Weekly Release #4
3/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Upcoming 2007 Action (All times local to site)
Friday, March 23 -- vs. Oakland (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3 p.m.
Saturday, March 24 -- vs. Oakland (DH) (Ray Fisher Stadium), 1 p.m.
Sunday, March 25 -- vs. Oakland (Ray Fisher Stadium), 1 p.m.
Tuesday, March 27 -- vs. IPFW (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3 p.m.
[IPFW -- Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne]
Friday, March 30 -- at *Northwestern (Evanston, Ill.) 3:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 31 -- at *Northwestern (DH) (Evanston, Ill.) 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, April 1 -- at *Northwestern (Evanston, Ill.) 1:05 p.m.
[*Big Ten Games, DH -- two 7-inning games]
Wednesday, April 4 -- vs. Central Michigan (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3 p.m.
Friday, April 6 -- vs. *Minnesota (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 7 -- vs. *Minnesota (DH) (Ray Fisher Stadium), 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, April 8 -- vs. *Minnesota (Ray Fisher Stadium), 1:05 p.m.
Tuesday, April 11 -- vs. Toledo (Ray Fisher Stadium), 3 p.m.
Michigan Hosts Oakland for 2007 Home Opener
The University of Michigan baseball team opens the home portion of its 2007 schedule this week, as Oakland University is slated to play four games this weekend (March 23-25) against the Wolverines at Ray Fisher Stadium.
The Wolverines (6-6) are scheduled to meet the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland University (6-8) in a single game Friday (March 23) at 3 p.m. U-M will then play a pair of seven-inning games in a doubleheader Saturday (March 24) beginning at 1 p.m., and the Wolverines close the series with a single game Sunday (March 25) at 1 p.m.
The weekend series will mark the fourth straight season Oakland has been the home-opening opponent for the Wolverines.
Michigan is slated to host IPFW (Indiana Purdue at Fort Wayne) Tuesday (March 27) at 3 p.m. The Mastodons are 3-16 and will be making their Fisher Stadium debut.
Oakland has a pair of games scheduled this week at Central Michigan (March 20) and Bowling Green (March 21) before facing the Wolverines, while IPFW has five games scheduled, including a weekend series at Indiana before facing U-M.
Michigan holds a 17-3 edge in the all-time series against Oakland, and U-M will play IPFW for the first time. Michigan head coach Rich Maloney is 11-0 against the Golden Grizzlies and 4-1 against the Mastodons.
Weekend Coaching Matchups
Michigan's Rich Maloney (Western Michigan '86), the 18th coach in Wolverine baseball history, is in his 12th season as a head coach with a career record of 411-243-1. He was 43-21 in his fourth season at Michigan in 2006, leading the Wolverines to his first Big Ten regular season and tournament championships.
Maloney, who is 155-99 at Michigan, has led the Wolverines to NCAA regional action in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1988 and 1989. He has led U-M to the Big Ten Tournament four straight years.
A native of Roseville, Mich., Maloney, spent seven years as head coach at Ball State where he was named Mid-American Conference coach-of-the-year twice (1998 and 2001) and he led the Cardinals to MAC championships in 1999 and 2001. Ball State won the MAC West title four consecutive years (1998-2001).
Maloney has won at least 30 games in each of his 11 seasons as a head coach at the collegiate level and has won at least 40 games four times with a career best 43 last year.
Oakland head coach Dylan Putnam (Michigan State '02), an Ann Arbor native, is in his second year as head coach at Oakland University and he enters the week with a 26-46 career record, including the 6-8 start this season. He is the older brother of Michigan sophomore RHP/DH Zach Putnam (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS). A team captain as a senior at MSU, Putnam was the pitching coach for the Spartans for three seasons under former Wolverine MVP and former MSU coach Ted Mahan. Putnam's 13-11 Mid-Continent conference mark in 2006 was the best in six seasons at OU. That season, he led the Golden Grizzlies to the post-season tournament for the first time since 2002.
IPFW head coach Billy Gernon (Indiana '90) is in his eighth year as head coach of the Mastodons and he enters action this week with a career mark of 137-218-1, including the 3-16 start this season. Gernon recorded a win over the Wolverines as the bullpen closer at Indiana in 1990 under former IU coach Bob Morgan.
Wolverine Opening Day Notes
Michigan heads into Friday's (March 23) home opener vs. Oakland University having won six consecutive Ray Fisher Stadium openers ... current U-M head coach Rich Maloney is 4-0 in home openers as a Wolverine with a 16-5 win vs. Central Michigan (2003), a 6-2 win over Oakland in 2004, a 10-0 win over Oakland (2005) and a 14-5 win over Oakland last season as U-M's Zach Putnam earned his first collegiate win ... Michigan is 4-0 in openers vs. Oakland with wins in 1996 (7-0), 2004 (6-2), 2005 (10-0) and 2006 (14-5) ... Maloney is 4-1 in Fisher Stadium openers having lost in 1998 when he was at Ball State and bad weather that eliminated games vs. Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and a four-game Big Ten series with Iowa and turned the seventh home game of the season on the schedule into the 'opener' ... Michigan is 28-3 in home openers since losing to Bowling Green in 1975 ... Michigan won 17 straight home openers from 1976 through 1992 before losing in 1993 to Eastern Michigan ... Detroit beat Michigan in 1997 and Minnesota beat the Wolverines in the 2000 opener.
Recknagel Faces Former Team
Michigan junior 1B/C Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion/Oakland University), enters the Oakland series (March 23-25) after collecting his team-leading 12th RBI in U-M's 3-2 12-inning loss at East Carolina Saturday (March 17).
Recknagel, who earned Freshman All-American honors at Oakland University in 2005 when he hit .351 with five homers and 30 RBI, will be facing his former teammates. Last season -- in his first action against his former team -- Recknagel went 5-for-16 (.313) with two doubles and three RBI in the four games between the two squads. He had a pair of two-hit games and collected the game-winning RBI in the series opener.
Recknagel is hitting .260 (13-for-50) and he leads the team in homers (4) and RBI (12). He has hits in nine of the 12 games this season and in 58 of his 74 games at Michigan. He has 12 homers and 53 RBI as a Wolverine.
Roblin Grabs Stolen Base Lead
Senior OF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) enters the home-opening weekend series against Oakland leading the Wolverines with six stolen bases. Roblin is eyeing the top 10 of Michigan's career stolen base list.
With two steals in the second game at East Carolina (March 17), Roblin now has 37 career stolen bases. Roblin is two steals away from former Wolverine All-American and Major League 3B Chris Sabo, who ranks 10th on Michigan's all-time stolen base list with 39. Roblin is second on the active career steals list behind classmate Eric Rose (Blissfield, Mich./Blissfield HS), who is third on U-M's all-time list with 60.
Roblin collected the first career four-hit game of his U-M career when he was 4-for-6 with a double and two stolen bases in the 12-inning loss at East Carolina (March 17). Roblin is third on the team hitting .333 (16-for-48) and he shares the team lead with five doubles. He has hits in nine of Michigan's 12 games this season.
Christian Gains 13th "POW" Under Maloney
Sophomore shortstop Jason Christian (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland HS) was named Big Ten Player of the Week for his performance in San Diego last week (March 9-11), marking the 13th time a Wolverine has earned a weekly conference honor in Rich Maloney's five years as Michigan head coach.
Christian heads into the Oakland series this weekend (March 23-25) after collecting his sixth multi-hit game of the season in the series at East Carolina. He leads the Wolverines in hitting at .391 (18-for-46). Christian also leads U-M in hits (16), runs (11, shared), doubles (5), slugging percentage (.609) and on-base percentage (.491). He collected his fifth stolen base of the year in the second game against ECU.
The Wolverines had four team members earn conference weekly awards in 2006, including three Players of the Week: C/OF/2B Doug Pickens (West Bloomfield, Mich./Brother Rice), CF Eric Rose and first baseman Nate Recknagel. Graduated LHP Paul Hammond earned Pitcher of the Week honors in 2006.
U-M Weekly Award Winners Under Rich Maloney
Big Ten Players of the Week
2007 -- Jason Christian, SS, at Tony Gwynn Classic
2006 -- Nate Recknagel, 1B, at Illinois
2006 -- Eric Rose, OF, at Purdue
2006 -- Doug Pickens, OF, at Wiregrass Classic
2005 -- Matt Butler, OF, vs. Oakland University
2005 -- Matt Butler, OF, at Keith LeClair Classic
2004 -- Brandon Roberts, DH, vs. Penn State
2003 -- Nick Rudden, SS, vs. Iowa
Big Ten Pitchers of the Week
2006 -- Paul Hammond, LHP, vs. Ohio State
2005 -- Clayton Richard, LHP, vs. Notre Dame, Indiana
2005 -- Jim Brauer, RHP, at Lamar Classic
2004 -- Michael Penn, RHP, at Kentucky Invitational
2004 -- Derek Feldkamp, RHP, at Iowa
Wolverine Pitching Rotation
Michigan's weekly pitching rotation moves to four pitchers this week with five choices, including senior RHP Andrew Hess (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central HS) along with 2006 All-Big Ten starting pitchers Chris Fetter (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) and Zach Putnam slated for the first three games. Either junior/sophomore RHP Michael Powers (St. Clair Shores, Mich./South Lake) or sophomore LHP Mike Wilson (Pickering, Ont./Pine Ridge Secondary) will pitch game four.
Putnam (2-2) is slated to face Oakland Friday (March 23), with Hess (1-0) and Fetter (0-1) starting Saturday's (March 24) doubleheader games. Powers (0-0) and Wilson (2-0) are tentative for game four of the series, depending on potential bullpen use earlier in the series. Freshman LHP Eric Katzman (Harrington Park, N.J./Northern Valley Old Tappan HS) could start the Tuesday (March 27) game against IPFW.
The bullpen leaders in 2007 have been junior/sophomore RHP Ben Jenzen (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS), sophomore RHP Adam Abraham (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South HS) and senior/junior LHP Brad Seddon (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair HS) along with Powers and Wilson.
Newcomers looking for innings include sophomore/freshman LHP Sam Yashinsky (Farmington Hills, Mich./Frankel Jewish Academy) and true freshmen RHP Mike Dufek (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain), RHP Matt Gerbe (Shelby Township, Mich./Eisenhower) and LHP Jeff DeCarlo (Medford, Mass./St. John's Prep).
Potential UM Starters Profiles vs. Oakland University
U-M vs. Oakland #1 (Friday) -- Zach Putnam (So., RHP, 2-2, 1.88) was 6-2, 2.51 ERA in 2006 with 12 appearances and nine starts. Putnam will be making his 14th career start as a Wolverine and making his 18th pitching appearance in the opener vs. Oakland. It will be his second straight home-opening start with both facing his brother, OU's head coach Dylan Putnam. He took the loss at East Carolina losing 2-1 while pitching 5.2 innings and allowing eight hits and two runs with four strikeouts. He allowed a leadoff single in each of the six innings he started. He suffered a tough loss against San Diego State in front of 13,791 fans on Tony Gwynn Night at Petco Park allowing just five hits and two runs, one earned in an eventual 4-1 loss. He collected a pair of win on the spring trip beating Bethune-Cookman in the season opener as he allowed six hits and an unearned run with a career-best matching six strikeouts in 5.1 innings. He pitched the third game at the Cadence Bank Classic and defeated host Mississippi State allowing three hits and one run in seven innings while collecting six strikeouts to match his season and career best. He shares the team lead with 20 strikeouts in his 24 innings of work. He faced one batter allowing a run-coring single at Central Florida. Putnam was a second team All-Big Ten starting pitcher in 2006 with a 4-1 conference record and a 1.88 ERA while pitching in the number one slot and he earned Freshman All-American honors as selected by Collegiate Baseball. An All-American candidate he has been projected to be the Big Ten Player-of-the-Year for 2007 by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. He had one complete game and one save while pitching 57.1 innings as a true freshman. His eight career wins have come against Ohio State (2), Michigan State, Purdue, Oakland, Iowa, Bethune-Cookman and Mississippi State. The win against Iowa clinched the 2006 Big Ten regular season title.
U-M vs. Oakland #2 (Saturday) -- Andrew Hess (Sr., RHP, 1-0, 3.28 ERA) was 2-2, 6.38 ERA in 2006 with 13 appearances and 11 starts. The active U-M leader in both categories he would be making 20th career start and 47th career appearance with his start vs. Oakland. Hess pitched six innings at East Carolina #2 allowing four hits and two runs, one earned run with a season-best six strikeouts and left with a 2-2 tie in an eventual 12-inning loss. He is third on the team with 15 strikeouts and has 86 career Ks. In his is his first 'number one' start of the season Hess went 6.1 innings against the #25 USD Toreros allowing eight hits and four runs with three Ks despite leaving the game with a 6-2 lead in a no decision. He allowed one run and six hits in five innings of no-decision vs. Bethune-Cookman on the opening weekend in a game UM won 7-6 in 13 innings. He earned career win number six vs. Troy matching his career best with 7.1 innings of work allowing eight hits and three runs in an 11-3 win. Hess was second on team with the 11 starts behind All-Big Ten first team starting pitcher Paul Hammond's 13 in 2006. He has 6-5 career record with wins over Ohio State, Minnesota, Duke, Le Moyne, New York Tech and Troy.
U-M vs. Oakland #3 (Saturday) -- Chris Fetter (Jr./So., RHP, 0-1, 4.82) was 5-2, 2.22 ERA in 2006 with 16 appearances and 10 starts. Fetter will be making his 14th career start and 21st appearance as a Wolverine in the Oakland series. He missed his start at ECU due to a rain out, but he pitched a season-high 5.1 innings out of the bullpen at ECU #2 taking the loss in the 12th inning. He allowed ECU just three hits and the one run while fanning five. He shares the team strikeout lead with 20 in his 18.2 innings of work. He pitched his third no decision start of the season while facing nationally-ranked Oklahoma and he worked 3.1 innings allowing seven hits and four runs and he left with the score tied 4-4.He had a pair of no decision on the spring trip working five innings against Bethune-Cookman in the second game of the season and five against Troy #1. He allowed the first three runners of the season to score against BCC (one earned) and faced just one batter over the minimum over the last four innings. He allowed four runs on eight hits in his second start, opening the Cadence Classic vs. Troy. He fanned seven batters, one shy of his career best of eight vs. Iowa in 2006. He was a first team All-Big Ten selection as a starting pitcher in 2006 and his 2.22 overall ERA led the conference as well as the Wolverines. In Big Ten only action he was 3-1 with a 1.43 ERA, second in the league behind graduated teammate Paul Hammond's league-leading 1.32 ERA. A second team selection on Baseball America's Freshman All-American squad in 2006, he was also named Michigan's Most Improved Player by his teammates (Betty Simmons Award). He had one complete game, a shutout at Minnesota and pitched in a team-leading total of three shutouts in 2006. His five career wins have come against Minnesota, Northwestern, Oakland, Penn State and Purdue.
U-M vs. Oakland #4 (Sunday) -- Michael Powers (Jr./So RHP, 0-0, 5.11) was 4-0. 3.05 ERA in 2006 with 13 appearances and four starts in first season of action. He would be making his sixth career start and 20th career appearance if he starts vs. Oakland. He has pitched in six games to lead the team and he had a start at Central Florida. He worked 2.1 scoreless innings at East Carolina allowing one hit while recording two strikeouts. He pitched twice in the tournament in San Diego pitching 1.2 scoreless innings at #25 San Diego and a third of an inning vs. San Diego State in Petco Park. Worked 1.1 innings in season opener vs. Bethune-Cookman and stopped a bases loaded rally on two pitches in the sixth inning and allowed a run in the seventh. He worked five innings in start at UCF allowing seven hits and six runs in no decision. He faced minimum five batters in 1.2 innings to close out win vs. Troy #2 in non-save situation allowing two singles but collecting pair of double plays. His four career wins have come in starts vs. Notre Dame and Western Michigan and out of the bullpen vs. Wagner and Minnesota. Pitched career best seven innings in start vs. Notre Dame and the win over Minnesota was in Big Ten Tournament championship game. He had career-best six strikeouts in three innings vs. Iowa.
OR
U-M vs. Oakland #4 (Sunday) -- Mike Wilson (So., LHP, 2-0, 1.00) was 0-0, 7.71 ERA in 2006 and had eight appearances and one start as a freshman with eight strikeouts in seven innings pitched. He would be making second career start and making 12th career appearance if he makes start vs. Oakland. He pitched third of an inning with a strikeout before allowing game-winning hit in 12th inning at East Carolina. He collected his second win of the season with career-best 5.2 innings allowing five hits and one run out of the bullpen to snap Oklahoma's 11-game winning streak. Worked exciting three innings to gain first career win in lone appearance of spring trip working three innings (11th-12th-13th) in 7-6 UM win. He allowed just one hit, but walked six and struck out career-best five vs. Bethune-Cookman. He fanned two batters with bases loaded to end 13th inning. He has nine strikeouts in nine innings this season and has 17 Ks in 16 innings for career. He had excellent summer of 2006 pitching in Great Lakes League for the Grand Lakes Mariners and was named seventh best prospect in the league by Baseball America.
U-M vs. IPFW -- Eric Katzman (Fr., LHP, 0-1, 21.60) looking to make first career start after making three bullpenn appearances on spring trip. He made career debut in season opener vs. Bethune-Cookman and faced four batters allowing two HBPs, a walk and recorded first strikeout and he worked a third of an inning allowing one run on a hit and two walks vs. BCC #3. He pitched one inning and faced two batters in the seventh allowing a single and HBP to start Troy's game-winning rally in the seventh while taking loss in Cadence Bank Classic opener. He was 11-0 with 0.30 ERA as a high school senior with 91 strikeouts in 70 innings in 2006.
U-M Bullpen
Ben Jenzen (Jr./So, RHP, 0-1, 13.50, 2 saves) was 2-0, 2.86 ERA, six saves in 2006 and led team with 22 appearances all from bullpen. Has two saves in four appearances in 2007 with two blown saves. He took loss against #25 San Diego when he pitch two-thirds of an inning allowing three runs on one hit, one walk and a HBP in the ninth of a 7-6 loss Worked 1-2-3 ninth for save vs. Bethune-Cookman in season opener. Suffered blown save vs. BCC #3 allowing eighth inning bases-loaded double in eventual UM win (13 innings). Retired four consecutive batters at Mississippi State to record eighth career save. Named to Stopper-of-the-Year Watch List by NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) and projected by Baseball America as All-Big Ten first team relief pitcher for 2007. Led Wolverines with .198 opponent batting average and hit 1.000 with single in lone at bat of career in Big Ten Tournament vs. Northwestern. Had five-game span with win and four saves during Big Ten championship run and had win and save in doubleheader sweep of Iowa that clinched regular season Big Ten title. Has career wins vs. Iowa and Bowling Green with career saves coming vs. Bethune-Cookman, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Northwestern and Notre Dame.
Adam Abraham (So. RHP, 1-1, 3.00) was 5-3, 3.96 ERA, three saves in 2006. Faced three batters in bottom of ninth at #25 San Diego and had two intentional walks and gave up opposite field single that won the game. Earned win vs. Bethune-Cookman #2 pitching four shutout innings allowing one hit. Took loss at UCF allowing two runs and two hits in 4.1 innings. Allowed two runs on four hits in two thirds of an inning in win vs. Mississippi State. He has 24 career appearances with one start. Named to 2006 Freshman All-American team by Collegiate Baseball. Was third team All-Big Ten as DH and was 'MOP' (Most Outstanding Player) in the 2006 Big Ten Tournament while being named to all-tournament team as pitcher and DH. He is hitting .340 as the starting third baseman as a sophomore. Has collected career wins vs. Minnesota (2), Bethune-Cookman, Troy, Oakland and Eastern Michigan with saves vs. Central Florida, Ohio State and Iowa.
Brad Seddon (Sr./Jr., LHP, 0-0, 4.91) worked scoreless inning with walk and strikeout in season opener vs. Bethune-Cookman in first action since 2005. Worked scoreless ninth inning in 13 inning win vs. Bethune-Cookman #3. He pitched 1.2 innings allowing a hit, two walks and two runs vs. San Diego State. He has made 12 appearances (two starts) in UM career. Has 1-1 career record with one save all in 2005. Did not see action in either 2004 or 2006. Has win vs. Michigan State and Big Ten Tournament save vs. Iowa. Had career-best eight strikeouts in four innings vs. Notre Dame in no decision in first career start. Has 15 strikeouts in 24 career innings pitched.
Dan Lentz (Sr./Jr., RHP) made spring trip but did not see action. He was 0-0, 7.36 in 2006 and has made 20 career appearances with 0-2 record, one save and 7.68 ERA. Did not see action in 2005 after making 12 appearances as a freshman with nine strikeouts in 14 innings of work with a save at Central Michigan.
Sam Yashinsky (So./Fr., LHP, 0-0, 0.00) made career debut on spring trip working scoreless ninth vs. Troy #1 in lone appearance. Allowed double to first batter and retired next three with first career strikeout.
Matt Gerbe (Fr., RHP, 0-0, 3.00) made two appearances on spring trip. He made career debut vs. Bethune-Cookman #3 and he worked a scoreless 10th inning and recorded first career strikeout. He pitched two innings vs. Troy #1 allowing a run and three hits.
Mike Dufek (Fr., RHP, 0-0, 27.00) made two appearances on spring trip. He made career debut vs. Bethune-Cookman #3 and he retired the first seven batters faced before allowing a walk and a single and both runners scored. He faced five batters vs. Troy #1 allowing a walk, a HBP and three singles and all five scored.
Berset Starts Short Streak
Freshman catcher Chris Berset (Vienna, Va./The Heights School), who became the fourth Wolverine this season to collect his first-career hit this season last week against Oklahoma on March 11, enters the Oakland series this weekend (March 23-25) as the only player on the team with a hitting streak -- a modest two-gamer.
Berset followed his 2-for-4 game against Oklahoma with a 2-for-3 game in the opener at East Carolina for his second multi-hit game of the year. A switch-hitter, Berset is hitting .444 (4-for-9) from the left side and has a two-game streak of two-hit games. All four of his hits have come against nationally-ranked teams.
More 'MICH'-ellaneous Notes
The Wolverines have played three extra inning games this season, losing in 10 innings at Central Florida on Feb. 27, 12 innings at East Carolina (March 17), and winning 7-6 in 13 innings against Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 25. The last time the Wolverines had that many double-digit extra-inning games was in 2004 when U-M played seven games that went longer than nine innings, including three 11 inning games, a pair of 12 inning games, one that went 13 innings and -- the longest game of the year -- a 2-1 win over Cleveland State (4-21-04) in 14 innings.
Sophomore RHP/3B Adam Abraham extended his hitting streak to a UM season-high 10 games in the opener of the doubleheader at East Carolina (March 17) with a fifth-inning double, but the streak was snapped in the second game. Abraham is second on the team in hitting with a .340 average (16-for-47) with two doubles and he is second with eight RBI. On the mound he is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four outings. He has seven strikeouts in nine innings of work and he did not pitch against East Carolina.
Sophomore 2B Kevin Cislo (Novi, Mich./Novi) collected his first extra base hit of the season when he tripled against East Carolina (March 17). Cislo has hit three triples as a Wolverine in 82 career at bats.
The Wolverines had no game-winning RBI in the series at East Carolina so the Wolverines are stuck at six game-winning RBI thus far in 2007 led by senior co-captain Eric Rose with two while C/2B/RF Doug Pickens, 3B/RHP Adam Abraham, freshman 1B/RHP Mike Dufek and SS Jason Christian have one each.
The career total of gamers for current Wolverines includes: C/2B/RF Doug Pickens (8), 1B Nate Recknagel (7), CF Eric Rose (6), 3B Adam Abraham (6), OF Brad Roblin (5), injured SS Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) (5), 2B Kevin Cislo, OF/RHP Zach Putnam (1), 1B/DH Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair) (1), 1B/RHP Mike Dufek (1) and SS Jason Christian (1).
Michigan Lineup Update
Heading into the Oakland series (March 23-25), five Wolverines still have made 100 or more career starts led by senior CF Eric Rose with 157 to lead the Wolverines followed by injured senior SS Leif Mahler (140), Mahler will red shirt in 2007 and is expected to be back in 2008.
The other Wolverines with 100 or more career starts include senior of Brad Roblin (122), junior 1B Nate Recknagel (118, 73 at Michigan) and junior catcher Doug Pickens (115).
The potential Wolverine lineup (potential starters in bold) with backups includes: (number of starts at that position this season/total career starts any position): 1B: *Nate Recknagel (9/118), Mike Dufek (3/3), Derek VanBuskirk (0/69); 2B: Kevin Cislo (6/26) or Doug Pickens (5/117), Anthony Toth (1/1); SS: Jason Christian (12/28); Kevin Cislo (0/26), Anthony Toth (0/1); 3B: Adam Abraham (12/60), Nate Recknagel (0/118); LF: Brad Roblin (5/122) or Kenny Fellows (5/5), Zach Putnam (2/31); CF: Eric Rose (12/157), Brad Roblin (0/122), Kenny Fellows (0/5); RF: Brad Roblin (7/122); Alan Oaks (3/5), Doug Pickens (2/115); C: Doug Pickens (5/115), Chris Berset (4/4), *Nate Recknagel (3/118); DH: Zach Putnam (10/31), Alan Oaks (2/5), Derek VanBuskirk (0/69), Mike Dufek (0/3). [*Recknagel at Oakland University (45 starts in 2005/1B-15; C-13, 3B-0)]
Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
