Michigan
2-0
Villanova
0-2
Late-Inning Fireworks Push Wolverines Past Wildcats
2/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Site: Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Tradition Field)
Score: #18 Michigan 16, Villanova 6
Records: U-M (2-0), Villanova (0-2)
Attendance: 315
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 24 -- vs. Villanova (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), Noon
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- After trailing 6-2 midway through the sixth inning, the No. 18-ranked University of Michigan baseball team unloaded 14 unanswered runs en route to a 16-6 victory over Villanova on Saturday (Feb. 23) at Tradition Field. The Wolverines took the lead with five runs in the sixth inning, added a solo run in the seventh, and put the game away with an eight-run eighth inning.
Senior/junior RHP Michael Powers(St. Clair Shores, Mich./South Lake) got the win in his season debut, striking out four batters in four innings of relief. Senior/junior RHP Chris Fetter(Carmel, Ind./Carmel) did not figure into the decision in his first start, giving up four runs on five hits with five strikeouts in four innings on the hill.
Junior 3B Adam Abraham(Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South) turned in a 3-for-5 day including a triple and four runs driven in. Freshman RF Ryan LaMarre(Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi) also drove in four as part of a two-hit afternoon.
Michigan jumped out to a two-run lead in the first inning. Christian scored the first run of the game, scoring from third on a sharply hit ball to the second baseman by senior 1B Nate Recknagel(Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion). Following a walk to junior DH Zach Putnam(Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer), Abraham launched a ball to the warning track that careened off the base of the wall. The Wolverine third baseman legged out the shot into a triple while Putnam came around to score from first.
Villanova responded with a pair of two-run long balls to take a 4-2 lead. Derek Terpak got the Wildcats' first home run on a high fly ball that snuck past a leaping attempt at the wall from senior LF Derek VanBuskirk(St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair). Two batters later, Kyle Carver hit a ball to the same area beyond the leftfield fence. Fetter responded in the next frame, freezing two Villanova batters on strike three in a scoreless fourth inning.
The Wildcats added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead to 6-2. Derek Shunk hit the second pitch of the fifth inning to straightaway centerfield for a solo home run. Justin Bencsko scored from third on a single in the road half of the sixth.
After three straight innings with a runner stranded in scoring position, Michigan's patience paid off in the bottom of the sixth in the form of a five-run outburst and a trip through the entire lineup. With two runners in scoring position, sophomore C Chris Berset(Vienna, Va./Heights School) drilled a pitch through a hole on the left side, allowing VanBuskirk to trot home. The U-M catcher manufactured another run with a slide to break up a double-play attempt on grounder from LaMarre, allowing junior CF Kevin Cislo(Novi, Mich./Novi) to push across the plate from third base. After walking Recknagel intentionally to load the bases and face Putnam, Villanova was unable to throw a strike to the Wolverine designated hitter and walked in a run. Abraham followed with a two-run single to rightfield to put the Wolverines ahead for good, 7-6.
LaMarre delivered an insurance run in the seventh on a double to the gap. As Cislo pushed across the plate, LaMarre was tagged out at third trying to turn his hit into one of the three-base variety.
Michigan put the game out of hand in the bottom of the eighth, opening up a commanding 16-6 lead as they batted around the order for the second time in the game. Putnam got the scoring going with a line-drive triple to centerfield, scoring Mahler from third base. The next batter, Abraham, hit a blooper to shallow right, allowing Putnam to cruise home. A single and a walk loaded the bases for Berset, who moved everyone up a station, followed by a two-run single for LaMarre that found a home in short rightfield. Mahler continued the surge with his second double of the inning, clearing the bases of two Wolverines who came around to score. Sophomore Mike Dufek(Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain) came off the bench for an RBI double of his own.
The Wolverines will act as the road team for the final game of the three-game set with Villanova on Sunday (Feb. 24). First pitch is slated for noon.
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Powers, Michael (1-0)
L: Kevin Crimmel (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Derek Shunk 1 ; Dan Terpak 1 ; Kyle Carver 1
RBI: Matt McFolling 1 ; Derek Shunk 1 ; Dan Terpak 2 ; Kyle Carver 2
SH: Tim Poydenis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Matt McFolling 1 ; Derek Shunk 1 ; Dan Terpak 1 ; Wesley Borden 1 ; Kyle Carver 1 ; Justin Bencsko 1
SB: Tim Poydenis 1
CS: Matt McFolling 1
HBP: Matt McFolling 1
Batting:
2B: Mahler, Leif 2 ; Dufek, Mike 1 ; LaMarre, Ryan 1
3B: Putnam, Zach 1 ; Abraham, Adam 1
RBI: Mahler, Leif 2 ; Recknagel, Nate 1 ; Dufek, Mike 1 ; Putnam, Zach 2 ; Abraham, Adam 4 ; Berset, Chris 2 ; LaMarre, Ryan 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Christian, Jason 3 ; Mahler, Leif 2 ; Recknagel, Nate 1 ; Putnam, Zach 2 ; Abraham, Adam 1 ; VanBuskirk, Derek 2 ; Cislo, Kevin 3 ; Berset, Chris 1 ; LaMarre, Ryan 1
SB: Cislo, Kevin 1 ; LaMarre, Ryan 1
