Schmidt's Two-Run Double Lifts Varsity in Alumni Game
9/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan head baseball coach Rich Maloney considers his second Michigan Baseball Alumni Weekend as another success with great weather for the golfers on Saturday (Sept. 20) and a win by the Wolverines over the Alumni on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 21) at Fisher Stadium.
Sophomore DH Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) lined an eighth-inning, bases-loaded double into the gap in right-center to drive in two runs and snap a 3-3 tie to provide the Varsity with the 5-3 win. Junior/sophomore LHP Paul Hammond (Mason, Ohio/Mason HS), the sixth Wolverine pitcher of the afternoon, worked two shutout innings to collect the win.
CF Brian Bush (1996-99), who holds the Michigan single-season hit record (94, 1999), opened the game with a bunt single for the Alumni, and he raced to third on a hit-and-run single by Jordan Cantalamessa (2000-03). DH Jake Fox (2001-03), the 2003 Wolverine MVP, singled to drive in Bush and the Alumni had a 1-0 lead with the bases loaded and no outs in the first.
Senior RHP Bobby Garza (Southgate, Mich./Anderson HS) pitched out of the first-inning jam with a line-drive double play started by sophomore SS Jeremy Goldschmeding (Martin, Mich./Allegan HS) and a groundout.
The Alumni pulled ahead 2-0 in the second inning when SS Brock Koman (2000-03), who spent the summer in the Houston organization playing for the Tri-City Valley Cats in the New York-Penn League, hit a long homer to left off of Garza.
Former Major League RHP Scott Kamieniecki (1983-86) worked the first two innings and retired six of the seven Wolverines he faced. He allowed a two-out walk to Schmidt in the second inning.
The Wolverines scored three runs after two outs in the third against former Major League LHP Gary Wayne (1981-84), and newcomers played major roles in taking the lead. True freshman CF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) worked a two-out walk and junior LF Nick Rudden (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) singled for the first Varsity hit of the game.
Sophomore 2B Chris Getz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS), a transfer from Wake Forest, singled to center to drive in Roblin, and Rudden tied the game 2-2 as he scored on a throwing error. Junior 1B Kyle Bohm (Stevens Point, Wis./Area HS), a transfer from Auburn, singled in Getz with the go-ahead run.
Cantalamessa, the only Alumni team member with more than one hit, greeted former teammate Michael Penn (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian HS) with a home run in the top of the eighth inning that tied the game 3-3.
Rudden, who led the Wolverine attack with three hits, opened the bottom of the eighth with a double off RHP Ryan Kelley (1996-99). Getz drew a walk and Bohm appeared to hit a run-scoring single, however, the batted ball hit Getz for an out and Bohm was credited with a single.
With Rudden back on third and Bohm replacing Getz on first base, sophomore 3B A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, setting the stage for Schmidt's game-winning double.
While Rudden was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, the three newcomers to play for the Wolverines chipped in as transfers Getz and Bohm each had two hits and scored a run and true freshman Roblin scored the fifth run.
Linescore
| Team | 123 | 456 | 789 | R | H | E |
| Alumni | 110 | 000 | 100 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| Varsity | 003 | 000 | 02X | 5 | 9 | 0 |
Alumni -- Scott Kamieniecki, Gary Wayne (3), John Arvai (5), Mario Garza Jr. (7), Ryan Kelley (8) and Jason Wuerfel, Matt Fleury. Varsity -- Bobby Garza, Jim Brauer (3), Phil Tognetti (5), Craig Murray (6), Michael Penn (7), Paul Hammond (8) and Jeff Kunkel, Matt Rademacher (5). W -- Paul Hammond (1-0). L -- Ryan Kelley (0-1). HR -- Alumni, Brock Koman, Jordan Cantalamessa. Time -- 2:43.
N O T E S
The team awards from the 2003 season were handed out by head coach Rich Maloney during ceremonies held between the home run contest and the Alumni game. Jake Fox, who played for the Midwest League champion Lansing Lugnuts in the Chicago Cubs organization this summer, collected the Ray Fisher Award as Michigan's MVP in 2003. Other award winners included junior LHP Drew Taylor (Toronto, Ontario/Upper Canada College), who earned the Geoff Zahn Award as Michigan's Most Valuable Pitcher, and Brock Koman, who collected his third consecutive Bill Freehan Award as the leading hitter on the team.
Junior IF/OF Nick Rudden and Jordan Cantalamessa were co-recipients of the Betty Simmons Award as the most improved players on the team, while Jason Wuerfel took home the Wolverine Award for team spirit and leadership. Gino Lollio took the Ted Sizemore Award as the top fielder on the 2003 Michigan team, and junior OF Matt Butler (Lombard, Ill./Driscoll Catholic) was winner of the Steve Boros Award given for academics.
Scott Kamieniecki and Gary Wayne, the first two Alumni pitchers on Sunday, were the starting pitchers for the Wolverines in the 1984 College World Series, the last time a Michigan or Big Ten team reached Omaha. Wayne fanned seven in the CWS opener vs. eventual national champ Cal State-Fullerton in a game that the Wolverines led 4-3 in the eighth inning in an eventual 8-4 loss. Kamieniecki, who had pitched a complete-game win over Central Michigan in the regional finals, tried to bounce back on three days rest and suffered the loss to New Orleans in an elimination game.
The Alumni game featured the final "Battle of the Garza Brothers" as senior RHP Bobby Garza, the varsity starter, walked his older brother Mario Garza Jr. (1996-98) in the first inning. Last season each struck out the other, but this season Bobby did not get to bat against Mario, who faced four batters in a scoreless seventh inning. Next season they could be teammates on the Alumni squad.
Jordan Cantalamessa has been a hitting star in the Alumni game the past two seasons, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer and two walks. He was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a pair of walks for the varsity in the 2002 game and he was 2-for-2 with a homer in his debut with the Alumni.
The most veteran member of the Alumni on hand was Don Lund, who played as a Wolverine (1943-45) before playing in the Major Leagues. Lund coached at Michigan (1959-62), winning the 1962 NCAA championship, and later served as an assistant athletic director.
The most veteran Alumni members in the home run hitting contest included Bill Mogk (1951-53) from the 1953 national championship team, LHP Allan Levy (1955), Dick Honig (1961-63) from the 1962 national championship team, and former teammates Jim Hosler (1967-69) and Bill Zepp (1967-69).
The Alumni introductions included a father-son combo of Alfred Capoferi (1945-47) and Jim Capoferi (1975-79).
Mike Cervenak, Michigan's all-time hit leader (293 hits, 1996-99) captured the Alumni home run contest for the second straight year. Cervenak, who spent the summer in the San Francisco organization playing for the for the Norwich Navigators in the Eastern League, won the contest as the last batter in the championship round, hitting two homers to snap a 1-1-1 tie with Brock Koman (2000-03) and Jake Fox (2000-02). Koman hit three homers to highlight the first round that included 28 former Wolverines. The others advancing to the finals were Cervenak (2), Fox (2), OF Rodney Goble (2, 1991-95), LHP Gary Wayne (2, 1981-84) and 2B Jeff Jacobson (1, 1980-83). Cervenak and Koman each had four homers and Fox had three in the two rounds.
Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
