Nittany Lions Sweep Wolverines, U-M Turns Triple Play

Saturday, April 29

State College, Pa.

1:00 PM

Michigan

15-23-1, 6-12

Penn State

33-9, 13-4

Michigan

Penn State

Nittany Lions Sweep Wolverines, U-M Turns Triple Play

4/29/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: State College, Pa. (Beaver Field)
Scores: Penn State 4-6, Michigan 1-3
Records: U-M (15-24-1, 6-13 Big Ten), PSU (34-9, 14-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game: Sunday, April 30 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 1 p.m.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Sophomore RHP Mike Watson was the key player for Penn State as he earned a win and a save as the Nittany Lions swept Michigan 4-1 and 6-3 in Big Ten Conference baseball action Saturday (April 29) at Beaver Field. Penn State (34-9, 14-4 Big Ten) added to its single-season record for wins with the sweep, while Michigan (15-24-1, 6-13 Big Ten) fell to 0-3 in the series.

Watson (7-0, with two saves) worked 7.1 innings in the doubleheader. He worked the final three innings of the opener to earn the save and he retired all 13 batters he faced in the second game to record the win.

PSU senior LF Michael Campo singled in the first inning of each game of the doubleheader to extend his school-record hitting streak to 22 games. He also broke his own single-season record for hits as he went 3-for-3 in the opener.

Sophomore RHP Bobby Korecky (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) pitched his third consecutive complete game in the opener for the Wolverines, but suffered the loss. Korecky (4-2) allowed two earned runs in the loss.

Michigan scored its only run in the opener in the sixth inning off of Watson as senior LF Rob Bobeda (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt HS) singled, reached second on his team-leading ninth stolen base and scored on a two-out single by sophomore DH Jeff Trzos (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington HS).

In Saturday's second game, Michigan scored three times in the first inning off PSU LHP Dan McCall. The Wolverines loaded the bases without a hit on a walk to Kevin Quinn (Midland, Mich./Midland HS), a hit by pitch to SS Scott Tousa (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highland HS) and a walk to Bobeda. Freshman 1B Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) singled to drive in two runs to give the Wolverines the first lead of the weekend. Junior/sophomore C.J. Ghannam (Farmington, Mich./Harrison HS) singled to center to drive in Bobeda for a 3-0 lead.

However, Penn State scored four times in the bottom of the first to chase Wolverine starter and loser Vince Pistilli (Highland, Ind./Highland HS). PSU 1B Joe Puliafico drove in two runs in the first and doubled in another in the third inning.

Michigan's defense turned in a triple play in the third inning after sophomore RHP Phil Lobert (Spring Lake, Mich./Grand Haven HS) entered the game. With the bases loaded PSU CF Zack Smithlin hit a fly to short left that was caught by Bobeda for out one. Bobeda fired the ball to 3B Quinn and he relayed it to 2B Jordan Cantalamessa (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) to double Puliafico off second for the second out. PSU catcher Chris Netwell, who started the play on third base, broke for the plate and Cantalamessa threw a strike to catcher David Parrish (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) for the third out. Your basic 7-5-4-2 triple play.

Michigan closes out the weekend series with a single game Sunday (April 30, 1 p.m.) with sophomore RHP Bobby Wood (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) as the probable starter. Wood is 0-3 (7.86 ERA).

N O T E S

David Parrish, 0-for-5 vs. Penn State in the doubleheader, had his Big Ten hitting streak snapped at 17 games. Parrish leads the team in hitting (.354), hits (46), homers (8), RBI (30), slugging (.608) and on-base percentage (.434). He is hitting .431 (28-for-65) in Big Ten.

Junior/sophomore OF/DH C.J. Ghannam had singles in his first two Big Ten at bats this season in the Penn State series.

Michigan's leading hitters (minimum 75 plate appearances) after Saturday's doubleheader at Penn State include: David Parrish (.354, 46-for-130); senior OF Rob Bobeda (.299, 44-for-147); junior SS/2B Scott Tousa (.295, 43-for-146); freshman 1B/3B/DH Brock Koman (.293, 39-for-133); and senior 3B Kevin Quinn (.277, 28-for-101).

Michigan's triple play in game two vs. Penn State on Saturday was the first for the Wolverines since May, 2, 1987, vs. Indiana at Ray Fisher Stadium. In the top of the first inning Indiana had runners on first and second with no outs. On a hit-and-run play Michigan SS Bill St. Peter caught a line drive and flipped to 2B Steve Finken, who relayed the ball to 1B Phil Price -- scoring: 6-4-3.

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423