Unearned Run the Difference as Oklahoma Clips Michigan

Sunday, March 9

Norman, Okla.

1:00 PM CT

Michigan

4-6

Oklahoma

8-3

Michigan

Oklahoma

Unearned Run the Difference as Oklahoma Clips Michigan

3/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma used an unearned run in the sixth inning to beat Michigan 5-4 Sunday afternoon (March 9) in the finale of the three-game college baseball series at L. Dale Mitchell Park. OU's 3B Jay Yaconetti's bases-loaded groundout provided the win. It was Yaconetti's second game-winning RBI of the weekend as the Sooners move to 8-3 on the season.

Michigan freshman RHP Craig Murray (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South HS) was the hard-luck loser as OU loaded the bases in the sixth on a dropped fly ball, a walk and a bunt single. Freshman RHP Derek Feldkamp (Adrian, Mich./Blissfield HS) entered and retired the three batters he faced, but Yaconetti's slow grounder drove in the run.

The Wolverines (4-6) battled back in the ninth, loading the bases with two outs as senior 2B Jordan Cantalamessa (Castle Rock, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) walked, senior 3B Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) singled to extend his hitting streak to 10 games and junior DH Jake Fox (Greenfield, Ind./Indianapolis Cathedral HS) was hit by a pitch. However, fifth-year senior Mike Sokol (Sterling Heights, Mich./DeLaSalle HS) struck out to end the game. OU relief pitcher Jarod McAuliff recorded his second save and struck out the side despite leaving the bases loaded.

Oklahoma scored four runs off Michigan junior RHP Bobby Garza (Southgate, Mich./Anderson HS). Garza fanned four but allowed two runs in the first and two more in the third inning before being replaced by freshman RHP Murray in the third.

The Wolverines scored a run in the second inning as Fox, serving as the designated hitter, doubled to left, and he scored on a single by junior RF Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS).

Michigan had a bid to score in the fourth, loading the bases on walks to Fox, fifth-year senior 1B Nate Wright (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew HS) and a single by Roberts, but Oklahoma starter LHP David Purcey, the closer a year ago, got out of the jam with a double play.

The Wolverines used some two-out magic in the top of the fifth to chase Purcey and get Garza off the hook. Freshman SS Jeremy Goldschmeding (Martin, Mich./Allegan HS) singled up the middle to start the rally, and with two outs senior 3B Koman drew a walk. Fox singled to center to drive in Goldschmeding, cutting the lead to 4-2, and Sokol smashed a doubled down the line in right to drive in the tying runs.

The Wolverines head to Rock Hill, S.C., next weekend and will face Northern Illinois Friday (March 14, 2 p.m.) in first-round action in the tournament hosted by Winthrop University. Sophomore LHP Drew Taylor (Toronto, Ontario/Upper Canada College) is the probable starter for the Wolverines in the opener vs. NIU. Taylor is 1-0 with a 6.61 ERA.

N O T E S

Oklahoma senior associate athletic director Jeff Long, a former Wolverine athletic administrator, stopped in at Sunday's series finale after attending the Big XII Conference Wrestling Championships earlier on the weekend.

Junior catcher/DH Jake Fox had five hits in the Oklahoma series, including a double and two homers.

RF Brandon Roberts was the lone regular without a hit in the 21-hit attack in the opener at Oklahoma, but he bounced back with four hits in the series.

Senior 3B Brock Koman extended his team-leading hitting streak to 10 games with a ninth-inning single. Koman, who leads the team with 18 hits on the season, pushed his career hit total to 213 as he chases Phil Price (215, 1987-90) for eighth place on Michigan's all-time hit list.

Michigan's hitting leaders after 10 games include: senior 3B Brock Koman at .429 (18-for-42), junior RF Brandon Roberts (.424, 14-for-33), junior C Jake Fox (.385, 15-for-39), senior OF Gino Lollio (.341, 15-for-44), senior LF-DH Mike Sokol (.333, 13-for-39) and senior 2B Jordan Cantalamessa (.333, 15-for-45).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423