Michigan
Cal State-Fullerton
Titans Slip Past Wolverines with Ninth-Inning Rally
5/28/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Site: South Bend, Ind. (Frank Eck Stadium)
Event: NCAA Regional (Game 1)
Score: #6 Cal State-Fullerton 6, Michigan 5
Records: Michigan (32-29), CSUF (45-11)
Next U-M Game: Saturday, May 29 -- at NCAA Regional (South Bend, Ind.), 11 a.m.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Pinch-hitter Sean Bischofberger's one-out bases-loaded single carried Cal State-Fullerton to a 6-5 victory over the University of Michigan in Game 1 of the NCAA Baseball Regional at Eck Stadium. The hit capped a three-run ninth-inning rally for the sixth-ranked Titans (45-11), the top seed at the regional and the No. 3 seed in the full 64-team draw.
Michigan (32-29), the regional's No. 4 seed, will face the loser of the Creighton-Notre Dame game at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning (Saturday, May 29), while Fullerton advances to the winners' bracket game at 3 p.m.
Junior outfielder Rob Bobeda (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt HS) powered Michigan into prime position to pull an upset in the regional's opening game. Bobeda, 3-for-4 with a home run on the day, figured in four of Michigan's five runs.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Titan rally started with a hit batsman, and following a flyout and a walk, Fullerton pounded three consecutive singles to plate three ninth-inning runs.
Fullerton opened the game strong, putting a run on the board in the bottom of the first inning on a two-out ground-rule double.
The Wolverines bounced back with two runs in the top of the second inning when Bobeda struck for the first time of the day. With Mike Cervenak (New Boston, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child HS) and Bryan Besco (Westland, Mich./John Glenn HS) on second and third, Bobeda bounded a single up the middle to score both runners. Cervenak pushed the Wolverine lead to 3-1 with a solo home run, his ninth homer of the season, in his next at-bat. Cervenak's fourth-inning blast was an opposite-field shot that sliced just inside the rightfield foul pole.
The Titans tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Fullerton scratched out four consecutive singles to drive in two runs and even the score at 3-3.
The Wolverines regained the lead in the top of the seventh inning. Bobeda opened the inning with a single, was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and single, and scored on Jason Alcaraz's (Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado HS) double. Bobeda pushed the Michigan lead to 5-3 with a solo homerun, his fourth homer of the year, in the top of the ninth inning.
Bryce Ralston (Tacoma, Wash./Curtis HS) gave the Wolverines a strong outing, pitching the first seven innings and scattering 11 hits against no walks and one strikeout while allowing just three runs to a Fullerton offense which averaged almost 10 runs a game during the season.
Kirk Saarloos (7-2) earned the win for the Titans with 2.2 innings of relief work, striking out five Wolverines and allowing just two hits and one run.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Geoff Zahn
On the game plan against Cal State-Fullerton ... "You'd have to say our plan was pretty good. We kept them down. The result wasn't good, but the plan worked pretty good."
Michigan Co-Captain Mike Cervenak
"We gave ourself an opportunity to win. Cal State-Fullerton is a great team. ... We have to rebound and go at it tomorrow."
Michigan Co-Captain Bobby Scales
On the pressure of playing in an NCAA Regional game ... "We've played teams as good as Fullerton all year. ... We've played under the gun before and, honestly, under more pressure than today, [like] last weekend in Columbus. I don't think I have to elaborate on that."
N O T E S
• This was Michigan's first NCAA Tournament game since 1989, when the Wolverines finished runner-up in the West II Regional to eventual NCAA champion Wichita State.
• David Parrish (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) extended his career-best hitting streak to 11 games with his double in the sixth inning.
• Mike Cervenak's home run was the 30th of his career, tying current teammate Bryan Besco and former All-American Chris Sabo (1981-83) for fifth place on the Michigan alltime list.
• Michigan career hits leader Mike Cervenak moved his total to 286 with a 2-for-4 performance. It marks his 87th career multiple-hit game.
• Jason Alcaraz's seventh-inning double was his 277th career hit, tying Ken Hayward (1982-85) for second on Michigan's alltime list.
• Rob Bobeda tied a career high with three hits, his third three-hit game on the season and the eighth of his career.
• Bryce Ralston left the game with a lead after seven innings. In his 13 starts, the Wolverines are 10-3. Ralston is 8-1 on the season.
• Luke Bonner (Taylor, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child HS) made his third consecutive postseason relief appearance. He is now 1-1 with one save. Bonner was used solely as a starter through the regular season (12 starts).
