Putnam's Complete Game Takes Fight Out of Illini

Friday, May 4

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:35 PM

Michigan

33-8, 16-1

Illinois

22-21, 8-11

Illinois

Michigan

5/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. C- Sophomore RHP/DH Zach Putnam (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) gave up just three hits in a complete game effort from the mound and went 1-4 with an RBI, leading the University of Michigan baseball team to a 4-3 win over Illinois Friday (May 4) in Ray Fisher Stadium.

The Big Ten-leading Wolverines (33-8, 16-1 Big Ten) used an 11-hit attack for the victory, scoring one run in each of the first three innings off Ilini starter Tanner Roark (3-4). Illinois (22-21, 8-11 Big Ten) scored in the second, fourth and eighth innings off Putnam (6-3), who was strong throughout the night with a variety of pitches.

Michigan got the bats going early, as sophomore SS Jason Christian (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) smacked a leadoff double to center and -- after a walk by junior 1B Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion) -- Putnam brought Christian home with a bloop single to right, handing U-M an early 1-0 lead. Sophomore 3B Adam Abraham (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South HS) kept the momentum with a single up the middle and junior RF Doug Pickens (West Bloomfield,. Mich./Brother Rice) pushed an opposite field hit to load the bases, but junior 1B Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair) grounded out to short to end the U-M threat.

The Fighting Illini tied the game with two outs in the top of the second. Ryan Hastings drilled a line drive that barely passed a diving Recknagel, scoring Mike Rohde to knot the score at 1-1.

It didn't take long for the Wolverines to recapture the lead. Freshman catcher Chris Berset (Vienna, Va./The Heights School) led off the bottom of the second with a hard single to short and -- after sophomore 2B Kevin Cislo (Novi, Mich./Novi) walked -- Christian blasted a deep fly out to the warning track in center, bringing in Berset on a Illinois throwing error to return the lead to U-M, 2-1.

The Wolverines extended their lead in the bottom of the third. Abraham and Pickens hit back-to-back singles, and junior 1B Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair) was hit by a pitch to lead the bases. Berset grounded into a double play but scored Abraham to grow Michigan's lead to 3-1.

Illini closed the gap to 3-2 in the top of the fourth, but Putnam remained strong on the mound to hold the U-M lead, mixing his pitches to throw consecutive 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and sixth. VanBuskirk helped Michigan get back on the board in the bottom of the sixth, drawing a walk and stealing second with no outs. Berset moved VanBuskirk to third with a sacrifice groundout, and Cislo got the RBI with a shot up the middle to give Michigan the 4-2 advantage.

In the ensuing inning, Putnam again held the lead, striking out Kyle Hudson with a nasty change-up in the top of the seventh to get U-M out of a two-on two-out jam.

Illinois closed the gap again in the top of the eighth, as Ryan Snowden scored on a grounder to Cislo at second base by Lars Davis to make it 4-3 Wolverines. Putnam again kept Michigan's lead entact, getting Rohde to groundout to second on another fine play by Cislo. He had six assists in the game.

U-M attempted to add some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. With Illini reliever Omar Kadir on the mound, Pickens drew a leadoff walk, and Berset moved him to second with a gapper to left center. The Wolverines eventually loaded the bases but -- with two outs -- Rose flew out to the infield, sending Putnam and the U-M Michigan defense to the final inning with a slim 4-3 advantage

Putnam closed the game with a smooth 1-2-3 inning -- a groundout and two flyouts -- in the top of the ninth, sealing the series-opening win for the Wolverines.

The Wolverines host Illinois in a Big Ten doubleheader Saturday (May 4, 4:05 p.m.) at Fisher Stadium, with sophomore LHP Mike Wilson (Pickering, Ont./Pine Ridge Secondary) slated to pitch the opener with his 7-0 record (1.29 ERA). Senior RHP Andrew Hess (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central) at 6-0 (3.05 ERA) will pitch the second game.

NOTES

The home team had the winning way in the first three Big Ten games finished Friday (May 4) night including Michigans 4-3 win over Illinois, Iowas 3-2 win over Indiana and Ohio States 8-4 win over Michigan State. In the final game of the night Northwestern became the lone road team to gain a win beating Minnesota, 9-7. Purdue and Penn State did not play Friday due to final exams at Purdue and they will play a pair of doubleheaders at Penn State on Saturday and Sunday (May 5-6).

Big Ten Standings (Includes 5-4-07):

 1. Michigan 16-1 (.941) 2. Minnesota 12-4 (.750) 3. Ohio State 12-7 (.632) 4. Penn State 11-7 (.611) 5. Iowa 12-8 (.600) 6. Illinois 8-11 (.421 
 Purdue 8-11 (.421) 8. Michigan State 6-14 (.300) 9. Indiana 6-15 (.282) 10. Northwestern 4-17 (.190).

Sophomore RHP/DH Zach Putnam recorded his 12th career win in the Friday opener vs. Illinois with his second career complete game and his first at Ray Fisher Stadium. Putnams complete games, both in Big Ten play, have been at Purdue and vs. Illinois. Putnam tossed a three-hitter against Illinois allowing two earned runs, two walks with six strikeouts. He leads the team with 49 strikeouts as he dropped his ERA to 3.88. Putnam had a run-scoring single in the first inning to move his team leading RBI-total to 45.

Michigans 11 hits against Illinois on Friday (May 4) marked the 31st time in 41 games this season that the Wolverines have had 10 hits or more and the 24th time in the last 27 games.

The win Friday was the 10th straight for the Wolverines and UM is 27-2 after a 6-6 start..

Senior CF Eric Rose extended his career-best hitting streak to 25 games with a second-inning single Friday night against Illinois and he had two stolen bases to move his team-leading total to 25 and his career stolen base record to 81.

Michigan's leading hitters after 41 games are: 2B Kevin Cislo (35-for-93, .376), 1B Nate Recknagel (53-for-145, .366), 3B/P Adam Abraham (56-for-156, .359), SS Jason Christian (59-for-166, .355), C/2B/OF Doug Pickens (54-for-154, .351), CF Eric Rose (49-for-142, .345), P/OF Zach Putnam (52-for-151, .344), and OF Brad Roblin (Wayland, Mass./Rivers School) at .338 (45-for-133).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734-763-4423)