Michigan Closes Spring Trip with Loss to Illinois-Chicago

Sunday, February 29

Port St. Lucie, Fla.

11:00 AM

Michigan

0-5

Illinois-Chicago

5-1

Illinois-Chicago

Michigan

Michigan Closes Spring Trip with Loss to Illinois-Chicago

2/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Illinois-Chicago rightfielder Mike Hughes collected three hits including a grand slam homer and drove in six runs as the Flames completed the weekend sweep of the University of Michigan, 13-1, in college baseball action Sunday (Feb. 29) at the New York Mets spring training complex.

The Wolverines (0-5) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning as sophomore 2B Chris Getz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS) opened the game with a double and scored moments later after a bunt single by junior LF Nick Rudden (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS). UIC pitcher Ryan Gehring (1-1) grabbed the ball and tossed it to third, but the ball sailed into foul territory. Gehring allowed six hits in his seven innings of work to record the win.

UIC scored two runs in the second on a two-run double by 2B Bryan Russo off Michigan starting pitcher Drew Taylor (Toronto, Ontario/Upper Canada College). Taylor dropped to 0-2 on the season.

Hughes hit a two-run double in the third inning to push the lead to 4-1, and he greeted junior RHP Phil Tognetti (Newhall, Calif./William S. Hart HS) with the grand slam homer to make the score 8-1 after four innings.

The Flames (5-1) added five runs in the fifth to close out the scoring. Hughes singled to start the rally and catcher Justin Johnson collected the third UIC two-run double of the game. Russo, who was 3-for-4, added a run-scoring single. Russo was 6-for-9 for the series and reached base nine times.

Senior designated hitter Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS) and Rudden each had two hits for the Wolverines.

The Wolverines used six pitchers in the game, with junior/sophomore Ali Husain (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti HS) working a 1-2-3 eighth inning and senior/junior Jim Brauer (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) working a 1-2-3 ninth.

The Wolverines travel to Duke for a three-game series next weekend (March 5-7).

N O T E S

Freshman RF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) and junior 1B Kyle Bohm (Stevens Point, Wis./Area HS) had four-game hitting streaks snapped in Sunday loss to UIC.

Michigan's hitting leaders after the five games are: Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) at .500 (7-for-14), Brandon Roberts at .467 (7-for-15), Brad Roblin at 350 (7-for-20), junior OF Chris Burhans (Alpharetta, Ga./Marist School) at .333 (5-for-15) and 3B A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) at .316 (6-for-19).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423