Michigan Baseball: Michigan stomps Ohio State

from MGoBlue.com

http://www.mgoblue.com/baseball/article.aspx?id=136688

Katzman Paces Wolverines Past Ohio State

May 4, 2008
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)

Score: #22 Michigan 15, Ohio State 1Records: U-M (34-11, 20-4 Big Ten), OSU (24-21, 11-12 Big Ten)

Next U-M Game: Wednesday, May 7 -- vs. Ball State (Wilpon Complex), 6:35 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan baseball team claimed its 20th Big Ten Conference win of the season, as the Wolverines (34-11, 20-5 Big Ten) pounded Ohio State, 15-1, in front of 2,447 fans Sunday afternoon (May 4) inside the Wilpon Baseball Complex, home to Ray Fisher Stadium.

Sophomore LHP Eric Katzman (Harrington Park, N.J./Northern Valley Old Tappan HS) headlined the Maize and Blue's efforts, pitching a career-best 6.2 innings en route to his second win of the season. Making his second start of the year, Katzman struck out four and allowed just four hits, while holding the Buckeyes scoreless to lower his season ERA to 2.62 during 24 innings.

At the plate, four Wolverines had two hit performances led by junior CF Kevin Cislo (Novi, Mich./Novi HS), who was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI, including a two-run double in the second inning.

Sophomore 1B Mike Dufek (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS) registered a career-best four RBI for the day, including the game-winner via a four-pitch bases-load walk, which scored junior DH Zach Putnam (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) for the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.
The Wolverine offense exploded in the bottom of the second inning, scoring seven runs from five hits, sending 11 hitters to plate in the frame. Cislo and junior SS Jason Christian (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland HS) led the charge with back-to-back two-run doubles.

Putnam started the frame with a base-on-balls and was advanced to second on a single by junior 3B Adam Abraham (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South HS). A four-pitch walk to senior LF Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair HS) loaded the bases for Dufek, who in turn watched four pitches sail outside the strike zone, scoring Putnam and giving U-M a 1-0 advantage.

With one out in the inning, Cislo ripped an opposite field double just inside the line in leftfield, scoring Putnam and Abraham from third and second, respectively.

With VanBuskirk and Cislo in scoring position, Christian pulled the ball past the OSU first baseman, resulting in his ninth double of the season. Christian's double scored both Wolverine runners, padding the Michigan lead to five runs at 5-0.

Senior C Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS) drove in U-M's sixth run of the ballgame two batters later, drilling a single into leftfield to bring Christian down the line from third for a 6-0 lead.

During the ensuing at bat, Putnam hit a double to the right-centerfield gap, scoring Recknagel from second for a 7-0 advantage. The two-bagger was the third of the inning and concluded the scoring in the frame.

Three innings later, U-M put another four runs on the board as Dufek, Cislo, Christian and fifth-year senior 2B/SS Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) each delivered run-scoring singles to increase the lead to 11-0.

Following his third RBI in the bottom of the sixth inning, senior/junior Timmy Kalczynski (Farmington Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS) handed the Wolverines a 14-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run single into left for his first two RBI of the year.

Dufek ended the Wolverines scoring, bringing Kalczynksi to the plate with a fielder's choice for his career-best fourth RBI of the game.

Michigan will look for its 16th home win of the season Wednesday night (May 7), when the Maize and Blue plays host to Ball State for a 6:35 p.m. non-conference match-up in the Wilpon Complex.