June 4, 2005
ATLANTA – Kyle Bohm went 3-for-3, with one RBI and two intentional walks, and left-handed pitcher Paul Hammond (4-3) worked 3 2/3 strong innings of relief, to lead third-seeded Michigan (42-18) over fourth-seeded Furman (30-29), 6-3, in the NCAA Atlanta Regional at Russ Chandler Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Wolverines eliminate the Paladins from the NCAA Tournament. Right-handed closer Derek Feldkamp came in to shut down a Furman comeback in the ninth inning, earning his sixth save of the season. U of M’s Brad Roblin finished 1-for-3, with two runs batted in, and Leif Mahler went 2-for-3, to pace the Wolverines offensively.
Nine different Furman hitters had base hits for the Paladins, while A.J. Davidiuk went 2-for-3. Right-handed pitcher Ben Hunter (6-4) took the loss for Furman on the hill, throwing three innings in relief, allowing five hits, four earned runs and struck out two.
Michigan’s right-handed starter Michael Penn threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, two runs, one earned run and struck out two, and Furman’s right-handed starter Matt Klinkler tossed 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, two runs, no earned runs and fanned two, both earning no decisions for their respective clubs.
The Paladins jumped out in front early with an unearned run in the first and third innings. Andrew Greene scored on a wild pitch in the first and Case Cassedy drove in Nick Wajda in the third inning with two outs to give Furman a 2-0 lead.
The Wolverines responded with two unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning, highlighted by a sacrifice fly by Roblin and a two-out RBI single up the middle by Bohm to tie the score at 2-2.
U of M threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning with the bases loaded and one out, but Furman’s Klinkler pitched his way out of the jam with a foul out to second base and a fly out to center field.
The Paladins loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fifth inning and the Wolverines removed starting pitcher Michael Penn with a 1-2 count on Cassedy in favor of the U of M’s Hammond. Hammond tallied a big strikeout for the Wolverines and induced a fly out to shallow centerfield to keep the scored tied at 2-2.
Matthrew Betsill led off the top of the sixth inning with a double down the left field line for the Paladins and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt. Joe Daysh made the bunt pay off with an RBI single up the middle to give Furman its second lead of the game, 3-2.
The Wolverines took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runs, courtesy of RBIs by Chris Getz and Roblin to push U of M ahead, 4-3.
Michigan’s advantage went out to three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning as Jeff Kunkel drove in Getz and Matt Butler pulled of a successful suicide squeeze to plate Bohm to give the Wolverines a 6-3 lead heading into the ninth inning.
After consecutive singles by the Paladins’ Spence Gibbs and Wajda, Michigan removed Hammond from the game and Feldkamp entered to try and stop the Furman rally. The Wolverines’ hurler did just that, with a strikeout and two fly outs to right field to eliminate Furman from the Regional with a 6-3 loss.
The Wolverines will face the loser of top-seeded Georgia Tech and No. 2 seed South Carolina on Sunday at Noon. The winner of that game will advance to the championship game at 4 p.m. against the winner of GT and USC.
LINE SCORE R-H-EFURMAN 1-0-1-0-0-1-0-0-0 3-10-2MICH 0-0-2-0-0-2-0-2-X 6-9-2
