Wolverines Split Pair With Illini, Dines HR Wins Opener

Saturday, April 8

Champaign, Ill.

4:05 PM CT

Michigan

10-16-1, 3-7

Illinois

21-9, 8-2

Michigan

Illinois

Wolverines Split Pair With Illini, Dines HR Wins Opener

4/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Champaign, Ill. (Illinois Field)
Score: Michigan 4-2, Illinois 1-3
Records: U-M (10-17-1, 3-8 Big Ten), Illinois (22-9, 9-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game: Sunday, April 9 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), 1:05 p.m. CDT

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Michigan sophomore RHP Bobby Korecky (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) tossed a complete-game four-hitter and senior RF Jay Dines (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) stroked a game-winning homer to lead the Wolverines to a doubleheader split with first-place Illinois in Big Ten Conference baseball action Saturday (April 8).

Korecky (3-1) pitched his second complete-game win of the season in Michigan's 4-1 win in the opener at Illinois Field, while Illinois took the nightcap of the late afternoon twi-night twinbill, 3-2. Junior RHP Vince Pistilli (Highland, Ind./Highland HS) was the hard-luck losing pitcher for the Wolverines in game two. Pistilli (2-4) lowered his ERA to 4.25 by allowing just one earned run in the loss.

Michigan trailed 1-0 in the opener before scoring all four runs in the third inning off Illinois starter and loser Ryan Kvasnicka (1-1). Tri-captain 3B Kevin Quinn (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) singled to center to start the third inning and reached third on a pair of infield outs. Junior catcher David Parrish (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS), who had singled in the first inning, rapped a run-scoring double down the leftfield line to tie the score. It was the sixth consecutive hit for Parrish in the series and his third double.

With the score tied 1-1, tri-captain Rob Bobeda (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt HS) reached on an error, with Parrish moving to third base. Dines followed with his homer to right. The ball hit the top of the fence and bounded over for the homer. The three-run homer closed out the scoring in the first game.

After allowing a run in the first inning on two hits, Korecky gave up just two more singles and had four 1-2-3 innings for the win.

Freshman CF Blake Rutkowski (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS), who made five catches in the last three innings of the opener, collected the first Michigan hit of the second game with a single in the third inning, and he scored on a two-out single by junior SS Scott Tousa (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS).

After Illinois scored twice in the third and once in the fourth off Pistilli, Parrish chased Illinois starter Joe Ziemba (2-0) with a sixth-inning single that pushed teammate Tousa to third base. Bobeda greeted reliever Matt Vorwald, who would earn his fifth save of the season, with a run-scoring single to cut the lead to the final margin of 3-2. Dines grounded out to end the sixth-inning rally.

The Wolverines put two runners on in the seventh on an infield single by redshirt freshman Mike Sokol (Sterling Heights, Mich./DeLaSalle HS) and a pinch walk by sophomore 1B Dan Dombos (Kalamazoo, Mich./Mattawan HS). However, Vorwald fanned Quinn and got Tousa to foul out to end the game.

Michigan and Illinois close out the weekend series with a single game Sunday (April 9, 1:05 p.m. CDT) with senior LHP Bryan Cranson (Bronson, Mich./Bronson HS) on the mound. Cranson is 2-3 with a 6.32 ERA.

N O T E S

David Parrish extended his hitting streak to 12 games to match his career best set in 1999. Parrish singled in the first inning of the opener and singled in the sixth inning of the nightcap to extend the streak. Parrish has extended his streak in his last at bat of a game four times in the 12 games.

Parrish leads the team in hitting (.347), hits (33), homers (7), RBI (25), slugging percentage (.611) and on-base percentage (.406). He also leads Michigan in hitting in Big Ten play with a .439 average (18-for-41).

Michigan had one complete game (Bobby Korecky shutout over Duquesne on March 5 in Jacksonville, Fla.) heading into Saturday's doubleheader at Illinois. Korecky notched his second complete-game win in the opener vs. Illinois, and Vince Pistilli went the distance in the 3-2 loss in the nightcap. Pistilli has three career shutouts, Korecky two.

Michigan's leading hitters (minimum 60 at bats) after Saturday's doubleheader at Illinois include: David Parrish (.347, 33-for-95), freshman 1B/3B/DH Brock Koman (.310, 31-for-100), senior OF Rob Bobeda (.307, 31-for-101), senior IF Kevin Quinn (.292, 19-for-65) and junior SS Scott Tousa (.250, 25-for-100). Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) saw action at first base in both games Saturday.

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423