The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - April 16, 2001- 58 Call of the game "You can't really symuch when you lose 2 68." Michigan firstbaseman Nate Wright, on Sunday 's loss to Minnesota. The 18-r-un loss was its worst since March 6, 1 972 (Arizona State 26, Michigan 1). SERIES SCORE Minnesota 3 I.Michigan SUNDAY'S GAME Minnesota 26 SMichigan 8 Player of the series Jake Hannahan cie the tour -game series, the thirdbaseman went 9-/br- 19 at the plate with seven RBIs. Three of those came in yesterday 's game. The Gopher sIUtgter also sent three balls over the out field walls over the weekend. Irhe rotation recap Michigan 5, MINNESOTA 3 - V SSS< No. 1BOBBY KORECKY IP H R ER BB SO 9 83 3 1 9 Korecky (5-2, 2.13 ER A) pitched his sixth complete game of the season, allowing three earned runs in a 5-3 victory against the Golden Gophers on Friday. His nine strikeout performance was a career-high. No. 2 NIcK ALEXANDER IP H R ER BB SO 6.0 7 54 2 4 Alexander (1-3, 5.66) had a rough outing in the first half of Saturday's doubleheader. He surrendered five runs in the first three innings, including a two-run homerun to Minnesota rightfielder Jason Kennedy. No. 3 TIM LEVEQUE IP H 'RER BB SO 6.0 7 3 1 3 2 Leveque (2-1, 0.56) put his team-best ER A to the test on Saturday. He allowed three runs in six innings of work, and left the game with his team down one. When the Wolverines forced extra innings, Leveque avoided being credited with the loss. No. 4 RICH HILL. IP H R ER BB SO 2.2 5 8 3 3 4 The sophomore Hill (2-3, 3.79) started what would become the Wolverines' worst loss of the season. The lanky lefthander hit the show- ers early, after retiring just eight batters. Minnesota Player AB R HB Steidl cf 3 1 2 1 Appcit 2b 40o10o Hlannahan 3b4 1 2 2 H-olthaus c 4 0 0 0 Welch ss 4 0 1 0 "Guel ,r 0 0 0 0 Roachib 4 00 0 Howardff 4 110 Totals 353 8 3 Miohigan Player AB R HBI Tousa 2b 5 120o Caitalrnessa If 5 1 0 0 Komnan 3b 5 1 1 0' Wrighti1b 4 13a1 Lolio rf 3 1 00o R3 ~ e/-0 0 Ghannamn ef 4 0 0 0 La osass 4 0 20 Totals 40 512 4 E -Wright (5): Welch 2(12). OP -Minnesota 1. LOB - Minnesota 12. Michigan 6. 28 Wright (2): Soko) (6): Steidl (8): Howard (S). Sf1 - Ghannaim (4). S8~ Tousa (8). IP H R ER 88 SO orecynW (5-2) 9.0 8 3 3 1 9 courtesy the Minnesota Daily Minnesota rightfielder Jason Kennedy (22) slides to avoid the tag at third. His Golden Gophers avoided two losses SatUrday with some Clutch hitting in the late innings. Minnesota Kobow L (5-2) 5.2 9 Shupe 3.1 3 5 1 3 4 000 o1 S . a Umpires - Ken Gracener (home plate). Curt Moreno (first base). Jay Lyons (second base). Shawn Velek Attendance: 523 Time:ay's2:m44 MINNESOTA 7, Michigan 6 " ~.5 a I' a - £ (I Nick Alexander started in the first of three Michigan losses against the Golden Gophers. It's All 'Wright' .. SMichigan firstbasemnan Nate s Wright has been tearing up Big Ten pitchIng. After earning conference player of the week .-.-e.. .... honors against Indiana, Wiight '~S~4. ~continued his torridpace this A. weeken in M inneapolis. seiAVG AB H R RBI S...~' '~440 25 11 2 5 ~'Season to date .S:~~S:~vA G AB H R RBI 376 101 38 16 24 FiLUFWHITF/ODaily THE COMPLETE PACKAGE GOPH ERS Continued from Page 1lB lo ok ed t o t he sk ie s f or some accountability. "The wind took control of the game, ' Wight said. Minnesota bats were able to exploit the 32 mph wind gusts on Siebert Field by putting balls into the air and letting the wind carry them. But Mother Nature cannot be held complet ely accoun table for a loss as bad as yesterday's. "You can't really say much when you lose 26-8," Wrig~ht added. Michigan's poor performance yes- ter-day could have been the result of two long, hard-fought games on Sat- urday. "I was pretty emotionally drained. Sokol said. The second game of the Saturday doubleheader - a scheduled seven- innng game - went nine innngzs, .ending in a bases-loaded error by L hoa allwin Gode Gopher .Tousa single that scored pinch-run- nr lake Rutkowsi from seCOnd. In the top half of the doublehead- exan der gt behind early allo- ing five runs in the First three ~ innings, putt ing his team in a 5-0 hole. But the Wolverines f ougzht back. They entered the top of the seventh down 5-3 after Alexander settled down and shut out Minnesota in the fourt h, fifth and si xth. But Sokol would provide a kick - a three-run homerun t hat drove in centerfielder C.J. Ghannam and catcher Jake Fox. and gzave the Wolverines a 6-5 lead. But in the bottom of the seventh,. Hlannahan did his most severe dam- age of the weekend --a walk-off two-run homerun to win the gare. The Friday game -- the first of t he series -was t he highlight for Mic higaan. A ce p it cher Korecky ' s win put the team in good spirit s. The Wolverines were not able to defe~at Minnesota last year. and after the Friday win they thought this year would be different. 'After the first game. we thought we'd take the whole series," Sokol said. (A fter Friday) "I thought we were goitig to win all four for sure," Wright said. "aWe were so high," Korecky said. "Yo wan to start every weeked "We wanted to build on game you'rin n tlgh the resto the way. After ndig thesriso such a vweekend behind them particular- ly yesterday's game and prepare for their finals and their next Big Ten series. against Illinois. "When you leave the field, it's history," Wright said. Player AB R HB Steidlct 3 1 10 Guetzlaff If 3 1 0 0 Roach ph 10o10o Pattee pr 0 100 o Hannahan 3b3 1 1 2 Ho hausc/lbS2 1 2 0 Appert 2b 3 0 0 0 Kennedy rf 3 1 12 LaRucib 2000 o 8auliu c 0 1 Totals 27T 7 8 E - Fox (6). LOB - Minnesota 5. Michigan 4. 26 Sokol (7): Komnan 112): Holthaus (7): Haring (6). HR esko (2) Kolr (7): Hannahan (9): Kennedy Wood L 13-11 Minnesota ShupeW IS-li Player AB RH BI Tousa2b 3 100o Sokol dh 4 23 3 Koman 3b 4 13 3 Wright lb 40o 1 0.: Lollio rt 40o 10 Fox 210 Ghannamn c 2 1 1 0 LaRosa ss 2 0 0.0 Esperph 10 0,0 Jominy ss 0 07 Totals 29 6 9.8' IP H R ER B8 50 6.0 5 4 2 4 0.1 2 2 2 0 0 6.0 0.1 6 1 4 2 4 2 1 1 S 0 Umpires - Curt Moreno(home,. Jay Lyons (first base). Shawn Velek (second base). Ken Gracener (third base). At: Siebert Field Attendance: n/a start: 1p.m. Tm:2:01 2 o e MINESph/2b 4 MichKiganb 3 122 Hannahan 3b4 1 1 0 Wright lb 3 0 1-- /ain h 1010 Sklp/h Welch ss 5 0 0 0 colemanc 2 0 00o Kennedyrif 4 02 0 Fox ph 10o 1.0 Total 3349 aoiny ph/ss 2 0 1-0 E - LaRosa (10): Jomniny (8): Trzos (1). DP.- Mrv' nesota 1. LOB - Michigan 8. Minnesota 1228 Kon-an (13): Fox 12): Steid (9): Hannahan (14). 1Ui - Koman (8). SH - Pattee (1): Beaulieu (3): Hoithwus (3)CS- Kennedy12). Michigan Loveqce Trzos L 11-1) IP H R ER BB SO a 6.0 7 3 1 3 2 2.2 2 1 0 3 2 . Bobby Korecky combines heart and talent to lead Michigan's staff By Benjamin Singer * Daily Sports Writer Umpires - Jay Lyons (home). Shawn Velek (first base) Ken Gracener(second base). Curt Moreno (third A:SeberFil Attendance: 1078 MINNESOTA 26, Michigan 8 I n Bobby Korecky's senior year at Saline high School, the two-time all-stater went head-to-head with the undefeated Drew Ilenson and Brighton High School. Korecky tossed the 3-0 shutout, and even singled in what turned out to be the game-winning run in the first inning off the future Michigan quarterback. That game was part of a dream season for Korecky, in which Saline fought its way to the State Championship. It lost 2-1 to ~dland, who also knocked out Brighton in the semifinals. ~That's something you never forget," Korecky said. "Going through a state tournament and going against somneone like: IDrew Hienson that's something kids dream for. "(Henson and I) hang out quite a bit. We always bring it up. It's something you have to bring up. But all the respect to him. He's a great athlete." hlenson has since moved on, committing himself to a uif in baseball as a prospect in the New York Yankees' organization. Korecky is still working toward the dream of getting drafted, as he continues his career as the ace of Michigan's stafF GoING FOR NINE *he bullpen for Michigan hasn't needed to bother showing up for Friday games. Junior Bobby Korecky has been his own mid- dle reliever, set-up man and closer. When the staff's ace goes out to the mound each Friday to start the weekend series against a Big Ten opponent, he usually goes for nine. Korecky has pitched a conference-leading six- consecutive complete games. including all four of his outing~s in lBig Ten play. B~y staying around the plate. Korecky (5-2, 2:13 [RA) can keep his pitch count down. With quick innings, pitching for the , le afternoon ceases to be too tall a task. "When you're (throwing strikes) and you're getting guys utwith on rtopitches. the infield making~ greapay, it's very easy," Korecky said. "Before you know it. it's the fourth inning and you've only thrown about 40 pitches." Michigan coach Geoff Zahn doesn't usually plan on "He's funny because I'll ask him in the seventh 'How are you holding up?' and he'll give me a funny look like. 'Are you kid- ding me? I'm not coming out, " Zahn said. "lHe's very similar to a pitcher I had at Pepperdine who's now pitching in the majors, Randy Wolf (of the Philadelphia Philhies), as fijr as his competitiveness and his desire to win, lie has that refuse to lose mentality." Refuse to lose and refuse to exit the game. Korecky is a little possessive about his starts. lie is willing to give way to the bullpen if he has to. but he likes to stick around to the end. "Once you start a game. you get into that mental frame that you can get everybody out." Korecky said. "It's your game wkhen you star-t it and you want to go as long as you can." CiiANGING PITChlES I very onc has 1h igh light ed di fierent reasons for Korecky' s success. Zahn is. impressed with his intensity on the mound. Pitching~ coach Steve Foster- cites his work ethic during the week as he studies the history of the hitters. Freshman catcher Jake Fox talks about the effectiveness of his pitches, the likes of which he hadn't seen in high school and doesn't see too much of in college. But it took a little maturing for Korecky at the next level befo-e he hit his stride. "His freshman year- he'd get into jams and he would say I'm just going to blow it by you' because that's what he did in high school," Zahn said. "I e'd end up leaving balls right over the middle of the plate. lie was really just a power pitcher." 01nce Korecky leamned to mix up his pitch selection a little andi keep hitters off balance, he started to turn into the formida- ble pitcher he's proven to be this year. In Big Ten play last sea- son, he pitched to a 1 .95 [RA and completed four of his five conference stai-ts. as he led the Wolverines with a total of' -five at the season's end. "Coach Zahn worked with me so hard on that. I need to be throwing in the right location and then the job will gzet done." Korecky said. "That's one thing~ I can't talk about enough is it's not how hard you throw. (Sopho- Minnesota Player AS R H 81 Player Steidl f 5 2 24 Tos Gueaf2bIf 5 0 1 1 Soko Hannanny r 4 6 4 2 2 Kobra Wolthasb 4 1 3 4 Wargh Hearngdh 5 2 1 0 uef Daitc- p/b1 0 1 3 uk Totals 44 262122s Totals Mlchiga A R H Si s 1000oi 4 s/ 1 12 4a ss/ 5 4 1 E-Komnan (9): Appert (5). L08- Michigan 12. Mmn- nesota 11 28-Touso (3): Komnan I l4): Steid (10): Kennedy (9): Welch (Si. HR - Fox (2): Hannahan 2 (111: Holthaus (31 Sf1- Howard (2): P'attee (21.58- Tousa (91: Hannahan Ill): Kennedy (9). - - iP H R ER 88 50 MichIgan Hill L (2-3)1 La bert Mccloskey LaRosa Minnesota Krogman W Mecauley Amnidon 2.2 1.1 0.1 22 1.0 5 5 5 3 8 4 7 3 3 4 7 3 5 1 3 0 2 2 2 1 1 4 0 2 1 4 2 2 14-0) 5.2 11 7 2.1 2 0 1.0 1 1 Umpires - shawn velek (home).;Ken Gracener. (first base), Curt Moreno (second base(, Jay Lyons (third base). Ate dane:379 start: 1 p.m. lime:3:32 BIG TEN STANDINGS JEFF HURV'lTZ/Dail Michigan doesn't often need to dip into the bullpen when Bobby Korecky takes the mound. drafted how high I don't know." he said. "My height is always on ;coT iniet w-n ont there :rnd do the hest I can. That's the C Team Purdue Ohio State Minnesota Penn State onference W L 11 3 9 3 11 4 8 6 Overall W L 19 15 2-78 23. 14 18 21