Late-Inning Rallies Produce Toledo Win Over Michigan

Wednesday, April 12

Ann Arbor, Mich.

3:05 PM

Michigan

16-12

Toledo

15-13

University of Toledo

Michigan

4/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Toledo scored two runs in the ninth inning to tie the game and two more in the top of the 10th and needed the final out at the plate in the bottom of the inning as the visiting Rockets defeated the University of Michigan 10-9 in non-conference baseball action Wednesday afternoon (April 12) at Ray Fisher Stadium.

Wolverine freshman Kevin Cislo (Novi, Mich./Novi) lined a bases-loaded single up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the 10th to cut the margin to 10-9, but Toledo centerfielder Drew Hoisington fired a strike to catcher Nick Lance to nail U-M senior co-captain A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) at the plate for the final out of the game.

Hoisington had a busy day for Toledo (16-12) as earlier in the game he had turned a different Cislo single to center into the final out of the fourth inning when he tossed out LF Adam Abraham (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South HS) at the plate.

Ironically Hoisington, who had reached on an error to lead off a three-run fifth inning for the Rockets, scored on a similar play in the fifth when a strong throw from sophomore RF Doug Pickens (West Bloomfield, Mich./Brother Rice) skipped past sophomore catcher Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion) as the Rocket runner neared home plate.

Toledo scored two unearned runs on one hit, a double by SS Jason Watson, in the ninth to tie the game and scored twice in the 10th for the win with catcher Lance driving in the winning run with a double to snap the 8-8 tie. RF Joel Visser singled with the bases loaded to make the score 10-8 as Lance was thrown out at the plate on the play.

With the loss, the Wolverines (16-12) drop to 0-3 in extra innings in 2006.

Michigan's defense, errorless in winning three of four games at Minnesota last weekend, was not sharp in the Toledo game as the visiting Rockets took advantage of two errors, a balk and several bad bounces to score five unearned runs.

Toledo took a 1-0 lead on a solo homer from 3B Scott Boley in the second inning, scored three runs (unearned) in the fifth inning, and added two more runs in the sixth to take a 6-1 lead.

The Wolverines had tied the score at 1-1 on a two-out single by Recknagel in the third inning as he extended hit hitting streak to seven games. He drove in senior CF Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage), who had reached base on a two-out walk.

Michigan missed a chance to take the lead in the fourth inning as Abraham doubled off the fence in left and then was thrown out at the plate following Cislo's first hit of the game.

Toledo added two runs in the sixth on a run-scoring triple by DH Josh Colliver and a run-scoring single by Lance. Lance was 2-for-4 and drove in three runs while making the two tag plays at the plate as he directly accounted for five runs (three for Toledo and two U-M didn't get) in a one-run win.

Michigan chased Toledo starter Mike Ellis in the sixth inning by scoring four times. Sophomore 1B Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair) and 3B Scheidt opened the inning with singles and Abraham followed with a three-run homer, his first round-tripper as a Wolverine. Cislo singled and later scored the fourth run of the inning on a two-out single by fifth-year senior DH Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest).

Pickens led off the U-M seventh inning with a triple off the fence in left-center and scored on a single by VanBuskirk. With VanBuskirk moving on the pitch, Scheidt hit a grounder to short and the Rockets attempted a 6-4-3 double play, but both runners beat the relays for a fielder's choice. Leading hitter Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) came off the bench and hit a two-out pinch single to right to give Michigan its first lead of the game, 7-6.

Sophomore/freshman RHP Ben Jenzen (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS) worked a 1-2-3 eighth, and the Wolverines came up with an insurance run in the bottom of the frame. Kunkel led off the eighth with his third hit of the game, moved up on a pinch sacrifice bunt by junior OF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School), and scored on a two-out double by Scheidt.

With Michigan trailing 10-8 heading to the bottom of the 10th inning, freshman RHP/1B Zach Putnam (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS), the projected starting pitcher vs. Ohio State on Friday (April 14), singled as a pinch hitter for defensive replacement Kenny Fellows (Holt, Mich./Holt).

With Clint Tobias (Sunfield, Mich./Lakewood HS) making his career debut as a pinch runner for Putnam, Toledo's Joe Roberts (1-0) retired Pickens and VanBuskirk, but he hit Scheidt with a pitch to keep the game alive.

Abraham (3-3), who took the loss in relief, collected his third hit of the game with a single to left to load the bases and set the stage for Cislo at the plate and Hoisington in center. Cislo's third single of the game scored Tobias, but the final out of the game came on the tag by catcher Lance at the plate.

Kunkel, VanBuskirk, Abraham and Cislo each had three hits to account for 12 of Michigan's 19 hits against Toledo. DH Colliver had three hits to pace Toledo's 14-hit attack.

The Wolverines host Ohio State in the first night game of the season Friday (April 14) at Ray Fisher Stadium with the first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m. Freshman RHP Zach Putnam (1-0, 3.46 ERA) is scheduled to pitch the series opener for the Wolverines.

N O T E S

Sophomore 1B/C/DH Nate Recknagel extended his hitting streak to seven games and SS Leif Mahler moved his streak to six games in the Toledo game.

Freshman LF/RHP Adam Abraham collected his first double and his first homer in the loss to Toledo and recorded his second straight pitching decision after collecting the win Sunday (April 9) at Minnesota. Abraham (3-3) leads the team with 10 pitching appearances and shares the team lead in both wins and losses.

The Wolverines had 19 hits for the third time this season but lost for the first time with 19 safeties. Earlier U-M and earned wins against Oakland 14-5 and Central Michigan 19-4 when collecting 19 hits.

Michigan's leading hitters after 28 games are: SS Leif Mahler (32-for-90, 356), CF Eric Rose (Blissfield, Mich./Blissfied) at .342 (27-for-79), 1B/C/DH Nate Recknagel (31-for-93, .333), 2B/ OF Doug Pickens (32-for-98, .327)1B/OF Derek VanBuskirk (32-for-99, 323), C Jeff Kunkel (30-for-97, .309) and Adam Abraham (16-for-54, .296).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423