Michigan Overtaken by Host Team at Winthrop Tourney

Saturday, March 18

Rock Hill, S.C.

1:00 PM

Michigan

5-7

Winthrop

17-5

Michigan

Winthrop

3/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Host Winthrop scored twice in the sixth inning to take the lead and one in the eighth to beat the University of Michigan baseball team 5-3 on Saturday afternoon (March 18) in Coca Cola Classic action in the Winthrop Ballpark. Senior RHP Craig Murray (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) took the loss, allowing the first four runs as his record drops to 2-1.

Winthrop starter Alex Wilson (5-0) hit junior CF Eric Rose (Blissfield, Mich./Blissfield) with a pitch to open the game, but Rose was thrown out attempting to steal.. Junior SS Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) followed with a single and, he did steal second base as sophomore RF Doug Pickens (West Bloomfield, Mich./Brother Rice) struck out on a 3-2 pitch.

Freshman 2B Kevin Cislo (Novi, Mich./Novi) doubled to left-center to open the third ining and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by LF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School). Roblin reached first when Wilson threw late to third base. The Wolverines reached the scoreboard as Rose hit a sacrifice fly to score Cislo. Mahler followed with a hit-and-run single that pushed Roblin to third, but Wilson fanned Pickens for the second out.

Fifth-year senior catcher Jeff Kunkel (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and sophomore DH Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion) drew a walk to drive in the second run. Senior 3B A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills/Lahser HS) lined out to left to end the inning.

Murray gave up back-to-back singles with one out in the third in as DH Jake Shaffer had the first hit of the games for the Eagles and leadoff man Chris Carrara dumped a single to center, moving the runner to third. Eagle 1B Heath Rollins doubled to right-center to make the score 2-1, and U-M's Pickens made a fine play to cut off the ball in the gap to save a run.

LF Jacob Dempsey hit a sacrifice fly to left and the score was tied at 2-2, and Murray got SS Matt Repec on a fly to left to end the inning. U-M's Roblin had five putouts in LF in the first three innings.

Winthrop CF Tommy Lentz singled to open the fourth and reached second on a stolen base, but Murray retired the side on a popup, flyout and groundout.

Mahler collected his third consecutive single with one out in the fifth, and after a sac but by Pickens with one out, Wilson walked Kunkel intentionally and Recknagel hit a fly to right to end the inning.

In the Winthrop fifth ining Shaffer led off with a walk, but Murray fanned Carrara, and Kunkel tossed Shaffer out attempting to steal before Rollins fouled out to Roblin in left.

The Wolverines regained the lead in the top of the sixth as Scheidt was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second on a groundout by sophomore 1B Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair). Scheidt took third on a wild pitch and scored on a grounder by Cislo.

Winthrop took the lead after two outs in the sixth when Murray hit CF Lentz and walked catcher Alan Robbins before RF Phil Carey and 3B Mitch Saum both blooped singles to center to make the score 4-3. Fifth-year senior LHP Drew Taylor (Toronto, Ontario/Upper Canada College) replaced Murray and got out of the inning by getting Carrara to pop to Cislo at 2B.

Jason Franzblau replaced Wilson to start the seventh and walked Rose on four pitches, but he retired Mahler, Pickens and Kunkel with Rose ending up on second base after stealing his seventh base of the season.

Recknagel reached on an error by the 3B to start the eighth, and senior OF Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) replaced him as a pinch runner and advanced to second on a grounder to first by Scheidt. Winthrop closer Jonathan Settle was brought in to face VanBuskirk and he lined to center. Freshman Zach Putnam (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) pinch hit for Cislo and he hit a fly to right to end the inning.

Winthrop added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.

Michigan's next game is Sunday (March 19, 10 a.m.) against Wagner on the final day of the Coca-Cola Classic hosted by Winthrop. Junior RHP Andrew Hess (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central HS) is listed as U-M's tentative starter with his 1-0 record and 5.54 ERA.

N O T E S

The game time for Sunday's Coca-Cola Classic morning getaway game for the Wolverines vs. Wagner was moved up from 11 a.m. to 10 a.m. to accommodate travel plans.

Michigan's leading hitters after 12 games are: SS Leif Mahler (17-for-45, 378), 1B/C/DH Nate Recknagel (11-for-34, .324), CF Eric Rose (15-for-47, .319), RF Doug Pickens (14-for-46, .304) and C Jeff Kunkel (11-for-43, .256)

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423