June 1, 2007
Game 1 Notes
•Memphis is 1-1 against Big Ten teams this season having defeated Indiana 5-3 on March 3
•Memphis is 2-3 all-time in the first round of a regional
•Memphis DH Joseph Lieberman hit his 14th home run of the season and now has 17 multiple RBI games
•Liberman’s home run was his 27th of his career and tied him for fifth in school history with Chris Marable and Tim Dulin
•Memphis 1B Adam Amar recorded his second multi-homerun game of the season, and now has eight for the year
•Memphis 1B Adam Amar now has 27 multiple hit games and 12 multiple RBI games on the season
•Memphis SS Michael Murray extended his hit streak to 21 games
•Memphis SS Michael Murray had his 25th multiple hit game of the season
•Michigan CF Eric Rose stole his 90th career base and thus further extended the school’s individual career stolen base record
•Michigan has now won 40 games or more in 3 consecutive seasons
Michigan made its 20th regional appearance
•Michigan improved its regional record to 46-26
•Michigan’s last opening round win in a regional was in 1989 against Pepperdine (4-3)
•Michigan CF Eric Rose stole his 34th base of the season and is second in the big ten in stolen bases
•Michigan LF Derek VanBuskirk extended his caree-best hitting streak to 15 games
•Michigan 1B Nate Recknagel now has 25 multiple hit games and 17 multiple RBI games on the on the season
•Michigan 1B Nate Recknagle hit his 11th homerun of the season and is in 2nd in the Big Ten behind Illinois catcher Lars Davis (13)
•Michigan P Zach Putnman now has 24 multiple hit games on the season
•Michigan P Zach Putnam leads the Big Ten in RBI with 59
•Michigan P Zach Putnnam is second in the BIg Ten in strikeouts with 79
•Michigan C Doug Pickenns now has 22 multiple hit games and 11 multiple RBI games on the season
•Michigan has had double-digit hit totals 40 times in 56 games this season with 33 in the last 42 games.
•Michigan scored in double digits for the 20th time this season.
•Michigan has won 34 of 44 games since going 6-6 in the first 12 games
•Michigan is 6-2 in games played at neutral sites
•Michigan is 15-12 in games in which the opponent scores first.
Game 1 Quotes
Memphis Head Coach Daron Shoenrock
Opening statement
It was two pretty good offensive clubs going at it. If you look at the numbers going in, very similar up and down the lineup and we felt like there were going to be some runs scored and they got the big hits today.
On performance from starting pitcher Scott McGregor
Scotty’s been up and down a little bit this year. I thought the difference in the game was the three-run inning. I’d like to have about four pitches back from that inning. There was a play that I thought we could make and didn’t make and we walk a guy on four pitches and then put them in a bunt situation and now you’re behind the eight ball. If we don’t walk that second guy, it’s a different inning.
On the difference in the game
But, what I like about our guys is that they did battle back. We talked a lot this year about “answer-back” innings and really what the story was today was we didn’t get enough “hold” innings. They answered when we scored and that just gives the momentum right back to their dugout.
On the team’s mindset
I like the mindset of this club. It’s a veteran team. We know our strength is our offense right now and that’s really a pretty typical game. More times than not, we’ve won those types of games this year…Just not enough bullets to fire in the bullpen. I thought we were drained Dusty, one of our top relievers. He got into the mid-40s in the pitch count and at that point, we were thinking about getting him out and getting him back for Sunday. If Scotty can get through that third inning unscathed, I think it’s the difference in the game.
On Michigan’s offense
You’ve got to credit Michigan’s offense. They’re a very potent offensive team one through nine.
Memphis first baseman Adam Amar
We just played hard all nine innings and it just didn’t go our way today.
On his performance at the plate
I just didn’t try to do too much…nothing changed from the conference tournament or the season. Just tried to get ready early and see it and good things happened for me.
On his at-bat in the ninth inning
In the ninth inning, I was standing in the dugout and I knew I was going to get up. I had a feeling that our offense was good enough to where I would get the chance to be the tying run in the ninth inning. It was a 2-0 slider and I saw it good and I guess I didn’t get under it enough. I hit it hard. He was just in the right spot and I’m disappointed we lost but we played hard.
Memphis left fielder Tyler Huelsing
“We made some big plays. We just kind of fell short.”
Michigan Head Rich Maloney
Opening Statement….
“It was a battle. I was real proud of the way our kids competed. We had some good energy I thought and we hit the baseball real well, and then Zach (Putnam) gave us a big lift by giving us eight innings. I felt like Memphis really had a couple of those hitters that are very strong. Adam Amar had a fabulous game, really had us nervous in the dugout to get that last out because he was definitely in the zone. I tip my hat off to Memphis for never giving in but our kids found a way to get the win.”
On Winning with Zach Putnam giving up 7 runs…
“I would never have expected it, quite honestly Zach is our ace, he’s a great pitcher, but I felt like if you give up 7 runs a lot of times you won’t win but conditions early in the game it seemed like there would be some runs scored. We feel like our offense is a really strong offense and it just hasn’t been clicking on all cylinders for really about three weeks. We’ve had a few moments but we hadn’t been knocking in runs. Early on when we got that three-spot it gave us all a little bit of relief and we felt that we were going to score some runs. Zach was a warrior today in that even though he may not have had his absolute best stuff and he did give up some runs he gave us what we needed to win and we didn’t have to use a lot of pitching, and that was huge to have a chance in this tournament.”
Zach Putnam
“I think the biggest difference today was our energy. That’s the best hitting college baseball team I’ve ever seen. I think was made the difference was our guys were up in the dugout making noise and getting into the game.”
Nate Recknagel
“Today was a lot different that what we’ve been playing in the past. We hit runners in today when we had guys on base and in the past couple weeks we’ve been leaving guys on base and that was the difference today.”
Eric Rose
“I just feel a sense of relief. Winning the first game in the tournament was huge for us. The last two years we lost the first game and it’s nice to be in the win column and not have to work your way back through doubleheaders, especially in this heat.”
