Stellar Pitching Keys Michigan to Pair of Wins

Saturday, February 21

Clearwater, Fla.

11:00 AM

Michigan

2-0

Purdue

1-1

Purdue

Michigan

2/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Sites: Clearwater, Fla. (Naimoli Complex & Bright House Field)
Results: Michigan 4, Purdue 3 (10 innings); Michigan 6, Cincinnati 1
Records: U-M (3-0), Purdue (1-1), Cincinnati (0-2)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 22 vs. St. John's (Tampa, Fla.), 1 p.m.

Boxscores: Game 1 | Game 2 | Postgame Notes | Photo Gallery
Video Report: vs. Purdue | vs. Cincinnati

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The University of Michigan baseball team used extra-inning heroics to start the day and sterling pitching to cap the night for a pair of wins, defeating Purdue, 4-3, in 10 innings, before downing Cincinnati, 6-1, on day two of the Big East/Big Ten Challenge on Saturday (Feb. 21) in Clearwater, Fla.

The Wolverines started the day with their second straight walk-off win. After falling down 3-0, U-M came back to tie the game in a three-run sixth and freshman designated hitter Jake McLouth(Whitehall, Mich./Whitehall) delivered the walk-off single to give sophomore reliever Tyler Burgoon(Defiance, Ohio/Defiance) his second straight win in relief. Michigan then followed up that performance with a 16-strikeout effort from Wolverine pitchers. Sophomore starting pitcher Travis Smith(Austin, Texas/Stephen F. Austin) earned nine in five innings for the victory and sophomore hurler Matt Miller(Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) fanned seven in four innings for the save. A three-run first and a moon shot by junior Mike Dufek(Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain) in the sixth provided the offense.

In game one of the day -- a non-conference contest with Purdue -- the Wolverines fell behind early as the Boilermakers touched up U-M sophomore starting pitcher Kolby Wood(Eau Claire, Mich./Berrien Springs) for a pair of runs in the top of second inning to take a 2-0 lead.

Purdue added to its lead in the sixth on an RBI single that drove Wood from the game, bringing on freshman reliever Brandon Sinnery(Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy), who got the Wolverines out of the jam down 3-0.

The Michigan bats awoke in the bottom of the sixth to score three times and force a 3-3 tie. Sophomore shortstop Anthony Toth(Lorain, Ohio/St. Ignatius) started the rally with a leadoff walk, moving to second on a single by junior centerfielder Ryan LaMarre(Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi) and scoring on a single by Dufek. McLouthfollowed with a RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2, and the Wolverines tied the game on a pinch-hit RBI single from junior Chris Berset(Vienna, Va./Heights School).

Burgoon came on to start the seventh and was masterful, allowing just three hits and no runs while fanning four Boilermakers over four innings of work, preserving the 3-3 tie heading to the bottom of the 10th inning.

Toth led off the U-M 10th with a walk and stole second to start the inning. After an intentional walk to Dufek, junior Nick Urban(Whitehall, Mich./Whitehall) moved Toth to third on a fly out to right, setting the stage for McLouth, who delivered a single up the middle to give the Wolverines their second straight walk-off win, 4-3.

Burgoon picked up his second win in as many outings, while McLouth finished with a career-best 3-for-5 performance. Dufek and Urban each collected a pair of hits for the Wolverines.

In the nightcap, Michigan staked Smith to a 3-0 lead in the first, keyed by a two-run single from Urban. It proved to be all Smith needed as he cruised through the first four innings, registering a career-high nine strikeouts in the process.

The only bump Smith encountered came in the fifth when he allowed a run and pitched his way out of a bases-loaded jam, inducing an inning-ending double play ball to end the Cincinnati threat.

Michigan capped its scoring in the sixth on a tape measure three-run home run by Dufek, his first of the season, pushing the lead to 6-1.

Miller worked the final four scoreless innings while registering a career-high seven strikeouts to earn his first career save.

Smith (1-0) earned the win by scattering seven hits to go with his nine strikeouts over five innings.

Urban was 3-for-5 in game two with a pair of RBI, while Toth and LaMarre both added a pair of hits and Dufek collected three RBI in the win.

The Wolverines will finish the Big East/Big Ten Challenge on Sunday (Feb. 22) when they face St. John's at Red McEwen Field in Tampa, Fla., on the campus of the University of South Florida. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

N O T E S

Michigan's 4-3 10-inning win over Purdue in Saturday's first game marked the second straight walk-off win for the Wolverines.

Michigan's 6-1 victory over Cincinnati gives the Wolverines a 3-0 start to equal the best starts in the Maloney era (2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009).

The two wins Saturday were the 239th and 240th for Maloney at U-M in seven seasons. He has 496 career wins in 14 seasons as a head coach (including seven seasons at Ball State).

Sophomore RHP Tyler Burgoon pitched four shutout innings vs. Purdue to earn his second straight win for the Wolverines. Burgoon (2-0) has thrown five scoreless innings with four strikeouts this season to move his career record to 4-0.

Sophomore RHP Travis Smith (9) and Matt Miller (7) combined for 16 strikeouts in the win over Cincinnati. The 16 K's are the most for the Wolverines since seven pitchers combined for 16 at Eastern Michigan on May 5, 2004.

Sophomore/freshman DH Jake McLouth collected both game-winning RBI on Saturday, his first as a Wolverine. McLouth, who launched his first career homer vs. South Florida on Friday (Feb. 20), singled up the middle with two outs in the 10th inning to snap a 3-3 tie against Purdue for the winner in the first game. His first-inning sac fly proved to be the gamer vs. Cincinnati.

Junior/sophomore SS Anthony Toth, who was 2-for-4 vs. Cincinnati for his first two hits of the season, walked three times and scored twice vs. Purdue. In the first three games of the season, Toth has reached base eight times (five walks, two singles and a HBP) for a .555 on base percentage, and he has scored four runs, including the winner in the 10th inning vs. Purdue.

Junior RF Nick Urban leads the Wolverines in hitting with a .571 average (8-for-14) after a combined 5-for-10 day in the two games Saturday. Urban, who has four career multi-hit games, has three doubles and a triple for a team-leading .996 slugging percentage after three games.

Sophomore CF Ryan LaMarre extended his hitting streak to five games with hits in both U-M wins Saturday. LaMarre closed out the 2008 season with hits in six of his last seven games. His two multi-hit games this season move his career total to 12.

Junior 1B Mike Dufek collected his first homer of the year and the fourth of his career to clinch the win over Cincinnati. Dufek's three-run bomb moved the U-M lead from 3-1 to 6-1 in the seventh inning.

Contact: Matt Fancett (734) 763-4423