Nine-Run Fourth Sparks U-M; Hammond Tops Buckeyes

Sunday, April 25

Columbus, Ohio

1:05 PM

Michigan

22-15, 10-6

Ohio State

19-17, 9-7

Michigan

Ohio State

4/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The University of Michigan baseball team used a nine-run fourth inning that included four doubles to take a 13-2 victory over Ohio State Sunday afternoon (April 25) at Bill Davis Stadium behind the solid pitching of junior/sophomore Paul Hammond (Mason, Ohio/Mason HS).

The win gives Michigan (22-15, 10-6 Big Ten) at least a share of first place after taking three of four games in Columbus for the second straight season. In fact, Michigan has won seven of the last nine regular-season meeting from the Buckeyes (19-17, 9-7 Big Ten).

Hammond, making his first start since his "Tommy John surgery" as a true freshman in 2002, worked a career-best eight innings, allowing five hits and two runs, and moved his overall ERA to 4.89 as his Big Ten ERA moved up to 1.17. He had pitched four innings twice during the Minnesota series for his previous best in innings pitched in a game.

The first three innings of the game were hitless and scoreless, but the Wolverines opened the scoring in the fourth inning against OSU freshman LHP Dan DeLucia, who had allowed just one base runner in the first three innings, a four-pitch walk to freshman LF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) in the second inning. Ironically, in the fourth inning Roblin was the only batter not to reach base in the first nine batters of the inning.

Michigan loaded the bases without a hit on back-to-back walks to freshman CF Eric Rose (Blissfield, Mich./Blissfield HS) and junior 1B Kyle Bohm (Stevens Point, Wis./Area HS) and a hit batter, junior RF Matt Butler (Lombard, Ill./Driscoll Catholic). Roblin knocked in the first run, the "gamer," with an infield grounder and the score was 1-0 without a Michigan hit.

Sophomore 3B A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) launched a two-run double down the line in right for the first Michigan hit and the score was 3-0, and junior/sophomore catcher Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) followed with a double to push the score to 4-0.

Senior DH Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS) singled to right and was the last batter for DeLucia (1-2). Freshman SS Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) greeted OSU LHP Jesse Paciorek with a run-scoring single. Rose dropped a double down the rightfield line for two runs, and Butler finished off the scoring by pounding a two-run double off the fence in right but was retired trying to advance to third as the Wolverines scored nine runs on six hits. It was the biggest inning of the season as the Wolverines, topping the seven runs scored in an inning at Kentucky earlier in the season.

Michigan added another run in the fifth as Scheidt collected his second double of the game and scored as Roberts singled off the fence in right, just missing a homer by a few feet.

The Wolverines closed out the scoring with three runs in the eighth as Kunkel collected his team-high third hit of the game to lead off the inning and Mahler singled for one run, Bohm walked with the bases loaded for the second run and Butler capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

Michigan's next action is hosting Michigan State next Friday (April 30, 3 p.m.).

N O T E S

In Sunday (April 25) action Michigan and Minnesota collected road wins to remain tied for first place in the Big Ten standings. In fact all five road teams gained wins as Michigan topped Ohio State 13-2, Minnesota beat Northwestern 12-3, Iowa topped Penn State 6-2, Michigan State beat Purdue12-1 and Indiana beat Illinois 17-8.

Big Ten Standings (after Sunday's Games)

 1. MICHIGAN 10-6 .625 Minnesota 10-6 .625 3. Ohio State 9-7 .563 Penn State 9-7 .563 Purdue 9-7 .563 6. Michigan State 8-8 .500 7. Illinois 7-9 .438 Indiana 7-9 .438 9. Northwestern 6-10 .375 10. Iowa 5-11 .313

The 13 runs for the Wolverines on Sunday were the most for the Wolverines in Columbus since a 14-2 win in 1989 (May 8).

Senior DH Brandon Roberts collected his 150th hit as a Wolverine with the fifth inning blast that hit off the wall for a run-scoring single and just missed being a three-run homer.

Michigan's leading hitters after 37 games include: 1B Kyle Bohm at .399 (55-for-138), Jeremy Goldschmeding (Allegan, Mich./Allegan HS) at .359 (33-for-92), Brandon Roberts at .333 (38-for-114), Matt Butler at .328 (44-for-134), 3B A.J. Scheidt at .322 (47-for-146), Chris Getz at .315 (46-for-146) and Jeff Kunkel at .302 (32-for-106).