Another Marathon: Iowa Wins 13-Inning Thriller Over U-M

Friday, April 9

Iowa City, Iowa

6:00 PM CT

Michigan

12-12, 2-3

Iowa

8-16, 1-4

Michigan

Iowa

Another Marathon: Iowa Wins 13-Inning Thriller Over U-M

4/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Reserve 3B Kevin Sunderman's two-out, full-count single scored CF L.J. Mims from second base with the winning run in the 13th inning as Iowa outlasted Michigan 6-5 in Big Ten Conference baseball action Friday night (April 9) at Duane Banks Field.

The extra-inning contest was the third in five conference games for both Michigan (12-12, 2-3 Big Ten) and host Iowa (8-16, 1-4 Big Ten). Both teams are 1-2 in conference extra-inning games, and Michigan drops to 0-6 in night games for the season.

Iowa appeared to have the game in hand, scoring four unearned runs in the seventh inning as the Hawkeyes grabbed their first lead of the Big Ten season. The Hawkeyes took advantage of a dropped pop fly and a throwing error on an attempted sacrifice bunt to load the bases with no outs, and they cut Michigan's lead to 3-2 on a pop-fly single by CF Mims that chased starting pitcher senior/junior Jim Brauer (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS). The best hit of the inning was a two-run single by RF Nate Yoho, who was thrown out at second to end the inning, and those two runs gave Iowa a 5-3 lead after seven innings.

Not to be outdone the Wolverines scored twice in the eighth to tie the game at 5-5 on a single by sophomore 3B A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS), a walk to junior/sophomore catcher Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) and an infield single by senior DH Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS) to load the bases. Junior OF Chris Burhans (Alpharetta, Ga./Marist School) knocked in one run with a grounder to third as a pinch hitter and pinch runner Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) tied the game when he scored from third on a passed ball.

Iowa had the winning run in scoring position in the 10th, 11th and 12th innings before winning in the 13th. The Hawkeyes had the bases loaded with no outs in the 12th inning but were stopped by freshman RHP Dan Lentz (Farmington Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS). However, the luck ran out for Lentz (0-2) in the 13th and he took the loss.

The Wolverines grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning as sophomore 2B Chris Getz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS) and junior RF Matt Butler (Lombard, Ill./Driscoll Catholic) opened the game with back-to-back doubles with Butler driving in the first run of the game. Scheidt lined a single to left-center to make the score 2-0.

Iowa LF Jesse Brownell opened the second inning with a single to extend his hitting streak to eight games and eventually reached third base on a stolen base and a wild pitch, but Brauer struck out the side to end the threat.

Getz and Butler combined to "steal a run" in the third inning as they reached on back-to-back errors by Hawkeyes 2B Andy Lytle. They pulled off a double steal and Getz scored on a wild pitch to make the score 3-0.

Iowa reached the scoreboard in the fourth inning on singles by catcher Kris Welker, Brownell and 3B Luis Andrulonis.

Getz paced the Wolverine offense with four hits, but Scheidt with two singles was the only other on the team to collect more than one hit.

Freshman shortstop Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep), a defensive replacement, made key plays to end the ninth, 10th and 12th innings, including a 6-4-3 double play with Getz and junior 1B Kyle Bohm (Stevens Point, Wis./Area HS) that ended the 12th.

The Wolverines used five pitchers and allowed just two earned runs in 12.2 innings while striking out 11 batters. Junior/sophomore LHP Paul Hammond (Mason, Ohio/Mason HS) tossed 3.1 shutout innings after replacing Brauer in the seventh inning. Starter Brauer pitched six innings, plus four batters in the seventh, and allowed just one earned run and nine hits while recording nine strikeouts.

The Wolverines continue the weekend series at Iowa with a doubleheader Saturday (April 10, 2 p.m. CDT).

N O T E S

Shortstop Jeremy Goldschmeding (Allegan, Mich./Allegan HS) had his hitting streak snapped at 10 games and, OF Chris Burhans had his streak snapped at eight games.

Michigan's hitting leaders after 24 games are: 1B Kyle Bohm at .385 (37-for-96), OF Eric Rose (Blissfield, Mich./Blissfield HS) at .370 (20-for-54), Jeff Kunkel at .369 (24-for-65), Matt Butler at .349 (30-for-86), 3B A.J. Scheidt at .340 (33-for-97), Jeremy Goldschmeding at .338 (23-for-68), and Chris Getz at .304 (28-for-92).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423