Michigan Comes from Six Runs Down to Defeat Toledo

Wednesday, April 20

Ann Arbor, Mich.

3:00 PM

Michigan

21-12

Toledo

12-25

Toledo

Michigan

4/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Sophomore LF Brad Roblin's (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) eighth-inning, bases-loaded grounder knocked in sophomore shortstop Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) with the winning run in a 10-9 non-conference baseball win for the University of Michigan over Toledo Wednesday afternoon (April 20) at Ray Fisher Stadium.

Mahler had driven in the tying run earlier in the eighth inning as the Wolverines (21-12) scored the last seven runs of the game for the win over Toledo (12-25). Roblin paced the 13-hit Michigan attack with three singles, three RBI including the "gamer" and his 10th and 11th stolen bases of the season. The Wolverines have won three of four games since losing the series opener at Illinois last Friday (April 15).

Junior RHP Jeff Niemiec (Livonia, Mich./Catholic Central), the sixth of seven Wolverine pitchers, worked a scoreless eighth to earn his third win of the season, while junior RHP Derek Feldkamp (Adrian, Mich./Blissfield HS) worked a scoreless ninth inning to record his first save of the season in his third outing since returning to the bullpen.

The Wolverines fell behind early as the Rockets of the Mid-American Conference scored seven runs in the first two innings to take a 7-2 lead, but Michigan scored five times in the seventh inning to pull within one run at 9-8 and added the final two runs in the game in the eighth inning off Toledo lefty Levi Curry (1-1).

Junior A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS), making his first start at 2B since his freshman season, led off the winning rally by getting hit by a pitch, one of six times a Wolverine was "plunked" by the Toledo pitching staff. Junior/sophomore catcher Matt Rademacher (Bay City, Mich./Central HS) moved Scheidt to second with a sacrifice bunt and Mahler singled to center, tying the game at 9-9 and chasing Curry.

Freshman 3B Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair HS) singled to center and junior LF Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) walked to load the bases facing Chris Fields, the sixth Toledo pitcher of the game. The speedy Roblin hit a slow roller to short and he beat the attempted double play relay throw to first to knock in the winning run.

Senior/junior DH Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) started the five-run seventh with a walk in an inning that was highlighted by a Mahler RBI single, a pinch hit sac fly by junior Chris Getz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS) and consecutive two-out singles by Roblin, RF Matt Butler (Lombard, Ill./Driscoll Catholic) and senior 1B Kyle Bohm (Stevens Point, Wis./Area HS).

Freshman 2B Scott Boley paced Toledo's 16-hit attack with a 4-for-5 game that included a two-run double in the first inning when the visiting Rockets grabbed a 4-0 lead against Michigan starter Michael McCormick (Goodrich, Mich./Goodrich HS). Senior DH Dan Ruth stroked a two-run double in the second inning to push the UT lead to 7-2 and catcher Nick Lance chipped in with three hits.

Wolverine senior/junior LHP Paul Hammond (Mason, Ohio/Mason HS) calmed the Toledo offense, working 2.1 scoreless innings and recording three strikeouts. Toledo scored just two runs over the final seven innings, allowing the Wolverines the opportunity to battle back for the win, but the runs came in the top of the seventh as UT moved the lead to 9-3 and had runners on second and third with one out before senior/junior lefty Ali Husain (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti HS) entered the game and made just three pitches to record a popup and a groundout to end the threat.

The Wolverines will be turning on the lights in the next game, hosting Ohio State Friday (April 22, 7:05 p.m.) for the first night game in Ray Fisher Stadium history, with ESPN on hand for the festivities. Fifth-year senior and co-captain Jim Brauer (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) is slated to start the series opener with his 4-1 record and a 2.33 ERA.

N O T E S

Catcher Jeff Kunkel collected a run-scoring double in the first inning while "DH-ing" against Toledo, marking the fifth straight game in which he has had a double. Kunkel has a personal season-best six-game hitting streak heading into Friday's night game vs. Ohio State.

Junior 3B Alex Martin (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS), making his third start for the Wolverines at Ray Fisher Stadium, doubled and scored in the second inning and twice was hit by pitches. Martin has been hit twice in a game twice this season and he shares the team HBP lead (5) with Scheidt, Roblin and Kunkel.

Michigan's leading hitters after 33 games are 2B Chris Getz (50-for-119, .420), C Jeff Kunkel (32-for-88, .364), Kyle Bohm (45-for-124, .363), OF Matt Butler (49-for-136, .360), 3B/DH Derek VanBuskirk (19-for-60, 317) and OF Brad Roblin (22-for-73, .301).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423