Michigan
18-10, 0
Penn State
17-12, 0
Wolverines Drop Series Finale to Penn State
4/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Baseball Complex)
Result: Penn State 16, Michigan 5
Records: U-M (18-10, 3-3), Penn State (17-12, 3-3)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, April 7 -- vs. Akron (Wilpon Baseball Complex), 6:05 p.m.
Boxscore | Postgame Notes | Photo Gallery | Video Report
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team jumped out to an early lead and held ground with visiting Penn State through four innings before the Nittany Lions' offense took over in a 16-5 Michigan loss on Sunday (April 5) at the Wilpon Baseball Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium.
Five different Wolverines combined for the team's eight hits with sophomore centerfielder Ryan LaMarre(Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi) posting a pair of RBI and freshman catcher Coley Crank(Pinole, Calif./Pinole Valley) adding one in the loss.
Junior first baseman Mike Dufek(Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain) added a ninth inning solo home run, one of his two hits on the day, joining junior outfielder Alan Oaks(White Lake, Mich./Divine Child) as the lone Wolverines with multiple hits in the contest.
Penn State got on the board first on an unearned run via a sacrifice fly off Michigan sophomore starting pitcher Travis Smith(Austin, Texas/Stephen F. Austin) in the first inning to grab a 1-0 lead.
The Wolverines responded quickly as LaMarre continued his big offensive weekend with a two-run homer to right -- his eighth of the season and third in two games -- as U-M grabbed a 2-1 lead.
After the Nittany Lions tied the score at 2-2 with a single run in the third, they took a two-run lead in the fourth, scoring a pair of runs -- but only one earned -- off Smith.
U-M responded to tie the score in the fourth as Crank launched his first career home run, a leadoff shot over the wall in left to make it 4-3. Later in the inning, a throwing error by PSU shortstop Louie Picconi allowed another run to score to knot the score at 4-4.
Smith found himself in a jam to start the fifth inning and was lifted in favor of senior lefty Mike Wilson(Pickering, Ontario/Pine Ridge), who could not get out of trouble as the Nittany Lions pushed three runs across before Wilson was relieved by freshman Brandon Sinnery(Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy). A U-M throwing error allowed the ninth run of the game to score before Sinnery got a strikeout to end the frame with the Wolverines trailing, 9-4.
The Nittany Lions added to their lead with three runs in the sixth and four in the eighth off junior/sophomore reliever Matt Gerbe(Shelby Twp., Mich./Eisenhower) and freshman reliever Kevin Vangheluwe(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lake Shore) for a 16-4 lead.
Dufek's ninth home run of the season came in the ninth inning to make the score 16-5, the eventual final.
The Wolverines used a total of six pitchers, including Oaks' 2009 debut in the ninth, as Penn State tied its season high with 20 hits in the game. Smith took the loss, surrendering five runs -- just three of them earned -- and seven hits over four innings of work.
The Maize and Blue is back in action on Tuesday (April 7) at the Wilpon Complex when U-M hosts Akron with the first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
N O T E S
Penn State took two of the three games against the Wolverines on the weekend, the first series loss by Michigan since PSU took three of four games in 2007. The Nittany Lions have won seven of the last nine games vs. U-M in Ann Arbor, starting with the final game of the series in 2004, four of five, including a playoff win in 2007, and two of three in 2009.
Penn State scored 16 runs on 20 hits, the most runs allowed by U-M since Wisconsin-Milwaukee scored 19 runs in a 19-11 win on Feb. 27, and the most hits since Arizona had 20 on March 15 in a 14-0 game. The last time U-M allowed 16 or more runs against a Big Ten foe came in a 16-3 loss to Minnesota in Big Ten Tournament play in Minneapolis in 2004.
Sophomore CF Ryan LaMarre gave Michigan a 2-1 lead in Sunday's game vs. Penn State when he hit a two-run homer in the first inning. LaMarre, who leads the team with a .370 (40-for-108) batting average, hit .583 (7-for-12) in the weekend series with two doubles, three homers and nine RBI. LaMarre, who has a team-leading total of 40 RBI in overall action, is hitting .417 (10-for-24) in Big Ten play to lead the Wolverines.
Junior 1B Mike Dufek was 2-for-4 with a home run in the loss to Penn State on Sunday. Dufek is second on the team with 12 multi-hit games this season and has hits in 18 of his last 19 games while ranking second on the team with 30 RBI. Dufek, who is hitting .330 (37-for-112) in overall action, had three doubles, three homers and eight RBI in the five games last week.
LaMarre and Dufek share the team lead in home runs with nine and each has 12 career round-trippers.
Junior OF/RHP Alan Oaks was 2-for-5 with a double for his fourth multi-hit game of the season and second of the weekend. Oaks hit .429 (6-for-14) with three doubles and two homers in the five games last week to jump his overall batting average to .289 (11-for-38).
Oaks made his 2009 pitching debut against Penn State on Sunday, his third career pitching appearance, tossing a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout.
Freshman catcher Coley Crank cranked his first career homer in the fourth inning. Crank, who has made 11 starts (eight catching, three as DH), is hitting .289 (11-for-38) with four extra base hits (three doubles, one home run).
Junior/sophomore SS Anthony Toth was 1-for-3 with a single to finish .353 (6-for-17) in the five games last week. Toth, who has hits in 17 of his last 18 games, is hitting .323 (31-for-96) for the season.
Contact: Matt Fancett (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cianciolo, Paul (2-0)
L: Smith, Travis (4-3)
Batting:
2B: Nakata, Landon 1 ; Steranka, Jordan 1 ; Marlin, Rick 2 ; Picconi, Louie 1
HR: Steranka, Jordan 1
RBI: Lynd, Blake 1 ; Nakata, Landon 2 ; Wine, Cory 2 ; Steranka, Jordan 4 ; Marlin, Rick 1 ; Jacobs, Bobby 1 ; Picconi, Louie 4
SF: Lynd, Blake 1 ; Wine, Cory 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lynd, Blake 1 ; Nakata, Landon 1 ; Deese, Mike 2 ; Wine, Cory 2 ; Steranka, Jordan 2 ; Boonie, Ryan 1 ; Marlin, Rick 2 ; Jacobs, Bobby 3 ; Picconi, Louie 2
HBP: Boonie, Ryan 1 ; Picconi, Louie 1
Batting:
2B: Oaks, Alan 1
HR: LaMarre, Ryan 1 ; Dufek, Mike 1 ; Crank, Coley 1
RBI: LaMarre, Ryan 2 ; Dufek, Mike 1 ; Crank, Coley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fellows, Kenny 1 ; LaMarre, Ryan 1 ; Dufek, Mike 1 ; Crank, Coley 1 ; Lorenz, John 1
CS: Cislo, Kevin 1
PO: Cislo, Kevin 1
