Flames Top Wolverines with 'Wild' Extra-Innings Finish

Saturday, February 28

Port St. Lucie, Fla.

3:00 PM

Michigan

0-4

Illinois-Chicago

4-1

Michigan

Illinois-Chicago

Flames Top Wolverines with 'Wild' Extra-Innings Finish

2/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Illinois-Chicago scored once in the 10th inning to tie and once in the 11th to beat the University of Michigan 4-3 in college baseball action Saturday afternoon (Feb. 28) at the New York Mets spring training complex. It marked the second straight comeback win for the UIC Flames (4-1) over the winless Wolverines (0-4).

UIC's Jordan DeVoir, who collected a two-run single in the five-run fifth inning rally on Friday night (Feb. 27), opened the bottom of the 11th inning with a double down the leftfield line against freshman RHP Andrew Hess (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central HS). DeVoir moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch as Hess (0-1), the sixth Wolverine pitcher of the day, took the loss.

The Wolverines grabbed their only lead of the game in extra innings as junior OF Matt Butler (Lombard, Ill./Driscoll Catholic HS) led off the 10th inning with a pinch single and moved to second on a single by sophomore 2B Chris Getz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS). Both runners advance on a wild pitch and Butler gave Michigan a 3-2 lead as he scored on a grounder to second by junior Nick Rudden (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS). With two outs junior 1B Kyle Bohm (Stevens Point, Wis./Area HS) singled to left but Getz was thrown out trying to score.

Illinois-Chicago LF Shane Crowder played a major role in the win as he tripled and scored the first run of the game, singled to tie the game in the bottom of the 10th inning and tossed two runners out at the plate. UIC LHP David Haehnel worked the first eight innings, allowing five hits and two runs in the no-decision, and Ryan Zink (1-0), who saved the series opener, recorded the win.

UIC scored twice in the third inning, but the Wolverines cut the led in half in the fourth inning as Rudden singled up the middle, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Bohm.

Michigan tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth inning as sophomore 3B A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) was hit by a pitch, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore shortstop Jeremy Goldschmeding (Martin, Mich./Allegan HS) and he scored on a throwing error by pitcher Haehnel.

Junior RHP Michael Penn (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian HS) was the first Wolverine starter to pitch five innings in the early going this season, and he allowed three hits and two runs. Junior RHP Phil Tognetti (Newhall, Calif./William S. Hart HS) and freshman LHP Michael McCormick (Grand Blanc, Mich./Goodrich HS) each allowed one hit while working two scoreless innings, with the young lefty missing out on the win.

Scheidt, Bohm and freshman RF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) each had two hits for the Wolverines.

The Wolverines close out their three-game series against the Flames with an 11 a.m. contest Sunday (Feb. 29).

N O T E S

Former Wolverine catcher Mike Seestedt (1996-99), recently retired from the Baltimore Orioles organization, was on hand Saturday to see Wolverine freshman RHP Steve Boge (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant HS) as they are both from Mt. Pleasant, Mich. Seestedt played at A, AA and AAA levels for Baltimore in 2003.

Former Wolverine student manager Jeff Singer (1997-2000), who is currently working in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization at Vero Beach, Fla., helped out in the press box Saturday (Feb. 28).

Junior OF Matt Butler is 2-for-2 as a pinch hitter this season. In 2003 Butler led the Wolverines with three pinch hits.

Players with four-game hitting streaks after the first four games include newcomers Kyle Bohm and Brad Roblin, and they each had two hits Saturday (Feb. 28) vs. UIC.

Sophomore 3B A.J. Scheidt had six assists while making several sparkling defensive plays, while on the other side of the infield 2B Chris Getz had seven assists and 1B Bohm had 19 putouts and one assist.

Michigan's hitting leaders after the first four games are: Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) at .600 (6-for-10), Brad Roblin at .438 (7-for-16), Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS) at .417 (5-for-12), 3B A.J. Scheidt at .400 (6-for-15), 1B Kyle Bohm at .353 (6-for-17) and junior OF Chris Burhans (Alpharetta, Ga./Marist School) at .333 (5-for-15).