Wolverines Fall to Notre Dame in Extra Innings

Wednesday, April 26

Grand Rapids, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

15-21-1

Notre Dame

33-10

Notre Dame

Michigan

4/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. -- Nationally ranked Notre Dame used a pair of runs by sophomore CF Steve Stanley -- once in the ninth inning to tie and once in the 11th for the win -- to hand Michigan a 5-4 loss in Old Kent Park Wednesday night (April 26) in non-conference baseball action.

Notre Dame (33-10), ranked 22nd in the USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll, used a two-out single by catcher Matt Nussbaum to tie the score in the ninth and a run-scoring double by 1B Jeff Felker for the win in the top of the 11th inning.

Stanley was 3-for-5 in the game for the Irish and is 7-for-10 in his two appearances in the "Baseball Bash" between U-M and Notre Dame. The win gives the Irish a 3-2 lead in the Grand Rapids, Mich., area event.

"Hometown" pitcher Phil Lobert (Spring Lake, Mich./Grand Haven HS) took the loss for the Wolverines (15-21-1). Lobert (0-2) notched the final out of the 10th inning and worked the 11th.

Michigan scored all four runs in the fifth inning to grab a lead against Irish starter J.P. Gagne, who entered the game with a 6-1 record. Sophomore/freshman 1B Mike Sokol (Sterling Heights, Mich./DeLaSalle HS) singled to start the fifth and with one out advanced to second on a bunt single by freshman CF Blake Rutkowski (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS).

Sr. tri-captain 3B Kevin Quinn (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) plated the first run with a pop-fly single to right and Rutkowski made a headfirst slide to reach second base. Junior SS Scott Tousa (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS) was hit by a pitch to load the bases and junior catcher David Parrish (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) had a two-run single to left to tie the game at 3-3. Moments later senior tri-captain OF Rob Bobeda (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt HS) singled to right and Tousa came around to score when the Notre Dame RF Brian Stavisky was charged with an error.

The Wolverines made it exciting with scoring chances in the ninth and 11th innings. In the ninth Michigan left runners on first and third, and Quinn made the final out of the game at home plate trying to tie the score. Quinn singled with one out and was running on the play when Parrish singled off the glove of Notre Dame SS Alec Porzel. Porzel chased the ball down in centerfield and fired a strike to catcher Nussbaum for the final out.

First-year Wolverine pitchers freshman LHP Rich Hill (Milton, Mass./Milton HS) and sophomore RHP Bobby Wood (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) threw well. Hill worked the first four innings and fanned three, while Hill pitched three innings and allowed five hits but no runs while striking out five batters. Hill leads the Wolverines with 37 strikeouts in 28.2 innings.

Senior LHP Bryan Cranson (Bronson, Mich./Bronson HS) worked a scoreless eighth, but allowed three hits in the ninth inning. He picked off one runner, but sophomore LHP Jeff Trzos (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington HS) replaced Cranson with runners on first and second with one out and he produced three fly balls. Two were caught, but Nussbaum's bloop to right tied game as Trzos suffered a blown save.

Michigan heads to Penn State Friday (April 28) to open another crucial Big Ten Conference series, with junior LHP Nick Alexander (Alpena, Mich./Alpena HS) on the mound. Alexander is 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA.

N O T E S

Michigan scored its four runs vs. Notre Dame in the fifth inning, the best inning of the season for the Wolverines. Michigan has outscored its opponents 31-18 in the fifth.

David Parrish, 2-for-5 vs. Notre Dame, leads the team in hitting (.372), hits (45), homers (8), RBI (30), slugging (.636) and on-base percentage (.451). Parrish is hitting .482 (27-for-56) in Big Ten play with a 16-game conference hitting streak.

Michigan's leading hitters (minimum 65 plate appearances) after Wednesday's game vs. Notre Dame include: David Parrish (.372, 45-for-121); senior OF Rob Bobeda (.304, 42-for-138); freshman 1B/3B/DH Brock Koman (.299, 38-for-127); junior SS/2B Scott Tousa (.287, 39-for-136) and senior 3B Kevin Quinn (.287, 27-for-94).

Michigan's defense came through with several interesting plays. In the seventh inning Notre Dame sent four batters to the plate and they all reached base, including: Stanley (single) thrown out attempting to steal by David Parrish, Porzel (single) thrown out at the plate by Blake Rutkowski and Felker (single) forced at second by Nussbaum (fielder's choice), the player left on base in the inning.

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423