Georgia Tech Stings Wolverines in Ninth, Foils Upset Bid

Sunday, February 23

Savannah, Ga.

1:00 PM

Michigan

1-2

Georgia Tech

5-0

Michigan

Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech Stings Wolverines in Ninth, Foils Upset Bid

2/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Highly ranked Georgia Tech (No. 3 Sports Weekly/ESPN, No. 1 Baseball America) remained unbeaten with an exciting 7-6 win over the University of Michigan, snapping a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday afternoon (Feb. 23) in Memorial Health Diamond Classic baseball tournament action in Grayson Stadium.

Head coach Rich Maloney's Wolverines (1-2) battled undefeated Georgia Tech (5-0) to the wire, tying the game in the fifth, taking the lead in the seventh and gaining a 6-6 tie on a ninth-inning, two-run homer by senior 2B Jordan Cantalamessa (Castle Rock, Colo./Cherry Creek HS).

The Wolverines came close to getting the win later in the ninth inning when junior OF Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS), owner of three career grand slam homers, was foiled on his bid for a two-out pinch hit grand slam when Georgia Tech leftfielder Matt Murton reached over the top of the fence to rob Roberts and keep the game tied at 6-6.

Moments later it was coach Danny Hall's Yellow Jackets winning the game in the bottom of the ninth inning as SS Tyler Greene knocked in the winning run on a one-out single, handing freshman RHP Derek Feldkamp (Adrian, Mich./Blissfield HS) his first loss. Feldkamp entered the game in the seventh with Tech leading 6-4. He allowed a single to the first batter he faced before getting the third U-M double play of the afternoon to close out the frame. He had a 1-2-3 eighth but took the loss in the ninth.

Georgia Tech RHP Micah Owings was the overall hero in the win for Georgia Tech as he started the game as the designated hitter and hit a pair of homers and then collected his second win of the season in relief. Tech starter RHP Chris Goodman held a 1-0 lead and had six strikeouts through four innings before sophomore OF Chris Burhans (Alpharetta, Ga./The Marist School) doubled to open the fifth inning and scored moments later on a single by freshman SS Jeremy Goldschmeding (Martin, Mich./Allegan HS).

The Wolverines trailed 3-1 after six innings but took advantage of a pair of errors by the Yellow Jackets to take a 4-3 lead. Goldschmeding singled and moved to second on a wild pitch and U-M loaded the bases on a pair of errors. Senior 3B Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) hit a two-strike pitch for a two-run double that tied the score at 3-3, and fifth-year senior DH Mike Sokol (Sterling Heights, Mich./DeLaSalle HS) knocked in senior CF Gino Lollio (Cape Coral, Fla./Mariner HS) with an infield grounder.

Georgia Tech chased Wolverine reliever Matt Collins (Bloomfield, Mich./Country Day) in the bottom of the seventh on a single by Clifton Remole and a homer by catcher Mike Nickeas to make the score 5-4, and DH Owings added a solo shot to make the score 6-4. Remole, who was 1-for-1 with four walks, drew his fourth free pass of the game off Feldkamp in the ninth and it led to the win.

Koman collected his 55th career multiple-hit game in the loss, while Burhans and Goldschmeding notched their first multi-hit games.

Sophomore RHP Michael Penn (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian HS), a transfer from Ball State, is slated to start Tuesday's (Feb. 25, 7 p.m.) game at Saint Leo in Saint Leo, Fla. Penn (0-0, 4.50 ERA) made his Michigan debut by working two innings in the season opener against Armstrong Atlantic State.

N O T E S

Senior 2B Jordan Cantalamessa hit two homers during Sunday's tournament doubleheader with one HR each vs. Rider and Georgia Tech. The last time Cantalamessa hit two homers on the same day for the Wolverines he did it in the same game at Illinois. In fact catcher Jake Fox and Cantalamessa each homered twice at Illinois in the fourth game of the Big Ten series last season (April 14, 2002).

In the Georgia Tech contest senior 1B Nate Wright (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew HS) pushed his hitting streak to eight games over the past two years with a second-inning single. Meanwhile junior catcher Jake Fox (Greenfield, Ind./Indianapolis Cathedral HS) had his streak snapped at eight games and junior RF Brandon Roberts had his hit streak snapped at five straight.

Brock Koman collected his 53rd career double in the Georgia Tech game to pull into a tie for fourth on Michigan's all-time doubles list with Phil Price (53, 1987-90). Jason Alcaraz (54, 1996-99) and Bryan Besco (55, 1995-99) rank second and third; the U-M record is 67 set by Mike Cervenak (1996-99).

With four hits in three games so far this season, Koman needs one hit to become the 11th Wolverine to collect 200 career hits and just four hits to catch Barry Larkin (203, 1983-85) for 10th on U-M's all-time hit list.

Michigan's hitting leaders after three games include: sophomore OF Chris Burhans at .600 (3-for-5), junior RF Brandon Roberts (.429, 3-for-7), senior OF Gino Lollio .357 (5-for-14), senior 1B Nate Wright (.333, 4-for-12), freshman SS Jeremy Goldschmeding (.333, 3-for-9), junior catcher Jake Fox (.308, 4-for-13) and senior 3B Brock Koman (.308, 4-for-13).

Q U O T E S

U-M Head Coach Rich Maloney
On the two games played Sunday ... "We're making progress. I thought we represented Michigan the way the alumni and fans would appreciate."

On collecting his first win as Wolverine head coach ... "It was a special moment to get the game ball from the kids for the first win. For me the win was the culmination of one dream and the start of another. I came here to compete against the best."

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423