Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Michigan Scores 20 to Overpower EMU
4/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Baseball Complex, Fisher Stadium)
Score: #21 Michigan 20, Eastern Michigan 5
Records: #21 Michigan (24-8, 11-1 Big Ten), Eastern Michigan (10-24, 7-2 MAC)
Next U-M Event: Friday, April 18 -- vs. Michigan State (Wilpon Baseball Complex) 6:35 p.m.
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes | Photo Gallery
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball program overpowered Eastern Michigan, 20-5, Wednesday (April 16) at the Wilpon Baseball Complex, home to Ray Fisher Stadium. The Wolverines (24-8, 11-1 Big Ten) assembled a pair of big innings, scoring eight runs in the second and four in the third to construct U-M's widest margin of victory this season.
Junior 3B Adam Abraham(Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South HS) went 3-for-5, knocking in four runs and scoring two of his own. Junior DH Zach Putnam(Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) contributed three RBI and scored one run off of two doubles.
The Eagles' offense struck early, producing one run in the top of the first inning. EMU leadoff man Kyle Rhoad punched a ball into the gap in right for a stand-up triple and advanced home on a base hit, giving EMU the initial advantage, 1-0.
Michigan eliminated the deficit immediately, tallying the equalizer in the home team's first at-bat. Senior LF Derek VanBuskirk(St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair HS) hit a lead-off single and stole second base for his fifth stolen base of the season. The tri-captain advanced to third on a base hit by senior 1B Nate Recknagel(Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS), placing him in position to score on Putnam's sacrifice fly for the 1-1 parity.
U-M put eight runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second frame to build an insurmountable advantage, 9-1. Sophomore C Chris Berset(Vienna, Va./Heights School) initiated the Michigan rally in the innings lead-off spot, slipping a single through the right side of the infield. Junior SS Jason Christian(Loveland, Ohio/Loveland HS) drove in Berset from third following a wild pitch and a ground out by freshman CF Ryan LaMarre(Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi), pushing the score to 2-1.
The offensive assault continued as the Wolverines generated an additional seven runs on eight hits in the second inning. Putnam recorded his second and third RBI of the day on a sharp double to right center, and Berset knocked in another runner with his second single of the inning. Christian capped the rally with a liner into right field, recording his second RBI of the frame to stretch the lead to 9-1.
Michigan's momentum carried into the third inning, sparking four runs to widen the gap to 13-1. Abraham drove in a pair of Wolverines, sending the ball past the pitcher for a single up the middle. With Abraham holding first, sophomore RF Alan Oaks(While Lake, Mich./Divine Child HS) pounded a fastball over the fence in right field. The blast is his fourth homer of the season and the sixth of his career.
Recknagel demonstrated his power in the bottom of the fourth, lifting a solo-shot over the wall in right field. The jack was the 33rd of his career and moved him into a tie for second place on U-M's all-time list.
Sophomore/freshman DH Adam Arbour(Ypsilanti, Mich./Ann Arbor Huron HS) entered as a pinch runner for Putnam -- who doubled -- to record the first run of his career on an infield error, boosting the Michigan advantage to 15-1.
With one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Wolverines loaded the bases for freshman PH Tyler Burgoon(Defiance, Ohio/Defiance HS), who returned a pitch up the middle to score LaMarre. Arbour then grounded into a fielders' choice, marking the first RBI of his career to make it 17-1.
The Wolverines tacked on three runs following the seventh-inning stretch, shifting the score to 20-3. Sophomore 2B Mike Kittle(Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) earned the first hit of his U-M career in the team's offensive half.
EMU tallied the final two runs of the contest in the top of the eighth inning, setting the score at 20-5.
Michigan returns to Big Ten Conference play Friday evening (April 18), facing off against in-state rival Michigan State. The game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network with the first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
