Western Michigan Rallies Late, Spoils Penn's Shutout Bid

Saturday, March 22

Indianapolis, Ind.

11:30 AM

Michigan

7-8

Western Michigan

5-9

Western Michigan

Michigan

Western Michigan Rallies Late, Spoils Penn's Shutout Bid

3/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Western Michigan scored three runs in the eighth inning and three in the ninth for a 6-2 comeback win over Michigan in Butler Classic baseball tournament action Saturday (March 22) in Bulldog Ballpark. The win was the second late-inning win for WMU (5-9) in the tournament as the Broncos scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to beat Central Michigan 2-1 on Friday (March 21).

Wolverine RHP Michael Penn (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian HS) pitched seven scoreless innings and held a 2-0 lead heading into the eighth. However, WMU scored three times in the eighth as RF Tom Fabrizio drove in the first run with a double, Chad Tarpley was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the score and pinch hitter Kevin Kross knocked in the winner with a sacrifice fly. The Broncos added three more in the ninth with the big hit a two-run single by SS Adam Rosales.

Penn (0-3) took the loss, working 7.1 innings and allowing five hits and three runs, one earned, as he dropped his ERA to 4.62. Sophomore/freshman Ali Husain (Ann Arbor, Mich./Ypsilanti HS) allowed one run and freshman RHP Derek Feldkamp (Adrian, Mich./Blissfield HS) allowed two runs and four hits in the ninth.

The Wolverines (7-8) did all their scoring in the first inning off complete-game pitcher Brad Mumma (1-2). Mumma did not allow an earned run with his six-hitter and he fanned four.

The Wolverines scored in the first as senior CF Gino Lollio (Cape Coral, Fla./Mariner HS) singled to left to open the frame and advanced to second on an error on a grounder hit by senior 2B Jordan Cantalamessa (Castle Rock, Colo./Cherry Creek HS). WMU SS Adam Rosales made an excellent play as senior 3B Brock Koman's (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) bid for a single to left was turned into a 6-5 force play as Lollio was out at third.

Following a passed ball that moved runners to second and third, junior catcher Jake Fox (Greenfield, Ind./Indianapolis Cathedral HS) knocked in the first run with a slow grounder to short. Sophomore RF Chris Burhans (Alpharetta, Ga./The Marist School) followed with a single to drive in Koman with the second run.

Michigan had a chance to add runs in the sixth inning, loading the bases on singles by Fox and Burhans and an intentional walk to junior LF Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS),  but pinch hitter Jason Wuerfel's (Cedar, Mich./Glen Lake HS) bid for extra bases was hauled down in leftfield.

Koman singled in the third inning to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. He has a hit in each Michigan game this season.

Sophomore SS Nick Rudden (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) singled in the ninth for the sixth Wolverine hit, but Lollio grounded into a double play to end the game.

The Wolverines conclude Butler Classic action Sunday (March 23, 11:30 a.m.) by facing Central Michigan. Junior RHP Bobby Garza (Southgate, Mich./Anderson HS), who is 2-0 with a 6.97 ERA, is listed as the probable starter for U-M, which will host Central Michigan in Tuesday's (March 25) home opener at 3 p.m. in Ray Fisher Stadium.

N O T E S

Former Wolverines Ryan Van Oeveren (1992-95) and Jim Hosler (1967-69) were at the game vs. WMU on Saturday.

Senior 3B Brock Koman extended his team-leading hitting streak to a career-best 15 games with a third-inning single, and junior catcher Jake Fox extended his career-best hit streak to 12 games with a sixth-inning single.

Koman, who leads the team with 28 hits on the season after the loss to Western Michigan, pushed his career hit total to 223, remaining in seventh place on Michigan's all-time hit. Bobby Scales (226, 1996-99) is sixth on the list.

Michigan's hitting leaders after 15 games include (25 at-bat minimum): senior 3B Brock Koman at .424 (28-for-66),  junior C Jake Fox (.361, 22-for-61), junior RF Brandon Roberts (.333, 18-for-54), sophomore RF Chris Burhans (.333, 9-for-27), senior 2B Jordan Cantalamessa (.313, 21-for-67) and senior CF Gino Lollio (.303, 20-for-66).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423