Trzos Complete Game Gains Sunday Split vs. Hawkeyes

Sunday, March 31

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan

5-13, 2-1

Iowa

7-10, 1-2

Iowa

Michigan

3/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Ray Fisher Stadium)
Scores: Iowa 7, Michigan 4; Michigan 4, Iowa 1
Records: U-M (6-13, 3-1), Iowa (7-11, 1-3 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game: Wednesday, April 3 -- vs. Detroit (Ray Fisher Stadium), 2 p.m

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior LHP Jeff Trzos (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington HS) tossed five-hitter for his first career complete game to beat Iowa 4-1 and gain a doubleheader split for the University of Michigan baseball team against the Hawkeyes on Sunday (March 31) at Ray Fisher Stadium.

Iowa (7-11, 1-3 Big Ten) notched its lone win of the weekend with a 7-4 win over the host Wolverines (6-13, 3-1 Big Ten) in the opener as the combination of pitchers Matt Hasz (1-1) and Nick Jensen (second save) limited the Wolverines to four hits and four runs (two earned).

Sokol

Michigan's 3-1 Big Ten start places the Wolverines in a four-way tie with Indiana, Ohio State and Purdue atop the conference standings after one week of play.

Trzos fanned five and walked just one in his five-hitter and retired 12 of Iowa's final 13 batters to record his first win of the season (1-3).

Michigan grabbed the second-game lead in the first inning when senior/junior DH/1B Mike Sokol (Sterling Heights, Mich./DeLaSalle HS) walk and, following a passed ball and a wild pitch, scored on a double off the fence by junior SS Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS). Sokol had an incredible weekend against the Hawkeyes, reaching base in 10 of his 11 plate appearances going 6-for-7 with four walks.

Iowa tied the game in the third inning on a double by backup catcher Cliff Bruckner and a single by SS Jeff Gremley, but Michigan's "Texas defense" came to the rescue as Iowa 3B Ian Mattaice singled to left and Gremley was thrown out on a 7-2 play from sophomore LF Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS) to junior catcher Alex Coleman (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS). Trzos allowed just a walk and a single, both to DH Andy Jansen, for the rest of the game.

Michigan reached Iowa starter and loser Steve Sharpe for the three-run winning rally in the fifth inning that started with a Sokol walk and a single by Koman off the side of the pitching mound. Roberts blasted a shot down the first-base line, but Iowa's Brad Carlson made a great backhand stop and tossed Sokol out at the plate. Junior RF Gino Lollio (Cape Coral, Fla./Mariner HS), the offensive hero from Saturday's sweep, drew a walk to load the bases.

Senior/junior Nate Wright (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew HS) knocked in the winning run with a slow roller to Carlson at first for the second out, and catcher Coleman followed with a two-out, two-run single for the final 4-1 margin.

The Michigan defense that made just one error and allowed just one run in the three wins over the Hawkeyes was not present in Sunday's opener as the Wolverines allowed seven runs in the first three innings and committed four errors in the process. The big blows for Iowa included a two-run triple by CF Kyle Thousand in the first inning and a two-run single by 2B Chris Groth in the second inning.

Sophomore RHP Jim Brauer (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) worked the first 2.1 innings and allowed all seven runs (five earned) as his record dropped to 1-3. Junior RHP Tim Leveque (Northridge, Calif./Crespi HS) allowed two hits in 4.2 innings of scoreless relief in the opener to keep the Wolverines in the game.

Michigan cut the margin to 3-2 in the bottom of the first as junior 2B Jordan Cantalamessa (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) was hit by a pitch and scored on a triple by Sokol. Roberts hit a long sacrifice fly to drive in Sokol, pushing his team-leading RBI total to 16.

Senior RHP/DH Bobby Korecky (Saline, Mich./Saline HS), one of Saturday's shutout pitching heroes, accounted for Michigan's other two runs when he pinch hit with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth and reached on an error with two runs (unearned and no RBI on the play) scoring on the play.

The Wolverines close out the rain-shortened five-game homestand by facing Detroit Mercy on Wednesday (April 3, 2 p.m.). Freshman LHP Paul Hammond (Mason, Ohio/Mason HS) is the tentative starter vs. the Titans. Hammond is 0-0 with a save and a 4.50 ERA. The Wolverines then head to Minnesota for Big Ten action next weekend (April 6-8) in the Metrodome.

N O T E S

Michigan's 3-1 start in Big Ten play is the best since a 3-1 start at Iowa in 1999, the last season in which the Wolverines saw NCAA regional action. Michigan started out 1-0 last season when weather forced Michigan and Iowa to move the series to Northern Illinois and only one game was played.

The Wolverines had a 3-for-3 game in each win of the series vs. Iowa, including sophomore LF Brandon Roberts in the opener, senior/junior DH Mike Sokol in game two and sophomore 3B Brandon Jominy in the series finale.

Sokol was 6-for-7 in the series to grab the team lead in Big Ten action with an .857 batting average, and his on-base percentage with four walks (10-for-11) is .909. The lone at-bat in which he was retired was in the bottom of the seventh in Sunday's opener when his bid for a home run was hauled in at the fence.

Junior SS Brock Koman recorded career hit 150 with a bunt single in Sunday's opener. He added two more hits in the second game and stands at 152 heading into the game vs. Detroit on Wednesday (April 3). He is nearing several other career milestones as he has scored 85 runs and knocked in 98 runs.

Michigan's hitting leaders after 19 games (19 at-bat minimum) include: 3B/SS Brock Koman (.351, 23-for-67), sophomore LF Brandon Roberts (.344, 21-for-61), junior catcher Jason Wuerfel (Cedar, Mich./Glen Lake HS) at .316 (6-for-19), senior/junior 1B/DH Mike Sokol (.314, 22-for-70), junior OF Gino Lollio (.290, 20-for-69) and senior/junior 1B Nate Wright (.279, 12-for-43).

Big Ten Standings (after Sunday's Games)

 1. MICHIGAN 3-1 .750 Ohio State 3-1 .750 Purdue 3-1 .750 Indiana 3-1 .750 5. Michigan State 2-2 .500 Minnesota 2-2 .500 7. Iowa 1-3 .250 Illinois 1-3 .250 Northwestern 1-3 .250 Penn State 1-3 .250

Sunday Scores
Iowa 7-1, Michigan 4-4
Indiana 4-5, Illinois 0-3
Minnesota 10, Michigan State 6
Ohio State 9, Northwestern 2
Purdue 10, Penn State 6

Next Week's Schedule (April 5-7)
Michigan at Minnesota
Iowa at Indiana
Michigan State at Northwestern
Purdue at Illinois
Penn State at Ohio State

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423