Wolverines Varsity Pounds Alumni Team in Exhibition
9/29/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
"This was a great event with players from both the varsity and the alumni showing great enthusiasm," said Maloney. "The weekend was great, the weather was great and I am pleased at the wonderful turnout. We seemed to have each era of Michigan baseball represented at both the golf outing and at the alumni game."
Senior LF Jordan Cantalamessa (Castle Rock, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) and junior DH Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS), the two veteran regulars to play all nine innings, paced the varsity offense. Cantalamessa was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a pair of walks, while Roberts was 3-for-4 with three RBI.
Freshman SS Jeremy Goldschmeding (Martin, Mich./Allegan HS) was the lone newcomer to play all nine innings, and he went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and had a putout and six assists.
Senior RF Gino Lollio (Cape Coral, Fla./Mariner HS) opened the bottom of the first inning with a walk and scored the first run on Cantalamessa's first double. The Varsity scored three times in the first and sixth innings, scored four in the fifth and eighth innings and coasted to the win.
Senior 3B Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) and junior catcher Jake Fox (Greenfield, Ind./Indianapolis Cathedral HS) batted 3-4 in the lineup and each scored three runs in the win.
Mike Cervenak (1996-99), who played for the Norwich Navigators AA Eastern League championship team in the New York Yankees minor league system, paced the Alumni offense, going 2-for-2 with a double, and he scored the first run for the "visitors" in the seventh inning.
Cervenak hit a two-out double off freshman RHP Derek Feldkamp (Adrian, Mich./Blissfield HS) and scored when Scott Weaver (1993-95), the last Wolverine to hit .400 (.418 in 1995), singled to center to break up the shutout bid by the Varsity.
Maloney sent eight pitchers to the mound to throw the combined five-hitter vs. the Alumni. Sophomore transfer Michael Penn (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian HS), the second of the eight-pitcher parade for the Wolverines, recorded the win. Penn, the only pitcher to work two innings, allowed a leadoff single by Cervenak in the second inning and then retired six straight, collecting a pair of strikeouts.
Brian Bush (1996-99), who holds Michigan's single-season hit record (94 in 1999), took the loss while making his first career pitching start at Fisher Stadium. Bush allowed three runs (one earned) and two hits in his inning of work.
Three true freshmen started for the Wolverines, including CF Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS), 2B A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) and SS Goldschmeding. Schmidt walked and scored in the fifth inning and Scheidt had a two-run double in the four-run fifth.
Linescore
| Score by Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||||
| Alumni | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | ||||
| Varsity | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | x | 16 | 14 | 0 |
Alumni -- Brian Bush, Dave Renke (2), Allan Levy (3), Mario Garza Jr. (4), John Arvai (5), Ryan Kelley (6), Bryan Cranson (7), Nick Alexander (8) and Matt Fleury, Pete Titone, Dadabbo. Varsity -- Jim Brauer, Michael Penn (2), Drew Taylor (4), Matt Collins (5), Bobby Garza (6), Derek Feldkamp (7), Phil Tognetti (8), Craig Murray (9) and Jake Fox, Jeff Kunkel (7). WP -- Michael Penn; LP -- Brian Bush; HR -- None; Time -- 2:15.
N O T E S
Sunday's Alumni game featured the "Battle of the Garza Brothers" as Alumni RHP Mario Garza Jr. (1996-98) pitched to junior RHP Bobby Garza (Southgate, Mich./Anderson HS) in the bottom of the fourth inning and the roles were reversed in the top of the sixth. Both Garzas recorded strikeouts on the mound and at the plate.
All-time hit leader Mike Cervenak (1996-99) captured the Alumni "Home Run Contest," slugging five homers in 15 at bats. In the first round of 10 swings Cervenak hit two homers while Chuck Froning (1981-84), John Arvai (1993-96) and Brian Bush (1996-99) each hit one as the foursome advanced to the five-swing championship round. While the threesome remained tied at one for second place, Cervenak, who finished his Wolverine career ranked first in hits (293), doubles (67) and total bases (456), cranked three homers in his five at bats for the title.
Alumni defensive gems included a 7-4 double play as LF Kevin Crociata (1991-94), a former captain, made a great catch and throw to All-America 2B Jeff Jacobson (1980-83). Jacobson led the Alumni with seven fielding chances (three putouts and four assists) and he made a great running catch down the line in right. Mike Muir (1994-96) made an outstanding diving stop at first base to rob DH Brandon Roberts of his fourth hit of the day, turning the potential double into a 3-1 RBI grounder.
Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
