Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan
No. 17 Michigan Rallies Back to Top NU 9-4
5/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 15, 2008
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -
Northwestern was unable to make a four-run lead stand up as No. 17 Michigan rallied back to earn a 9-4 victory Thursday evening at Ray Fisher Stadium. The Wildcats jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but the Wolverines scored twice in the fifth and then five times in the sixth to take an advantage they wouldn't relinquish.
Northwestern (20-26, 13-16) jumped on Michigan starter Chris Fetter for a run in the first inning and, perhaps just as importantly, worked up his pitch count. Jake Owens opened the game by lacing a double down the right field line. He would advance to third on a deep foul out to right by Aaron Newman and then scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Jake Goebbert. NU would mount a two-out threat to build on its lead as Mike Kalina walked and Chris Lashmet reached on an error, but Fetter was able to strand baserunners at the corners.
After David Jensen set down the Wolverines in order in their half of the first, the Wildcats extended their lead to 2-0 in the second without the benefit of a hit. Max Mann worked a leadoff walk, moved up to 90 feet apiece on a wild pitch and a sac bunt by Chad Noble and then came home on a run-scoring groundout by Tommy Finn.
The 'Cats got their leadoff batter aboard for the third straight inning in the third when Aaron Newman was hit by a pitch for the 46th time in his career. With one down, he would advance all the way to third on a failed pickoff attempt, but NU left him stranded.
Meanwhile, Jensen continued to befuddle the Michigan hitters. He allowed just one baserunner, a second-inning walk, through the first four frames while matching his career high with five strikeouts.
Northwestern's batters continued to back him up in the top of the fifth thanks in part to the Wolverines' third error of the contest. Owens reached on a one-out miscue, stole second and was there with two outs when Goebbert blasted an offering from Fetter off the roof of the Indoor Track Building to put the Wildcats up 4-0.
Michigan finally got to Jensen for a pair of runs in its half of the fifth. A leadoff walk to Adam Abraham put a runner aboard for Derek VanBuskirk who went the other way for a two-run homer, his 10th of the season. It was also the first hit of the contest for the Wolverines.
Another leadoff walk in the sixth proved costly as the hosts rallied to take the lead. Leif Mahler drew the free pass and came around two batters later when Zach Putnam homered over the brick wall in left field. Following a groundout, a single and a walk put two on for Mike Dufek who delivered a two-out, jam-job, bloop single to center that gave Michigan a 5-4 lead. Brian Morgan came on to replace Jensen and Ryan LaMarre collected an infield single to put the Wolverines up by two. The third walk of the inning loaded the bases as NU then turned to Jonathan Purcell who walked yet another to plate Michigan's seventh run.
Putnam led off the seventh for the Wolverines and hit his second home run in as many innings to increase Michigan's advantage to 8-4. Northwestern loaded the bases in the top of the eighth, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Ben Jenzen got a strikeout to squelch the threat.
Nate Recknagel tacked on one final solo home run for Michigan in the bottom of the eighth, his school-record 22nd of the season and the team's fourth of the night.
Jenzen (4-0) earned the win, hurling four innings of scoreless relief. Jensen (1-6) was handed the loss for NU. Michigan finished with an 8-5 edge in the hit column.
The series continues Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. Central time.
