Michigan Baseball: Michigan comes back to beat Illinois 5-2

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/baseball/article.aspx?id=138616

U-M Juniors Deliver in Big Ten Tournament Win Over Illinois

May 22, 2008
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Event: Big Ten Tournament
Score: #18 Michigan 5, Illinois 2
Records: U-M (43-12), Illinois (31-24)
Next Game: Friday, May 23 -- vs. Purdue (Wilpon Complex), 7:05 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 18-ranked University of Michigan baseball team notched a 5-2, come-from-behind win over Illinois Thursday night (May 22) in U-M's first game of the 2008 Big Ten Tournament. Junior Zach Putnam (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS), the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, hurled seven solid innings, allowing just two runs on five hits with nine strikeouts to improve his season record to 8-0. Junior third baseman Adam Abraham (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South HS) tallied his sixth game-winning hit of the season by ripping a bases-loaded, two-out single up the middle to put U-M ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh. With the win, No. 1-seeded U-M moves on to face No. 2-seeded Purdue in the semifinals Friday night (May 23) at 7:05 p.m.

The Wolverines put a runner on base in each of the first three innings but were unable to record the first run of the game. The Fighting Illini opened the scoring with a single run in the fifth inning. John Schlichter earned a leadoff walk, got to second on a one-out single, and scored on a single to left by leadoff man Kyle Hudson. Putnam and Chris Berset (Vienna, Va./Heights School HS) got the Maize and Blue out of the jam, however, with a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play as Putnam fanned Joe Bonadonna and Berset cut down Casey McMurray at third base.

Michigan tied it up 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Abraham walked, stole second and came around to score on a two-out single to leftfield by Kevin Cislo (Novi, Mich./Novi HS). However, Illinois regained the lead once again in the top of the seventh when Dominic Altobelli singled to left with one out to drive home Ryan Hastings.

Michigan's three-run seventh inning began with a Ryan LaMarre (Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi HS) double past the third baseman. The next two U-M batters were retired by Illini starter Scott Shaw, bringing Big Ten Player of the Year Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS) to the plate. UI intentionally walked Recknagel and was cautious with Putnam, eventually walking the DH to load the bases. With the bases full, Abraham scorched a 2-2 pitch up the middle to score LaMarre and Recknagel. Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair HS) followed with a single through the left side to drive in Putnam.

In the bottom of the eighth, Berset earned a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a LaMarre sacrifice bunt, and scored on a deep double to left-centerfield by junior Jason Christian (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland HS) to make it 5-2.

Junior Michael Powers (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Southlake HS) pitched two innings of relief for his fifth save of the season. He had a perfect eighth inning and, after allowing a leadoff double in the ninth, induced a bounceout to first base and ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts.

Up next for Michigan is its first meeting of the 2008 campaign against Purdue, the Big Ten runner-up. The Wolverines and Boilermakers are scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m., with the game being televised by the Big Ten Network. The winning team will advance to the Big Ten Tournament championship game Saturday evening (May 24).