Broncos Avoid Sweep; Tousa Streak Reaches 20 Games
2/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Western Michigan sophomore LHP Shawn Morrison pitched a complete-game six-hitter as the Broncos beat the University of Michigan baseball team 4-2 Sunday afternoon (Feb. 25) at Ty Cobb Field in Tigertown. The win by WMU (1-2) kept the Wolverines (2-1) from sweeping the season-opening three-game series.
WMU junior catcher Greg Graham's three-run homer off Michigan starter Vince Pistilli (Highland, Ind./Highland HS) in the sixth inning was the game-winning hit. The homer, Graham's first of the year, followed a walk to LF James Galla and a bunt single by CF Tim Bellestri.
Pistilli (0-1) worked the first five innings plus the first three batters of the sixth inning. He allowed five hits and four runs, three earned. Sophomore RHP Tim Leveque (Northridge, Calif./Crespi HS) allowed two hits in four scoreless innings in relief of Pistilli.
Senior co-captain Scott Tousa (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS) scored both Wolverine runs, and his third-inning bunt single extended his two-year hit streak to 20 games.
The Wolverines had chances early against Morrison, scoring once without a hit in the first inning with leading hitter Mike Sokol (Sterling Heights, Mich./DeLaSalle HS) knocking in Tousa with a sacrifice fly.
In the second inning senior LF C.J. Ghannam (Farmington, Mich./Harrison HS) reached when he was hit by a pitch but was thrown out at the plate by LF Galla following a two-out single by sophomore CF Blake Rutkowski (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS).
The Wolverines grabbed the lead in the third inning as Tousa singled, moved to second on a sac bunt by freshman SS Brandon Jominy (Coral Springs, Fla./Westminster Academy) and scored on a double by sophomore 3B Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS). However, Koman was thrown out trying to reach third.
Sokol and DH Nate Wright (Tinley Park., Ill./Andrew HS) opened the bottom of the sixth inning with back-to-back singles, but WMU's Morrison retired the final 12 batters for the win.
Michigan's next game will be Tuesday night (Feb. 27, 7 p.m.) against Stetson. The Wolverines will host the Hatters at Henley Field in Lakeland, with sophomore LHP Rich Hill (Milton, Mass./Milton HS) scheduled to make his first start of the season. Stetson will host Michigan in a rematch Friday (March 2, 7 p.m.) in DeLand, Fla.
N O T E S
Freshman SS Brandon Jominy made his debut and was 0-for-1 but reached first with a walk in his first career plate appearance. He walked twice and had a sac bunt to build a run in his first three plate appearances. He hit a fly to center in the eighth inning for his first official at bat. In the field Jominy was charged with an error on his first career chance but handled the next 10 chances (two putouts and eight assists) with several flashy plays.
Scott Tousa has at least one hit in 20 straight games and in 32 of his last 34 games. Senior SS Bill LaRosa (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS), who sat out Sunday's WMU contest, has a 12-game hitting streak.
Michigan's pitching staff has a 2.89 ERA after three games.
Michigan's hitting leaders after three games are: junior 1B Mike Sokol at .556 (5-for-9), junior/sophomore DH Nate Wright (.500, 2-for-4); senior 2B Scott Tousa (.455, 5-for-11); sophomore 3B Brock Koman (.385, 5-for-13); and senior SS Bill LaRosa (.333, 2-for-6).
Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Shawn Morrison (1-0)
L: Pistilli, Vince (0-1)
Batting:
2B: John Toner 1
3B: John Toner 1
HR: Greg Graham 1
RBI: John Toner 1 ; Greg Graham 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Ryan Kochen 1 ; James Galla 1 ; Tim Bellestri 1 ; Greg Graham 1
SB: Sam Flamont 1
CS: Ryan Kochen 1

Batting:
2B: Koman, Brock 1
RBI: Koman, Brock 1 ; Sokol, Mike 1
SH: Jominy, Brandon 1
SF: Sokol, Mike 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tousa, Scott 2
SB: Tousa, Scott 1 ; Ghannam, C.J. 1
HBP: Tousa, Scott 1 ; Koman, Brock 1 ; Ghannam, C.J. 1