Korecky, Roberts Power Wolverines Past Roadrunners

Friday, March 8

San Antonio, Texas

7:00 PM CT

Michigan

2-8

Texas-San Antonio

7-5

Michigan

UT-San Antonio

3/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Senior RHP Bobby Korecky (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) tossed his third career shutout and sophomore LF Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS) provided the offense as the University of Michigan baseball team blanked host Texas-San Antonio 7-0 Friday night (March 8) at Nelson W. Wolff Stadium.

Roberts was 3-for-3 with two doubles and his second career grand slam homer. Roberts, a native of Texas, scored three runs and drove in five runs. He jumped his batting average to .355 in the win and he has six doubles and two homers for the year.

Korecky fanned a career-best 13 in the win over the Roadrunners (7-5) and tossed the first complete game of the season for the Wolverines (2-8). Korecky has completed 14 of his 26 career starts.

The Wolverines grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on doubles by senior/junior Mike Sokol (Sterling Heights, Mich./DeLaSalle HS) and Roberts and a two-out single by junior catcher Alex Coleman (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS). The double by Roberts proved to be the game-winning hit.

Korecky escaped a first-and-third, one-out situation in the bottom of the fourth with a strikeout and a great 1-3 on a two-out tapper down the third-base line. Korecky had at least one strikeout in every inning and struck out the side in the seventh inning. He also picked two runners off first base.

The Wolverines added four runs in the fifth inning on the grand slam by Roberts. Junior Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS), making his first career start at SS, was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a single by Sokol. Jake Fox (Greenfield, Ind./Indianapolis Cathedral HS) was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Roberts unloaded the second pitch over the Wells Fargo sign in rightfield.

Roberts doubled to open the eighth and scored on a double by senior/junior 1B Nate Wright (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew HS).

The series at UTSA continues on Saturday (March 9) when the Wolverines meet the Roadrunners with junior LHP Rich Hill (Milton, Mass./Milton HS) listed as the probable starter. Hill is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in three appearances.

N O T E S

Wolff Stadium is the home field for the San Antonio Missions, the class AA Texas League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Former Wolverine RHP J.J. Putz (1996-99), now known as Joseph Putz, pitched for the Missions last summer (2001). He is currently on Seattle's 40-man roster and attending spring training.

Junior 3B Brock Koman and sophomore catcher Jake Fox made their debuts at new spots on Friday at UT-San Antonio as they both moved one position to the left, with Koman at SS and Fox at 3B.

Freshman OF Matt Butler (Glendale Heights, Ill./Driscoll Catholic HS) made his Wolverine debut, starting in CF against the UTSA Roadrunners. Butler, who did not make the spring trip to California, grounded out in his first at bat and went 0-for-3 with a walk in his first start. On defense Butler did not have a chance in centerfield as Korecky fanned 13.

Michigan's hitting leaders after 10 games (10 at-bat minimum) include: 3B/SS Brock Koman (.390, 16-for-41); sophomore LF/DH Brandon Roberts (.355, 11-for-31); senior RHP/2B/DH Bobby Korecky (.333, 7-for-21); senior/junior Mike Sokol (.302, 13-for-46) and sophomore catcher Jake Fox (.269, 7-for-26).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423