The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 11A
In a slugfest, Lentz saves the day
By Gabe Edelson
Daily Sports Writer
MT. PLEASANT - It's the bottom of the ninth.
You lead by one, but your opponent has the tying
and winning runs on base. Your sixth pitcher of the
day - an everyday second baseman - has failed
to improve the situation. If you are Michigan base-
ball coach Rich Maloney, whom do you call on
from the bullpen?
Yesterday, the answer was freshman right-hander
Dan Lentz.
Lentz came through as the most unexpected hero
in Michigan's three hour and 55 minute, 14-13 win
over Central Michigan at Theunissen Stadium. After
a wild pitch advanced runners to second and third,
Lentz recovered from a 3-0 count to strike out pinch
hitter Brian Lautzenheiser. Following an intentional
walk to second baseman David Latour Jr. to load
the bases, Lentz cemented his first career save by
getting catcher Derek Schaller to pop a foul ball to
Michigan third baseman A.J. Scheidt for the final
out. All this from a pitcher with three career colle-
giate appearances, a 9.00 ERA and an 0-2 record
heading into yesterday's action.
"I'm really proud to see a freshman come in there
when things are hot like that," Maloney said.
"That's crunch-time."
"My heart was running," Lentz said. "It was beat-
ing pretty quickly. I was just telling myself to throw
the breaking ball as hard as I could. (Maloney) has
stuck with me, and that really gives me a lot of con-
fidence. Finally getting a positive spin on one of
(my) games really puts my confidence at an all-time
high."
The man of the hour was first baseman Kyle
Bohm, a transfer from Auburn who is rapidly
making a name for himself in Ann Arbor. The jun-
ior went 2-for-3 with three walks and two three-
run home runs. Both shots were hit to left field,
with the latter one - off right-hander David
LeMieux in the ninth inning - putting Michigan
(16-12 overall, 5-3 Big Ten) ahead for good in a
slugfest that featured 36 total hits, three lead
changes and 12 pitchers.
"I was real happy that we could battle through
some shaky play on defense and pull a win out
here," said a relieved Bohm, after Michigan had
committed four fielding errors in the game. "It was
very good for us on the road."
Bohm and Maloney were especially pleased
with the team's ability to fight its way back into
contention after falling behind by scores of 5-0
and 12-11.
"I think (the comebacks) are a testament to our
team and to how much intestinal fortitude we have,"
Bohm said. "It says a lot (about the team)."
"We found a way to win," Maloney said. "In the
rebuilding of the program, this is one of the things
we have to learn to do. It was a big step for us.
We're certainly not where we need to be, but we're
further along today than we were yesterday, and
that's a real positive."
Michigan freshman Michael McCormick strug-
gled in his first career start, giving up five runs on
six hits in two innings. The Central Michigan sec-
ond was highlighted by rightfielder J.T. Jones's
inside-the-park home run.
Freshman Andrew Hess relieved McCormick and
calmed things down, allowing two runs while four
strikeouts in three innings. Hess's solid outing made
the first Michigan comeback possible. The rally
came in the form of a six-run fourth inning, where
Bohm and Scheidt hit back-to-back homers. Michi-
gan had not hit consecutive round-trippers on the
road since 1998.
"When (Bohm) gets things going, it's easy to fol-
low suit," Scheidt said.
But the Chippewas kept things interesting with
three two-run home runs, the first coming in the
sixth and the final two coming in the eighth.
With Central Michigan ahead 12-11 going into
the final inning, Michigan's situation appeared des-
perate. But Bohm's second blast of the afternoon
scored second baseman Chris Getz and rightfielder
Matt Butler to put Michigan in front, 14-12.
"Bohm answered the bell when we needed him,"
Maloney said.
The tense bottom of the ninth featured four
Michigan pitchers: Phil Tognetti, Ali Husain, Getz
and Lentz. Central Michigan closed its deficit to
one on designated hitter Bryan Mitzel's RBI single
to center, at which point Lentz entered.
Scheidt was unhappy with his two errors on the
day, but came away satisfied from the high-scor-
ing affair.
"I just need to be more consistent on all facets of
the game," Scheidt said. "(But) it was a shootout, it
was just awesome. It was fun to play that kind of ball."
MIKE HULSEBUS/Daily
Michigan freshman Dan Lentz finished up the game for Michigan during the Wolverines'
14-13 victory at Central Michigan.
Ping' music to Rudden s ears
YESTERDAY'S GAME
Michigan 14, Central Michigan 13
By Gabe Edelson
Daily Sports Writer
MT. PLEASANT - It came in the
top of the fourth inning yesterday.
It was a simple sound, but one that
has been hard to come by for junior
Nick Rudden. It was the powerful
ping of the aluminum bat that
screamed "base hit."
"It was a good feeling," Rudden
said. "I haven't had it for a while."
He hadn't had it since March 27,
to be exact. With just seven hits in
49 at-bats (.143) on the season, Rud-
den's performance has dropped off
significantly from his 49 hit, .318
showing from a year ago.
Rudden is listed as an infielder,
outfielder and designated hitter on
the Michigan baseball roster.
Despite starting 43 games as a
sophomore last season - 32 com-
ing at shortstop - the Englewood,
Colo., native has served as a utility
player in his 12 starts this year,
which have come at shortstop, sec-
ond base, left field and DH. But the
veteran's diminished role doesn't
bother him as long as his team con-
tinues to collect victories.
"(The change) hasn't been tough
at all," Rudden said. "Our team has
been winning quite a few games. I'd
like to be having a little more indi-
vidual success, but as long as we
keep winning, I'm going to be
happy"
Michigan coach Rich Maloney
attributes Rudden's decreased play-
ing time to an improved roster.
"The program now has more depth
than it did when (Rudden) started off
as a freshman," Maloney said. "Quite
frankly, our guys have to perform. If
there isn't production, then someone
else is going to be behind him."
Aside from receiving fewer
starts, Rudden's move to the out-
field has not been quite as smooth
as he had hoped.
"It's a totally different approach,"
Rudden said of moving away from
the diamond. "I've got a lot of work
to do. I don't play the balls off the
bat that well, yet. I just have to keep
working on it, and when I get my
chances I'll just do the best I can
out there."
In addition to his run-scoring hit off
Central Michigan starter Mike
Kirschenheiter, Rudden reached first
when he was hit by a pitch in the fifth
inning. For a player with a .184 on-
base percentage, standing on the first
bag twice - and scoring both times -
in one game is a welcome occurrence.
"It's always fun to be out there in
the action," Rudden said. "Hopefully
I can build off that. I'll just pitch in
when I get my chance."
Throughout the course of his diffi-
cult season, Rudden - with his con-
sistently positive attitude - has kept
Maloney content with his effort.
"Nick's a great kid," Maloney
said. "He's a team player, and I was
happy to see him get one to fall in
there. His approach to the game is
superb."
Rudden is willing to be flexible to
meet the demands of the squad, and
this fact is not lost on Maloney.
"He's done whatever I've asked,"
Maloney said. "I'm proud of him
for that. H e just wants to make a
contribution."
Mkhmn (12)
Player AB R H 81
Getz 2b/p 5 2 3 2
Butler rf 6 2 3 0
Bohmi1b 3 2 26
Scheidt 3b 5 1 3 3
Rademacher c 3 0 0 0
Kunkel ph/c 2 0 0 0
Roberts dh 4 2 2 0
Mahler ph/dh 2 0 1 0
Lentz p 0 0 0 0
Goldschm ss 4 2 1 0
Schmidt cf/If 5 1 1 1
Ruddenif 3 2 1 1
Rose cf 1 01 0
McCormick p 0 0 0 0
Hess p 0 00 0
Hammond p 0 0 0 0
Tognetti p 0 0 0 0
Husain p 0 00 0
Total 43242813
cenl Michtan (16-15)
Player AB R H BI
Cannon cf 5 1 0 0
Jones rf 5 5 4 1
Geldhof3b 6 4 5 3
Welsi1b 5 12 4
Mitzel dh 6 1 4 2
LaFavors If 1 0 0 0
CrumlIf 1 00 0
Griesbaum ph 1 1 1 2
Lautzenheis If1 0 0 0
Latour 2b 5 0 0 0
Campbell c 2 0 0 0
Schaller ph/c2 0 1 0
Peel ss 2 00 0
Lipski ph 1 0 0 0
Welker ss 1 0 1 0
Kirschenheit p0 0 0 0
Sutherland p 0 0 0 0
Ruhlman p 0 0 0 0
LeMieux p 0 0 0 0
Total 44 1312
LOB- Michigan 10, Central Michigan 13. E - Michigan
4 Scheidt 2 (10), Rademacher (ยง), Goldshmeding
(14. D - ich an1. 28 - Michigan 2-Gt 5
Roberts (6);Cen ralMichigan 1-.Mitzel (7etzHR-Mich
San 3 - Bohm 2 (4). Scheidt (4);' Central Milchigan (5),
oberts (6)" Central Mich i an 4- Jones (1), Geidhof
(4), Wells (s) , Griesbaum 1). HRP -Michigan 2 - Schei-
dt, Rudden;Central Michigan LaFavors Campbel. SB-
Michigan - none; Central Michigan - Geldhof 114). CS.
Michigan - none; Central Michigan - none.
Michigan
Iowa
Michigan
McCormick
Hess
Hammond
Tognetti
Husain
Getz
Lentz
Central Michigan
Kirschenheiter
Lundquist
Sutherland
Ruhlman
LeMieux
000 630 203
320 102 041
14 18 4
13 18 0
IP
2.0
3.0
2.1
0.2
0.1
0.0
0.2
3.2
0.2
2.1
1.1
1.0
H
6
2
2
0
1
0
3
2
1
4
R
5
2
5
1
0
0
0
6
3
2
0
3
ER
4
2
5
1
0
0
0
6
3
2
0
3
BB
2
2
0
1
1
0
1
3
0
1
1
1
SO
2
4
2
1
0
0
1
2
0
2
4
0
MIKEnuLSEoU/Daily
Junior Nick Rudden, who has struggled at the plate this season, had a big day
against Central Michigan. Rudden scored two runs in Michigan's 1413 win.
Umpires - HP: Mike Bess, 2B: Steve Linton
At - Theunissen Stadium
Attendance - 753 Time - 3:55
-*------
- -- - - -- ..t;B
6.
This Summer in Southfield
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