Wolverines Use Pair of Fives to Take Two From Purdue

Saturday, April 21

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:05 PM

Michigan

24-8, 9-1

Purdue

17-15, 7-6

Purdue

Michigan

4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Ray Fisher Stadium)
Scores: Michigan 6, Purdue 5; Michigan 7, Purdue 2
Records: U-M (25-8, 10-1 Big Ten), Purdue (17-16, 7-7 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Apr. 22 -- vs. Purdue (Ray Fisher Stadium), 1:05 p.m.

• Boxscores: Game 1 | Game 2

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan used a pair of five-run innings to provide the offense for a 6-5, 7-2 sweep over Purdue in Big Ten baseball doubleheader action Saturday (April 21) afternoon and evening in Ray Fisher Stadium.

Junior 1B Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion) and sophomore DH Zach Putnam (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) capped off the five-run innings with game-winning RBI as the Wolverines (25-8, 10-1 Big Ten) earned their fifth doubleheader sweep of the year.

Senior RHP Andrew Hess (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central HS) pitched his second complete game of the season while moving his record to 5-0 for the season, allowing six hits and two runs in the second game.

The Wolverines took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the second game, capitalizing on two Purdue errors with Putnam collecting the only hit in the inning.

Purdue (17-16, 7-7 Big Ten) loaded the bases off Hess in the fourth inning on a HBP, a walk and a single by LF Jeff Mojzik, and the Boilermakers scored twice to tie the game with the first run scoring a double-play grounder and the tying run on single by DH Andy Preston.

The first six Wolverines to bat in the fifth reached base, and Putnam's bases-loaded infield single snapped the 2-2 tie for his team-leading sixth "gamer" of the season. Sophomore 3B Adam Abraham (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South) singled in two runs, junior RF Doug Pickens (West Bloomfield, Mich./Brother Rice) scored another with a squeeze bunt, and sophomore 2B Kevin Cislo (Novi, Mich./Novi) doubled in the fifth run of the inning for the 7-2 final margin.

Purdue and Michigan exchanged runs in the first inning of the opener as the Boilermakers took advantage of a pair of U-M errors for a run in the first. Veteran DH Spencer Ingaldson was hit by a pitch, took second on a throwing error by starting pitcher Mike Wilson (Pickering, Ont./Pine Ridge Secondary) on a failed pickoff attempt, stole third as 1B Ryne White was drawing a walk, and scored on a throwing error by first-game catcher Pickens.

U-M sophomore SS Jason Christian (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland HS) doubled to open the bottom of the first of the opener, and he scored on a single by Recknagel.

Purdue scored four times in the fourth inning of the opener to take a 5-1 lead, with Ingaldson's three-run double the big blow. However, in the bottom of the inning the Wolverines chased Purdue starter Josh Lindblom as Cislo and senior CF Eric Rose (Blissfield, Mich./Blissfield) had run-scoring singles to make the score 5-3, and Christian tied the game at 5-5 with a two-run single off Chris Ivanic.

Christian was retired trying to take second base on the throw from the outfield for the second out, but the rally continued as senior RF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) singled off Ivanic (0-1) and Recknagel snapped the tie with his second run-scoring single of the game. The "gamer" by Recknagel was his fourth of the season and the 11th in his two years as a Wolverine.

Purdue used a double by Mojzik and a single by 3B Dan Black to put the tying run on third base with no outs in the top of the fifth against Wilson (6-0), but junior/sophomore RHP Michael Powers (St. Clair Shores, Mich./South Lake HS) got out of the jam with a popup and a double play started by SS Christian. The Wolverines turned four double plays in the twinbill. Powers allowing two singles while working three innings to record his second save of the season.

Abraham, Christian, Recknagel, Roblin and Rose each had three hits to lead the 20-hit attack for the Wolverines in the doubleheader. Abraham and Cislo each have five hits in the series.

The Wolverines conclude the weekend series vs. Purdue on Sunday (April 22, 1:05 p.m.) with junior/sophomore Chris Fetter (Caramel, Ind./Carmel HS) on the mound with his 4-1 record and 3.96 ERA.

Notes

Sweeps were the order of the day in Big Ten baseball action on Saturday with the home team winning each game, starting with U-M's 6-5 and 7-2 wins over Purdue. Minnesota kept pace with the Wolverines, beating Michigan State 9-2 and 5-4, while Iowa stopped Illinois 10-9 and 10-4. Ohio State swept Indiana, 4-3 and 9-8, and Penn State beat Northwestern 1-0 and 11-5.

Big Ten Standings (Through 4/21/07)

 1. MICHIGAN       10-1   .909
 2. Minnesota       8-2   .800
 3. Penn State      8-5   .615
 4. Illinois        7-6   .538
    Ohio State      7-6   .538
 6. Purdue          7-7   .500
 7. Michigan State  6-8   .429
    Iowa            6-8   .429
 9. Indiana         4-11  .267
10. Northwestern    3-12  .200

Senior RHP Andrew Hess had just one strikeout in his win in the second game against Purdue, but it was milestone K -- number 100 in his career -- for the veteran starter making his 24th career start and his 51st career appearance.

Senior CF Eric Rose extended his hitting streak to 17 games and 1B Nate Recknagel extended his latest hit streak to 10 games with hits in each game of Saturday's doubleheader vs. Purdue.

Rose had two stolen bases and classmate Brad Roblin had one steal in the opener. Rose pushed his career total to 72 steals, just two shy of Michigan's career record held by Jim Durham (74, 1986-88). Roblin holds the season lead with 18 steals and has 49 career stolen bases, good for fifth on the career list.

Recknagel reached five times in seven plate appearances in the doubleheader as he had three hits and a walk and reached on an error. He has reached base 60 times in his last 21 games. His on-base percentage leads the team at .517.

Michigan's leading hitters after 33 games are: 1B Nate Recknagel (44-for-116, .379), sophomore 2B Kevin Cislo (27-for-75, .360), SS Jason Christian (47-for-133, .353), P/OF Zach Putnam (43-for-122, .352), C/2B/OF Doug Pickens (42-for-125, .336), 3B/P Adam Abraham (43-for-129, .333), Eric Rose (37-for-111, 333) and OF Brad Roblin (42-for-127, .331).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423