Butler, Bohm Lead U-M to Twinbill Sweep of Grizzlies

Saturday, March 26

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan

13-3

Oakland

1-11

Oakland University

Michigan

3/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior co-captains Matt Butler (Lombard, Ill./Driscoll Catholic) and Kyle Bohm (Stevens Point, Wis./Area HS) played major roles on offense as the University of Michigan swept a pair of games from Oakland University, 5-4 and 8-2, in college baseball action Saturday afternoon (March 26) at Ray Fisher Stadium.

The sweep pushes Michigan's (14-3) winning streak to eight games, the longest winning streak for the Wolverine baseball team since a nine-game streak in 1997. The 14-3 start, which includes wins in 11 of the last 12 games, matches the best start for a U-M baseball team since the 1987 team also started 14-3.

Centerfielder Butler kept setting the table for the Michigan offense as he was 6-for-7 with a walk in the doubleheader sweep, and he jumped his batting average to .419. He is 8-for-12 (.667) in the weekend series and has reached base seven consecutive at-bats (6-for-6 and a walk) and nine times in his last 10 plate appearances.

While Butler was collecting six hits, Bohm was collecting six RBI -- two at a time -- pushing his team-leading total to 27 in 17 games.

Bohm came up big in the opener as the Wolverines trailed Oakland (1-12) by a 4-2 margin with one out and one strike left in the bottom of the seventh inning. Bohm stroked a 1-2 pitch to the fence in right-center to tie the game, and moments later he scored the winning run on a wild pitch for a 5-4 win.

In the second game, while Butler was 3-for-3 and scored twice, Bohm was 2-for-3 with a pair of two-run singles.

Junior RHP Jeff Niemiec (Livonia, Mich./Catholic Central HS) recorded the final two outs in the top of the seventh in the opener and collected his first career win. Senior/junior LHP Drew Taylor (Toronto, Ontario/Upper Canada College) worked three hitless innings in the second game to record his second win of the season. Taylor is 11-4 as a Wolverine.

Senior RHP Michael Penn (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian) had a hard-luck start in the opener for the Wolverines as he allowed two hits in the top of the first inning, the only hits for the Golden Grizzlies in the game, but he allowed three runs and was on the hook until the late rally.

Penn recorded a career-high and team season-high 11 strikeouts and retired 15 consecutive batters in the no-decision. Senior/junior LHP Paul Hammond (Mason, Ohio/Mason HS) was the second-game starter for the Wolverines and worked four innings, allowing three hits and a pair of unearned runs.

Oakland scored twice in the first inning of the opener on two hits and twice more in the seventh without a hit to build a 4-1 lead. RF Ryan Joffrion had the lone Oakland RBI in the opener as his first-inning single made the score 1-0. The Grizzlies used six stolen bases, with three in each inning, to set up the rallies.

The Wolverines battled for the win in the opener as senior/junior catcher Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) opened the winning rally with a full-count single. With one out Butler singled, and the speed of sophomore RF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) kept the game alive as he reached on a fielder's choice on a potential game-ending double play opportunity for Oakland. Kunkel scored on Roblin's grounder.

With the score 4-2 junior 2B Chris Getz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS) was hit by a pitch, and a balk put the tying runs on second and third with Bohm at the plate. Bohm stroked the game-tying double that chased Oakland starter Paul Phillips (0-4).

Junior DH A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) reached on an intentional walk, and Bohm moved to third on a passed ball during the free pass. Junior LF Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and the second pitch to sophomore shortstop Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) sailed to the backstop, allowing Bohm to score the winning run.

In the nightcap, which featured the lights at Fisher Stadium for the first time in a regular-season game, Oakland scrambled for two runs in the top of the third, scoring on a throwing error by pitcher Hammond and a sacrifice fly.

The Wolverines answered on Bohm's two-out single to tie the game in the bottom of the third inning, and Getz collected his first game-winner of the season with a sac fly that scored junior 3B Alex Martin (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) in the fifth inning against OU starter Bryan Bishop (0-1).

Michigan put the game away with four runs in the sixth inning, the only inning the Wolverines hit under the new lights, with Mahler driving in one run with a single, Getz one with a bases-loaded walk and Bohm the final two with a single up the middle.

The Wolverines conclude the weekend series against Oakland University with an Easter Sunday (March 27, 1 p.m.) single game with junior RHP Derek Feldkamp (Adrian, Mich./Blissfield HS) on the mound. Feldkamp is 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA.

N O T E S

The Michigan pitching staff has allowed six earned runs in the last eight games to lower the team ERA to 2.51 after 17 games.

OF Matt Butler leads the team in runs scored (21), hits (31), doubles (9), triples (2), homers (3) and slugging (.716). He ranks second on the team in hitting (.419) and RBI (20) from his leadoff position.

Michigan's leading hitters after 17 games are 2B Chris Getz (27-for-64, .422), OF Matt Butler (31-for-74, .419), 1B Kyle Bohm (26-for-66, .394), Mike Schmidt (14-for-41, .341), DH A.J. Scheidt (18-for-53, .340) and catcher Jeff Kunkel (12-for-36, .333).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423