Brauer, Richard Combine for Shutout in Home Opener

Friday, March 25

Ann Arbor, Mich.

3:00 PM

Michigan

Oakland

Oakland University

Michigan

3/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Fifth-year senior RHP Jim Brauer (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) and sophomore/freshman LHP Clayton Richard (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon HS) combined on a four-hit shutout as the University of Michigan baseball team beat Oakland University 10-0 in the Wolverines' home opener at Ray Fisher Stadium. The win was a season-high sixth straight for the Wolverines (12-3), while Oakland fell to 1-10 on the season.

Schmidt's two-run blast in the sixth put U-M up 4-0.

Brauer (4-0) dropped his ERA to 1.97 on the season with his six shutout innings, and he allowed all four hits to Oakland. Richard, who kept his ERA at 0.00, collected the first save of his career as he added three shutout innings to his slate. Brauer fanned four, while Richard had three strikeouts as he faced the minimum nine batters.

The Wolverine offense clicked in against Oakland starter Aaron Hines (1-1) in the fifth inning, scoring twice as junior/sophomore catcher Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) opened the frame with a walk and moved to third as sophomore shortstop Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) faked a bunt and then smashed a double down the leftfield line.

With one out senior co-captain Matt Butler (Lombard, Ill./Driscoll Catholic) dumped a single to center for a 1-0 lead, and sophomore RF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) followed with a sacrifice fly and the score was 2-0.

Junior DH A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Lahser HS) doubled to lead off the sixth inning, and junior LF Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich., Heritage HS) followed with a homer to left and the lead was doubled to 4-0.

The Wolverines batted around in the seventh inning, sending 10 batters to the plate while scoring six runs against the Oakland bullpen. The big hits in the inning included a run-scoring single by Schmidt, a two-run single by Kunkel and a two-run triple by Butler. Freshman RF Doug Pickens (West Bloomfield, Mich./Brother Rice) knocked in the sixth run of the inning with a pinch sac fly.

Butler, Schmidt and Mahler led the 10-hit attack with two hits each for the Wolverines.

The Wolverines continue the weekend series with Oakland University with a doubleheader Saturday (March 26, 1 p.m.) with senior RHP Michael Penn (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian) and senior/junior LHP Paul Hammond (Mason, Ohio/Mason HS) slated to pitch. Penn is 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA, while Hammond is 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA.

N O T E S

The home-opening win was the third straight for head coach Rich Maloney, and he is 3-0 in home openers as a Wolverine with wins over Central Michigan (2003) and back-to-back wins over Oakland (2004, '05). Michigan has win five consecutive home openers.

The six-game winning streak for the Wolverines is the second best streak for skipper Rich Maloney at Michigan. The best is seven set last season while clinching third place in the Big Ten in the final week of the regular season.

The Michigan pitching staff has allowed just three earned runs in the last six games to lower the team ERA to 2.57 after 15 games.

The combined shutout by Jim Brauer and Clayton Richard is the fourth shutout in 15 games for the Wolverines this season. Last year Michigan had four shutouts for the season with the fourth coming in the 56th game of the season.

Senior RHP Jim Brauer is 18-12 in his career and has won 11 of his last 12 decisions after starting out 0-2 in 2004. He pulled into a six-way tie for 14th on Michigan's all-time win list that includes current Seattle Mariners RHP J.J. Putz (18 wins, 1996-99). Brauer moved into 14th on Michigan's all-time innings pitched list with 224.2 with Putz next at 227.1. He also inched next to Putz in career strikeouts with 184 to rank 13th behind Putz, 12th with 185, and Jim Abbott (186, 1986-88), who ranks 11th.

Brauer has allowed just one run in his last three starts covering 21 innings, and the Wolverines are 5-0 in his five starts this season.

Senior CF Matt Butler's RBI single in the fifth inning that snapped the 0-0 tie was his team-leading third game-winning hit of the season. Butler has 13 career 'gamers.'

Michigan's leading hitters after 15 games are 2B Chris Getz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS) at .433 (26-for-60), 1B Kyle Bohm (Stevens Point, Wis./Area HS) at .390, (23-for-59), DH A.J. Scheidt (18-for-48, .375), OF Matt Butler (25-for-67, .373), Mike Schmidt (13-for-35, .371), OF Brad Roblin (15-for-45, .333) and catcher Jeff Kunkel (10-for-32, .313).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423