homers.
Tousa continues his solid play for the Wolverines in the middle infield. Having made 13 starts at second base in the first 16 games, Tousa made three starts at shortstop in the Minnesota series. Tousa sparkled in the series opener with 14 chances without an error.
In fact Tousa had a hand in seven consecutive outs from his second base position, including all the outs in the second and third innings. Tousa's "magnificent seven" included:
Second inning -- 2-4 caught stealing, 4-6 and 5-4 force plays to end frame
Third inning -- 5-4 sac bunt play and started 4-6-3 double play
Fourth inning -- 4-1 play for first out
Tousa moved to shortstop in the seventh inning and added three more assists.
Parrish Puts Wolverines on Board
Junior All-America candidate catcher David Parrish collected Michigan's first hit in Ray Fisher Stadium in 2000 and he did it with a bang, a two-run homer against Minnesota's Mike Kobow in the home opener. Parrish shares the team home run lead (5) with tri-captain Rob Bobeda (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt HS) and has moved his career total to 19. The homer was his seventh career blast in Fisher Stadium.
Parrish produced another first in the Minnesota series as he had the only hit off Ben Birk to break up a no-hit bid in the second game of the series, and he launched a three-run double in the third game of the series. Parrish knocked in five of Michigan's eight runs in the series and leads the Wolverines with 18 RBI for the season.
Trzos Handles "Double Duty"
Sophomore Jeff Trzos (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington HS) shares the team lead in pitching appearances (5), but made his season debut at first base in the Minnesota series.
Trzos found a couple of hits he didn't mind -- his own. He entered the series opener (March 24) in the seventh inning against the Golden Gophers and singled in his first plate appearance. He started a game at first base on Saturday (March 25) and added another hit. In Sunday's (March 26) series finale he worked a season-high 4.2 innings vs. the Gophers, allowing four hits and one earned run.
Trzos had a game-winning RBI in his only first base start as a freshman vs. Cal State-Northridge in a tournament game at Texas A&M. He is hitting .400 (2-for-5) and has a 4.61 ERA in 13.2 innings.
Wolverine Lineup Update
After 19 games in 2000, only three Wolverines have started and played in each game. Preseason All-American David Parrish has made 18 starts behind the plate (one as DH), freshman Brock Koman has 14 starts at third base (five as DH) and senior tri-captain Rob Bobeda has made 17 outfield starts (LF-6, CF-6, RF-5) and two as DH. Koman has the most starts at two positions (3B and DH), yet home run leader Bobeda, who leads the team with 17 outfield starts, is not the leading starter at any one position.
The players with the most starts at each position include (number of 2000 starts at position/total career starts): 1B -- Jay Dines (10/31); 2B -- Scott Tousa (13/107); SS -- Bill LaRosa (12/26); 3B -- Koman (13/19); LF -- Jordan Cantalamessa (7/16); CF -- Blake Rutkowski (12/12); RF -- Gino Lollio (9/14); C -- Parrish (18/88); and DH Koman (6/19). Koman, Cantalamessa and Rutkowski are true freshmen.
Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
