Weekly Release #5

Upcoming Action
Fri-Sun., March 26-28 -- Michigan Classic (Ray Fisher Stadium)
    Friday -- Oakland vs. Detroit, 11 a.m.
    Friday -- Oakland at Michigan, 3 p.m.
    Saturday -- Detroit at Michigan, 11 a.m.
    Saturday -- Oakland at Michigan, 3 p.m.
    Sunday -- Oakland vs. Detroit, 11 a.m.
    Sunday -- Detroit at Michigan, 3 p.m.
Friday, April 2 -- vs. Minnesota (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 3 -- DH vs. Minnesota (Ray Fisher Stadium), 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 4 -- vs. Minnesota (Ray Fisher Stadium), 1 p.m.

Wolverines Open Home Schedule Hosting Michigan Classic
The University of Michigan baseball team begins a nine-game homestand by hosting the Michigan Classic featuring the Wolverines along with Oakland University and the University of Detroit in a six-game weekend (March 26-28) set in Ray Fisher Stadium. Each team will play four games, and there will be two games played each day starting at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The Wolverines (5-9) will play Oakland (4-8) on Friday (March 26, 3 p.m.), both teams on Saturday (March 27 -- Detroit at 11 a.m., Oakland at 3 p.m.) and Detroit (1-8) on Sunday (March 28, 3 p.m.). Oakland plays two games on Friday and Detroit plays two games on Sunday. Oakland plays Detroit in the 11 a.m. game on both Friday and Sunday.

Michigan enters the weekend after dropping three games in Louisiana, while Oakland's Golden Grizzlies enter the weekend on a four-game winning streak after winning three games at Ohio University. Detroit has games scheduled at Eastern Michigan on Tuesday (March 23) and at Notre Dame on Wednesday (March 24) before meeting Oakland to open weekend action.

Coaching Matchups
Michigan's Rich Maloney (Western Michigan '86), the 18th coach in Wolverine baseball history, enters the home opener with Oakland with a 10-year career coaching mark of 286-180-1 (.613). He is 35-36 in two seasons at Michigan. A native of Roseville, Mich., Maloney, spent seven years as head coach at Ball State, where he was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year twice (1998 and 2001) and led the Cardinals to MAC championships in 1999 and 2001. Ball State won the MAC West title four consecutive years (1998-2001). Maloney has won at least 30 games in each of his eight seasons as a head coach at the collegiate level. Maloney is 1-0 vs. Oakland and 3-0 vs. Detroit. Maloney is 1-0 in home openers at Michigan after beating Central Michigan by a 15-6 margin in his first Fisher Stadium opener as a Wolverine a year ago.

Coaching Opponents
Oakland's Mark Avery (Wayne State  '95), in his sixth season as head coach of the Golden Grizzlies, enters the weekend seeking his 100th win as a head coach. Avery, who played in the Chicago White Sox organization, has a 99-177 career coaching record. Avery is 3-3 vs. Michigan with wins of 12-4 in 1999, 3-2 in 2001 and 17-3 in 2002.

Detroit's Chris Czarnik (Detroit  '88), in his fourth season as head coach of the Titans, enters the week with a 43-117 career coaching mark with two games on the schedule before meeting Oakland on Friday (March 26). Czarnik, who spent three seasons in the Atlanta Braves organization, became just the fifth head coach at UD since 1941 when he replaced his former coach, the legendary Bob Miller, in May of 2000. Czarnik is 0-2 vs. Michigan with losses in 2001 and 2002.

Opening Notes
Michigan heads into Friday's (March 26) home opener vs. Oakland having won three consecutive Ray Fisher Stadium openers ... Michigan beat Oakland by a 7-0 score in 1996 in the only other meeting in a Wolverine home opener ... current Michigan head coach Rich Maloney is 1-0 in home openers as a Wolverine with a 15-6 win last year vs. Central Michigan and 1-1 in Fisher Stadium openers, having lost to Michigan 14-6 in 1998 while at Ball State ... The 1998 game vs. Ball State was scheduled to be the seventh home game of the year, but bad weather eliminated games vs. Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and a four-game Big Series with Iowa ... Michigan is 25-3 in home openers since losing to Bowling Green in 1975 ... Michigan won 17 consecutive home openers from 1976 through 1992 before losing in 1993 to Eastern Michigan ... Detroit beat Michigan in 1997 and Minnesota beat Michigan in the 2000 home opener.

Scheidt Collects Multiple-Hit Games
Sophomore 3B A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) enters the home-opening weekend at Fisher Stadium as the leading hitter for the Wolverines with his .404 batting average (23-for-57). Scheidt was 3-for-3 against Harvard to close out the weekend (March 21) in Louisiana, his team-leading ninth multiple-hit game of the season and second with three hits or more as he had a 4-for-5 game earlier at Duke. Scheidt leads the team in runs scored (12), hits (23), homers (3) and RBI (14).

Bohm Streak Continues in Pinch
Junior 1B Kyle Bohm (Stevens Point, Wis./Area HS) enters the home opener vs. Oakland (March 26) with a career-best and team-leading nine-game hit streak. He extended the streak the hard way with a two-out, run-scoring pinch single against Harvard in his first non-start as a Wolverine. Bohm is third on the team with a .386 (22-for-57) batting average and leads the Wolverines with six doubles. Bohm has collected hits in 13 of his 14 games as a Wolverine.

Hustling Butler Provides Total Effort
Junior outfielder Matt Butler (Lombard, Ill./Driscoll Catholic) finds a way to make a play in most every game for the Wolverines. The veteran, who has made 10 starts this season with six in center and four in right, defused a Ragin' Cajun rally with his glove and arm as he made a diving attempt which held base runners and allowed him to nip the hitter off rounding first base, and he followed with a spectacular diving catch of a foul fly in an inning the hosts were limited to two runs instead of a big inning. In the 3-1 loss to Harvard (March 20) Butler walked and scored the lone Wolverine run in the first inning, reached when hit by a pitch in the third, and singled and collected his fourth stolen base of the season in the sixth inning. In the second Harvard game he singled and scored in the eighth inning as the Wolverines cut the Crimson lead to 4-3 in an eventual 5-3 loss. Butler does the little things well as he has drawn five walks and has been hit by three pitches and has yet to strike out. He has a sacrifice bunt and sac fly and has half of Michigan's four pinch hits this season, going 2-for-2 with a homer.

Wolverine Pitching Rotation
The starting pitchers for 'M' in the four games this weekend in the Michigan Classic have been tentatively set: sophomore RHP Derek Feldkamp (Adrian, Mich./Blissfield HS) in the opener vs. Oakland, senior/junior RHP Jim Brauer (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) vs. Detroit, senior RHP Bobby Garza (Southgate, Mich./Anderson HS) in the second Oakland game and junior RHP Michael Penn (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian) facing Detroit in the finale.

Friday vs. Oakland -- Derek Feldkamp (RHP, 1-2, 3.07 ERA, 2 saves) would be making first start of the season and second career start and would be making seventh outing of the season and 26th career appearance. Took second loss of season working four innings vs. Harvard #1, allowing two runs in eighth inning in 3-1 loss despite career-best and team season-high eight strikeouts. He earned his second save of the year vs. Dayton (March 12), retiring both batters faced in the ninth with an 8-6 lead, and took the loss at Kentucky, allowing a two-run homer to snap 13-13 tie in the eighth of a 15-14 loss. He pitched 2.1 scoreless innings for win at Duke #1, allowing one hit, and worked two innings for save at Duke #2. He worked 4.2 innings, allowed one run and five hits and struck out four in series opener vs. UIC. He shares team lead with 16 strikeouts with Jim Brauer. He was third on the team with 19 appearances as a freshman with 2-1 record and had season-best six strikeouts at Iowa.

Saturday vs. Detroit -- Jim Brauer (RHP, 0-2, 11.02 ERA) would be making fifth start of the season and 22nd career start and making his 33rd career appearance as a Wolverine. He took the loss at Louisiana-Lafayette (March 19), working the first 2.2 innings and allowing seven hits and seven runs, six earned. He worked the first 3.2 innings of eventual 15-14 loss at Kentucky (March 13), allowing 10 hits and six earned runs while striking out five and walking one in no-decision. He dropped his ERA almost 15 runs per game with 6.2 innings of a no-decision at Duke (March 5), allowing one unearned run and five hits while striking out six. He shares team lead with 16 strikeouts (16.1 innings) with Derek Feldkamp. He took loss in the second game of season at Florida, working 2.1 innings and allowing eight earned runs. He worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning vs. UIC #3. He owns a 7-11 career record with wins over Bowling Green (2), Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan State, Illinois and Siena Heights.

Saturday vs. Oakland -- Bobby Garza (RHP, 1-1, 7.27 ERA) would be making fifth start of season and 20th career start and 35th career appearance for the Wolverines. He allowed one hit and one run in no-decision in five innings vs. Harvard with career-high six strikeouts. He retired first 10 batters and 15 of 16 against Dayton, recording first win of season (ninth career win). He fanned five and allowed three runs in the sixth inning. He pitched three innings and allowed six hits and four runs in no-decision at Duke #2. He went 4.1 innings and took loss in series opener vs. Illinois-Chicago in White Stadium in Port St. Lucie, Fla. He led the team with 56 strikeouts as a junior and was second on the team in innings pitched (78.1). He collected the first win for Rich Maloney as Michigan coach by beating Rider in second game of 2003. He owns a 9-5 career record with wins over Dayton, Penn State, MSU, Iowa, Winthrop, Rider, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Detroit Mercy and losses to UIC, Illinois, Northwestern, UC-Riverside and WMU.

Sunday vs. Detroit -- Michael Penn (RHP, 1-1, 3.55 ERA) would be making his fifth start of the season and his 20th career start and 38th career appearance. It would be his 17th start and 22nd appearance as a Wolverine. He leads team with 25.1 innings pitched. He pitched 6.1 innings and took loss vs. Harvard #2 (March 21), allowing four runs, three earned and seven hits. He pitched first complete game of the season, firing a four-hit shutout to beat Youngstown State in Kentucky (March 14). It was his third career complete game and second shutout. He pitched five innings in no-decision at Duke #3, allowing nine hits and five runs. He was only starter to work five innings on the spring trip with a no-decision vs. UIC, allowing three hits and two runs with four strikeouts in eventual 4-3 loss in 11 innings. He made the most appearances of a pitcher in the starting rotation a year ago and pitched complete-game Big Ten wins vs. Iowa and Northwestern. He owns a 4-10 career record, 3-9 at Michigan after transfer from Ball State.

Bullpen Updates
Phil Tognetti (RHP, 1-0, 5.27 ERA) has made 11 career starts and 32 career appearances for the Wolverines. He leads team with seven appearances, all out of the bullpen, and worked 1.2 innings vs. Harvard #2 (March 21). He worked three innings in the win over Dayton (March 12). He earned the win at Duke #2, allowing one hit in 3.2 innings of work, and then worked one inning at Duke #3. He led the team in decisions (11) and was 6-5 in 2003 with Big Ten wins at Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State.

Ali Husain (LHP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA) has five appearances this season and has made 28 career appearance for the Wolverines, all from the bullpen. He faced three batters in scoreless eighth inning at Louisiana-Lafayette (March 21), allowing a single, turning a 1-4-6-3 double play and recording a strikeout. He has allowed two hits in three innings in his five outings. He was second on the team with 23 appearances as a sophomore/freshman in 2003 with 3-1 record.

Consistent Kunkel Collects First Homer
Junior/sophomore catcher Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) enters the home-opening weekend ranked second on the team with a .395 average (15-for-38), and he collected his first career homer last weekend at Louisiana-Lafayette. Kunkel, a switch-hitter, has shown consistency as he is hitting .444 (4-for-9) from the right side and .379 (11-for-29) as a lefty. On defense he ranks second in putouts with 76 and made his season debut at first base against Harvard and turned a nifty 3-6 double play.

Veteran Roberts Heads for 150th Game
Senior Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS) enters the home-opening weekend two games shy of playing in his 150th game as a Wolverine. Roberts, who has started 13 of the 14 games this season as Michigan's designated hitter, enters the weekend hitting .283 (13-for-46), and he notched his 125th career hit in a 2-for-4 game at Louisiana-Lafayette. Roberts has 36 multiple-hit games in his career and is the active career home run leader for the Wolverines with nine round-trippers, including three grand slams. Roberts will soon lose his status as the only 100-game player on the current roster as juniors Matt Butler with 97 games and Nick Rudden (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) with 96 games could both hit the century mark this weekend.

Mahler Seeks First Hit
Michigan freshman shortstop Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) enters the home-opening weekend as the only Wolverine among the 14 position players to have seen action without a hit. However, Mahler, who is 0-for-5, ranks seventh on the team with a .375 on-base percentage. He was walked twice, been hit by a pitch, scored once, driven in a run and also has a sacrifice bunt. In the field Mahler has 10 putouts and 11 assists and has made several outstanding plays.

Big Ten Stat Notes Update
Michigan features three players in the top 10 in the Big Ten in hitting following action against Louisiana-Lafayette (March 19) and Harvard (March 20-21) as 3B A.J. Scheidt is sixth at .404, junior/sophomore catcher Jeff Kunkel is seventh at .395 and 1B Kyle Bohm is eighth at .386 ... Jr. RHP Derek Feldkamp shares the Big Ten in games finished (6) ... On defense 1B Bohm is third in the Big Ten in putouts with 116 and 2B Chris Getz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS) is tied for third with 43 assists ... Michigan as a team ranks third in the Big Ten in hitting (.298), third in fielding (.968) and ninth in pitching (7.50).

Weekly Wolverine Lineup Update
After 14 games in 2004 just two Wolverines -- 2B Chris Getz and 3B A.J. Scheidt -- have started every game at the same position, while five players have made starts at more than one position, including junior Matt Butler at CF and RF, junior Nick Rudden at LF and SS, junior OF Chris Burhans (Alpharetta, Ga./Marist School) at LF and DH, junior/sophomore catcher Jeff Kunkel at C and 1B; sophomore OF Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) at LF and CF and freshman OF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) at RF and LF.

Senior DH Brandon Roberts (4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) is one of three Wolverines to have batted in five different positions in the batting order as he has been joined by 3B A.J. Scheidt (4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) and freshman OF Brad Roblin (1, 2, 3, 5 and 9). So far the Wolverines have had seven different batters hit fifth and ninth in the lineup, while five have hit sixth, seventh and eighth.

The 2004 lineup (potential starters in bold) with backups includes (number of starts at that position this season/total career starts any position): 1B -- +Kyle Bohm (13/23), Jeff Kunkel (1/20), Brandon Roberts (0/133); 2B -- *Chris Getz (14/65), Nick Rudden  (0/74); SS -- Jeremy Goldschmeding (11/36), Leif Mahler (2/2), Nick Rudden (1/73); 3B -- A.J. Scheidt (14/32), Nick Rudden (0/74); LF -- Nick Rudden (7/74), Chris Burhans (3/29), Mike Schmidt (3/17) or Brad Roblin (1/11); CF -- Eric Rose (4/4) or Matt Butler (6/69), Mike Schmidt (4/17); RF -- Matt Butler (4/69) or Brad Roblin (10/11), Chris Burhans (0/29), Brandon Roberts (0/133); C -- Jeff Kunkel (8/20), Matt Rademacher (6/6); DH -- Brandon Roberts (13/133), Chris Burhans (1/28). * at Wake Forest (51 starts); + at Auburn (10 starts)