Box Score
ANN ARBOR, Mich.- No. 22 Michigan scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to break a 4-4 tie and slipped by Western Michigan, 7-4, Tuesday night at Ray Fisher Stadium. Joe Sheets led the Broncos with three of the team's 11 hits.
Michigan (31-10) struck first in a back-and-forth battle, as Nate Recknagel hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. WMU (21-16-1) responded in the top of the third when Pedro Dager scored on a Zach Gentile RBI-single to right field, but failed to capitalize further after loading the bases with two outs.
The Wolverines regained the lead in the bottom of the third, plating two runs (one earned) off WMU starter Brian Shutzbach on a pair of doubles, an error and a single. Tim Mowry replaced Shutzbach on the mound with one out and was able to get the Broncos out of the inning with a popout and strikeout.
Trailing 3-1, WMU fought back and tied the score in the top of the fourth, making use of two Wolverine errors. Joe Sheets singled and made his way over to second on a throwing error by the third baseman. Kyle Galbraith drove in Sheets with a single up the middle and moved into scoring position after a groundout by Derek Mosher. A deep fly ball off Dager's bat was bobbled and dropped by U-M's center fielder, allowing Galbraith to wheel home from second, scoring WMU's second run of the inning, unearned.
Recknagel gave Michigan the lead back in the Wolverines' ensuing at bat, slugging an two-out RBI double to left field.
Gentile came through with an RBI-single answer for Western Michigan in the top of the sixth, knotting the score at 4-4. The Broncos manufactured the tying run out of a Derek Mosher base hit, a Dager sacrifice bunt and Gentile's knock through the right side. With Gentile still on the base paths, Grant Simotes singled and Chris Lewis drew a walk as the Broncos unfortunately once again left the bags full.
Drew Mahan took the mound out of the bullpen in the seventh, replacing Mowry who struck out a career-high five batters and allowed just one run on one hit in just 3.2 innings of work. Mahan had trouble finding his control, walking the first batter and plunking the next two as Michigan loaded the bases with no outs. Mahan settled down and recorded a strikeout, but then gave up the winning run on a Kevin Cislo RBI fielder's choice. Chris Berset knocked an RBI single before the inning was over to put Michigan up by two, 6-4.
The Wolverines extended the advantage to 7-4 in the eighth when Jason Christian hit a leadoff triple off reliever Derek Mosher and scored on a sacrifice flyout. Western Michigan put a runner on base in both the eighth and ninth, but its offense fizzled, falling by the three-run final.
Sheets batted 3-for-4, while Gentile and Kyle Galbraith each had two hits apiece. WMU stranded 13 total base runners on the day.
Mahan (0-2) was handed his second loss of the season, while U-M's Eric Katzman (1-0) earned the win, throwing two innings of one-hit scoreless relief.
Western Michigan hosts Toledo this weekend in Mid-American Conference action. The first game of the three-game series starts Friday, at 3 p.m. at Hyames Field.
