Michigan sophomore third baseman A.J. Scheidt emerged from the
dust cloud at third base showing the ball he stabbed out of the air
to keep the score tied at one in the top of the seventh inning.
“That changed the momentum of the game right there,”
senior designated hitter Brandon Roberts said. “For him to
make that play is unbelievable. It’s a big lift for the
pitchers and a big lift for the rest of the team.”
As the fans stretched and the attitude in the Michigan dugout
became electric, the clouds opened and the sun shined down on The
Fish in a 5-1 win for the Wolverines.
Roberts stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning
riding “a little adrenaline and emotion” to face
Eastern Michigan’s Will Stewardson, who was working on a
no-hitter. Roberts got all of one pitch, drilling it over the right
field fence.
“When you catch it good, you know it’s going
out,” Roberts said.
The home run marked his first long ball of the season and
Michigan’s first lead of the game, 2-1.
“After Brandon Roberts hit that bomb, that was
huge,” Michigan coach Rich Maloney said. “It seemed
like it relaxed us.”
The Wolverines collected all five of their total hits after
Scheidt’s play, putting up two runs in the seventh and two
more in the eighth.
Michigan threatened earlier in the game, putting a man into
scoring position in the third, fourth and fifth inning. The
Wolverines also got the leadoff man aboard in innings one, three
and four, but none off hits.
The Wolverines failed to capitalize until the fourth inning when
a hit batsman, walk and pop-out set the table for Roberts. He
delivered a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring junior Kyle Bohm
from third. The Wolverines notched that run, despite a zero in the
hits column.
While the Wolverines were kept from hitting, the entire lineup
was making contact, as none of the Michigan batters struck out.
“I thought we’ve been hitting pretty well, even this
weekend,” Maloney said. “(Eastern Michigan’s)
pitcher did an outstanding job, and sometimes you just have to tip
your hat to them.”
Freshman pitcher Derek Feldkamp, a part of Michigan’s
starting rotation, came in a relief role to end the eighth.
“He had to throw a bullpen (session) one day this week, so
this was just like his bullpen,” Maloney said. “We want
to win the game — I guess he was the right guy.”
Feldkamp set down all four batters he faced, earning his third
save. Despite the appearance in relief, he will get his regular
start this weekend against Iowa.
The win improves Michigan’s record to 12-11 on the season,
but was also the 298th victory of Maloney’s career. Maloney
now sports a 42-38 record for the Wolverines since coming from Ball
State.