Michigan
Minnesota
Michigan Drops 11-5 Decision in Minnesota Series Finale
4/18/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Site:Â Minneapolis, Minn. (Siebert Field)
Score:Â #23 Minnesota 11, Michigan 5
Records:Â Michigan (21-19, 8-8 Big Ten), Minnesota (27-9, 9-3 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game:Â Tuesday, April 20 -- vs. Notre Dame (Grand Rapids, Mich.), 7:30 p.m.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The University of Minnesota salvaged a split in its four-game Big Ten Conference baseball series with the University of Michigan by defeating the Wolverines 11-5 Sunday (April 18) at Siebert Field. Michigan, which won the first two games of the series, falls to 21-19 (8-8 Big Ten), while the Golden Gophers are now 27-9 (9-3 Big Ten).
Things started off well for Michigan as leadoff hitter Bobby Scales (Roswell, Ga./Milton HS) homered to rightfield to open the game. But Minnesota pitcher Chadd Clarey went on to retire 15 of the next 17 Wolverines while the Gopher bats went to work. Minnesota got two runs in the second, then erupted for six after two were out in the third and added two more in the fifth for a 10-1 lead.
Michigan tried to claw its way back into the game, scoring twice in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Jason Alcaraz (Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado HS) and Bryan Besco's (Westland, Mich./John Glenn HS) run-scoring double. Scales closed the Michigan scoring with a two-run homer in the seventh.
Luke Bonner (Taylor, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child HS) absorbed the loss for Michigan, falling to 3-5 on the season. He went two and two-thirds innings and allowed eight runs (five earned) on nine hits. Clarey kept his record perfect, improving to 4-0 with relief help from Frank Wagner, who struck out the side in the ninth.
Scales, Mike Cervenak (New Boston, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child HS) and Dan Sanborn (Grand Ledge, Mich./Grand Ledge HS) each had two-hit days for Michigan. Both of Cervenak's hits were doubles as he raised his career total to 53, tying him with Phil Price (1987-90) for the school record. Besco's double was the 42nd of his career and tied him for sixth all-time with his brother Derek (1995-98).
Michigan will face Notre Dame in a 7:30 p.m. non-conference matchup Tuesday (April 20) at Old Kent Park in Grand Rapids, Mich., before taking nine days off for final exams.
