The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - April 17, 2006 - 5B SUICIDE SQUEEZE Baseball Friday's Game: OHIO STATE 3 LP: Dan DeLucia (5-2) MICHIGAN 14 WP: Zach Putnam (2-0) Saturday's Game 1: OHIO STATE 1 LP: Cory Luebke (4-3) MICHIGAN 7 WP: Paul Hammond (2-3) Saturday's Game 2: OHIO STATE I LP: Jake Hale (1-3) MICHIGAN 2 WP: Chris Fetter (4-1) Sunday's Game: OHIO STATE 4 LP: J. B. Shuck (5-1) MICHIGAN 5 WP: Andrew Hess (2-0) A sweep of epic proportions PLAYER OF THE WEEK Leif Mahler Michigan Mahler stroked six hits in four games, boosting his team-leading average to .365. He had the game-winning hit in Saturday's second game, dumping a single into no- man's land between the rightfielder and first baseman to drive in A. J. Scheidt from second base. NOTABLE QUOTABLE "It's nice to have a weekend where you don't have to be per- fect." - Fifth-year senior pitcher Paul Ham- mond on the Wolverines' early leads through- out the series. Hitters and pitchers combine to lead victorious Wolverines By Colt Rosensweig Daily Sports Writer Due in large part to consistent and timely hitting, Michigan completed its first sweep of Ohio State since 1987. Instead of falling behind in the first few frames and trying to mount a comeback, the Wolverines scored ° early and often. Ohio State held a lead for just half an inning over the entire weekend. Game two of Sat- urday's doubleheader epitomized Michigan's consistency under pres- sure. With two on and two out in the sec- ond inning, senior Mike Schmidt blasted a home run over the leftfield wall. The same situation presented itself in the very next inning, and freshman Adam Abraham responded the same way - with a two-out, three-run homer to left. The Wolverines were clutch in Sunday's finale, as well. When Ohio State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Michigan answered with three runs of its own, stringing together four straight base hits after the first pitch of the game plunked junior Eric Rose. "The irony is, in the Northwestern series, we couldn't buy a hit," Michigan coach Rich Maloney said. "(Against) Toledo, we had 19 hits, but we left 14 runners on. We really hit the ball well in this series, and I'm proud of the guys. I'm excited about our lineup. I think we have power through- out the lineup, and it's starting to show a little bit. ... If the pitching continues to move forward like it is, if we play good defenseLand we do get- the timely hit, then BUCKEYES Continued from page 1B The Wolverines held a comfortable 5-2 lead outs in the top of the ninth. The win seemed teml we'll be a tough team to beat." The sweep left the Wolverines with a confident, triumphant glow. They didn't just beat a top Big Ten team; they also van- quished their fiercest rival. "You never want to lose to Ohio State, and that's why three-of-four (from) Ohio State wouldn't have been (satisfactory), because we would have had to lose one," senior co-captain A. J. Scheidt said. "Pull- ing off four games is just incredible. It wasn't something I could have predicted or expected, but now that it's happened I'm going to enjoy it." THROWING GOOSE EGGS: Before allowing a run in the sixth inning of Saturday's first game, fifth-year senior Paul Hammond had pitched 19 consecutive scoreless innings, a streak that extended back to Michigan's first Big Ten series, against Northwest- ern. Hammond immediately began a new streak after giving up the run, pitching a scoreless seventh inning to close out his complete game, 7-1 win. "Hammond gave us a tremendous lift," Maloney said. "I'm really happy for him, because he's from Ohio, and he wanted that game in the worst way. I'm just real- ly proud of him. We needed a champion effort, and he gave it to us." The Mason, Ohio, native had just one of the many brilliant showings from Wolver- ine pitchers in the series. Against an Ohio State team that came into the weekend leading the Big Ten in hitting, Hammond and his fellow hurlers allowed just nine runs over four games. "(Throwing a string of scoreless innings) is something that you work hard to do, but you don't expect," Hammond said. "You just go out in =every inning and try to set .5 Home runs Mike Schmidt 7 BY THE NUMBERS Number of innings this weekend in which Ohio State had a lead over Michigan. Runs Doug Pickens 26 Hits Leif Mahler 38 RBI Eric Rose 26 Average Mahler .365 BIG TEN STANDINGS Team Big Ten Overall 1. Northwestern 9-3 12-19 2. Michigan 8-4 20-12 3. Purdue 7-5 20-11 4. Ohio State 6-6 20-11 Minnesota 6-6 18-14 Michigan State 6-6 17-15 7. Iowa 5-7 15-17 Penn State 5-7 11-23 9. Illinois 4-8 16-16 'M' STAT LEADERS Mike Schmidt had six hits in the Ohio State series, including two home runs. 10. Indiana 4-8 12-20 them down as best you can. Looking back, it's awesome." TAKE ME OUT WITH THE CROWD: Michigan had an extra man this weekend in the form of the 3,878 fans that flocked to the Fish for the Ohio State series. Friday and Saturday, the crowds were especially noisy and sup- portive, giving the team an extra boost. with two porarily in jeopardy after leftfielder Mike Schmidt dropped a flyout to let in a run. Ohio State shortstop Jedediah Stephen drove in another runner to cut the deficit to 5-4. But with the tying run on first, Jenzen shut the door on a Buckeye rally, forc- ing designated hitter Adam Schneider to line out to center- fielder Eric Rose. The last out of the game marked Jenzen's first career save, the first Michigan sweep of a Big Ten team since it performed the feat against Indiana last year, and the Wolverines' first sweep against Ohio State since 1987. "That was pressure right there," Maloney said. "When you drop a ball in leftfield, and you thought the game was over and you were all relieved, and, then, all of the sudden, you have to still contend. Then, you throw a great pitch, and the guy bloops one out to center, that is getting tight. But (Jenzen) found a way to get it done, and that is awesome." Michigan's first game of the series wasn't nearly as difficult as the last one. The Maize and Blue pummeled the Buckeyes 14-3, with eight Wolverines recording at least two hits, and freshman pitcher Zach Putnam win- ning his first career Big Ten start. The Ann Arbor native allowed just one run over 7 1/3 innings, for the second win of his career. The precedent set in Friday's night game was evident in the first half of Saturday's doubleheader. Michigan again dominated Ohio State, winning convincingly, 7-1, behind five scoreless innings from senior Paul Hammond, and three RBI and a home run each from Schmidt and fresh- man Adam Abraham. The back end of the doubleheader was as dramatic as baseball gets. With the game deadlocked at one run apiece in extra innings, Columbus native Leif Mahler hit a bloop single over first baseman J.B. Shuck and in front of rightfielder Wes Schirtzinger to drive in senior A. J. Scheidt for the walk-off win. The dramatic victory was exciting, but the sweep was exhilarating. "This was a huge series for us, especially taking three of four from Minnesota and then taking all four here," sopho- more Doug Pickens said. "That is huge. That puts us in a really good spot going into the rest of the Big Ten, and it is always good to beat the Bucks." LEADS Continued from page: tremendously. When sitting on the bench scoreboard says 0-0 in (inning), you can't help that the pressure is on.I have a weekend where have to be perfect." In all four series g team scored within two innings. Onlyc Ohio State score b Wolverines. Even the gan stormed back in tom half of the sam erasing the Buckeye1 three runs of its own. "We've been behi all year long untili Maloney said. "Witht percentages, you kne or later we were goi Even on a chilly and overcast Easter Sunday, almost 600 spectators came out to watch the Wolverines complete their sweep of the Buckeyes. "(The atmosphere) was outstanding," Maloney said. "It means a lot to our team that we have a nice crowd, and certainly a boisterous crowd, so that's exciting."3 some hits. I think this team can hit. I've said it all along. 1B Hitting can be contagious. It you are can be contagious in a nega- and the tive way if you're not hitting, n the fifth and you hope that you're able but know to survive those times. Then It's nice to there are times when it's con- you don't tagious and everyone is on fire. We've got a little bit of that fire ames, the right now." the first The Wolverines will look for once did the fire to continue burning in the efore the team's upcoming series against n, Michi- Purdue. the bot- "Coming out with a sweep e inning, against Ohio State is awesome," lead with sophomore Nate Recknagel said. "We're riding high going into ind early this Purdue series, playing great recently," ball. We're swinging the bats the law of well, and our pitchers are throw- :w sooner ing well, so we'll be very confi- ng to get dent going in." SUNDAY'S GAME Ohio State 4, Michigan 5 Ohio State (20-11, 6-6) Michigan (20-12, 8-4) Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI Angle CF 2 2 1 1 RoseCF 3 1 1 2 AROUND THE- BIG TEN Friday's results: MICHIGAN 14, Ohio State 3 Northwestern 19, ILLINOIS 18 INDIANA 8, Purdue 4 Minnesota 9, IOwA 0 PENN STATE 10, Michigan State 9 (10) Saturday's results: MICHIGAN 7, 2 Ohio State 1, 1 (8) Northwestern 7, 7 ILLINOIS 3, 6 (12) INDIANA 3, 2 Purdue 2, 5 Minnesota 5, 1 IOwA 2, 3 Michigan State 9, 6 PENN STATE 5 (8), 4 (9) Sunday's results: MICHIGAN 5, Ohio State 4 ILLINOIS 3, Northwestern 1 (7) Purdue 25, INDIANA 8 Minnesota 12, IOwA 1 PENN STATE 12, Michigan State 11 * Home teams in caps DIAMOND GRADES The four Daily baseball writers will grade the team on four different aspects of the game each weekend. Sure, baseballs may be simple, but we're classic. SATURDAY'S GAME 2 Ohio State 1, Michigan 2 (8) Ohio State (20-10, 6-5) Player AS R H B Angle CF 4 0 2 0 Zizzo LF 4 0 1 0 Michigan (19-12, 7-4) Player AB R H BI Rose CF 2 1 0 0 Colt Rosensweig Mahler SS 4 0 1 1 Zizzo LF 5 0 2 0 Mahler SS 3 1 2 0 Fryer C 2 0 1 0 Kunkel C Bourquin 3B 3 Stephen SS 3 Cau'baugh DH 4 Schirtzinger RF3 Kennedy 18 3 Shuck 2B 3 Hale P 0 Totals 29 0 0 0 0 00 10 00 10 Pickens 2B/RF Recknagel lB Cislo 2B V'Buskirk RF/1B 2 0 1 0 Fryer C 5 0 2 1 Pickens 2B/RF 4 1 1 0 1 1 Bourquin 3B 5 1 1 0 Recknagel 1B 4 0 2 0 0 0 Stephen SS 5 0 2 1 Cislo PR/2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 Schneider DH 5 1 1 0 V'Buskirk RF/IB4 0 3 0 1 0 Schirtzinger RF4 0 0 0 Abraham DH 4 0 3 0 0 0 Miller1B 4 0 1 0 Kunkel C 4 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 Abraham DH DEFENSE The Wolverines made five errors in the series, but allowed just one unearned run. And Michigan never let the miscues derail its ambitions for a sweep. PITCHING Pitchers brought their best stuff for the Buckeyes. Starters gave up only four runs, and relievers allowed only five. Even when the offense mustered just two runs, the pitching only gave up one. OFFENSE Offense was easy and often, timely and clutch. Twenty-one runs in the first two games, a walk-off single in the third game and five more runs in the last game against the top team in the Big Ten deserves five baseballs. 0 0 0 Scheidt 3B 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Schmidt LF 2 0 2 0 FetterP 0 0 0 0 Murray P 0 0 0 0 1 7 1 222 7 2 R H E 001 000 00 - 1 7 0 100 000 01 - 2 7 2 Kennedy 2B 4 0 3 0 Scheidt 3B 3 1 0 0 Shuck P 0 0 0 0 Schmidt LF 4 1 1 0 Barker P 0 0 0 0 HessP 0 0 0 0 Meister P 0 0 0 0 Jenzen P 0 0 0 0 Totals 39 4133 33 5114 R H E Chris Herring Ohio State Michigan Ohio State Michigan 100 100 002 - 4 13 1 300 000 02X - 5 11 1 E - Ohio State 0; Michigan 2: Mahler (9), Schmidt (1) . DP - Ohio State 2; Michigan 2. LOB - Ohio State 8; Michigan 5. HBP - Ohio State 1: Fryer; Michigan 1: Pickens. 2B - None. 3B - None. HR - None. BB - Ohio State 2: Fryer, Stephen; Michigan 4: Rose 2, Kunkel, Recknagel. SB - Ohio State 0; Michigan 1: Rose (15). CS - Michigan: Schmidt (2). E - Ohio State 1: Schirtzinger (2); Michigan 1: Schmidt (2) . DP - None. LOB - Ohio State 11; Michigan 12. 2B - Ohio State 2: Fryer (6), Kennedy (3); Michigan 2: VanBuskirk (6), Schmidt (3). 3B- None. HR - None. BB - Ohio State 2: Angle 2; Michigan 6: Rose, Mahler, Pickens, Cislo, Van Buskirk, Scheidt. SB - Ohio State 0; Michigan 2: Rose (16), Pickens (5). CS - Michigan: VanBuskirk (2). David Murray