Wolverines Hold Off Wildcats in Matchup of First-Place Teams

Friday, May 14

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:35 PM

Michigan

30-18, 0

Northwestern

21-28, 0

Northwestern

Michigan

Wolverines Hold Off Wildcats in Matchup of First-Place Teams

5/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 14, 2010

• Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery |

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Baseball Complex)
Score: Michigan 4, Northwestern 3
Records: U-M (30-18, 11-8 Big Ten), Northwestern (21-28, 10-9 Big Ten)
Attendance: 1,384
Next U-M Event: Saturday, May 15 -- vs. Northwestern (Wilpon Baseball Complex), 1:05 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team clipped Northwestern, 4-3, on Friday night (May 14) at the Wilpon Baseball Complex, home of historic Ray Fisher Stadium. With the win, U-M maintains at least a share of first place in the Big Ten. U-M and the Wildcats were two of four teams that entered the weekend with identical 10-8 marks in conference play.

Junior leftfielder Ryan LaMarre (Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi) had two hits, including a triple, scored twice and drove in the game-winning run with a two-out single to center in the seventh inning. Senior/junior second baseman Anthony Toth (Lorain, Ohio/St. Ignatius) led the Michigan offense with three hits while factoring into nine outs in the field.

Freshman centerfielder Patrick Biondi (Woodhaven, Mich./Divine Child) reached base to lead off the first inning for Michigan and advanced to third on a hit-and-run, before a groundball by LaMarre knocked the rookie in from third. A sacrifice fly to deep left by sophomore designated hitter Coley Crank (Pinole, Calif./Pinole Valley) kept the scoring going in the first to put U-M up, 2-0.

The Wildcats took a 3-2 lead by scoring a single run in the second, fourth and sixth innings. LaMarre answered in the bottom half of the sixth, lacing a ball to right-centerfield for a standup triple. Senior catcher Chris Berset (Vienna, Va./Heights School) tied the game with a single to leftfield to plate LaMarre.

Northwestern tried to regain the lead in the top of the seventh, moving a runner to third twice. A groundball to the right side looked good enough to score a run, but senior first baseman Mike Dufek (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain) fired home to Berset to prevent the run. More impressive Michigan defense prevented a Wildcat lead as Toth made a diving stop on a groundball up the middle with a fire to first to end the Northwestern half.

Textbook baseball put Biondi on third as he walked and moved from first on a hit-and-run by Toth. LaMarre did his job with a single to center to grab the U-M lead at 4-3 in the seventh.

Junior pitcher Tyler Burgoon (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance) came on in the eighth for a two-inning save, including a game-ending strikeout at the end of the ninth with a runner on first.

Michigan continues its weekend series with Northwestern on Saturday (May 15) at 1:05 p.m. at the Wilpon Complex. The game will be streamed for a fee on BigTenNetwork.com.

Contact: Ryan Sosin (734) 763-4423