Bucks bounce 'M' into last place

COLUMBUS - As the curtains closed on this weekend's series with Ohio State, the Michigan baseball team found itself in a very unfamiliar place. Last.

After losing three of four games to the Buckeyes at Bill Davis Stadium, last year's regular season Big Ten champions now sit in the conference cellar, looking in from the outside on the race for the Big Ten title.

Michigan (2-6 Big Ten, 10-15 overall) and Ohio State (5-3, 17-8) were the top two teams in the conference last year, but have gone different ways since their Big Ten season started. Still, the two teams added another chapter to their heated rivalry with this weekend's battles.

Michigan posted its only victory of the weekend in a 12-8 slugfest in yesterday's season finale. Derek and Bryan Besco, mired in a combined 1-for-39 slump going into yesterday's game, each belted three-run homers as the Wolverines exploded for nine runs in the fifth and sixth inning off Ohio State starter Andy Lee.

Michigan sophomore Bryan Cranson (2-3) earned the victory, striking out six while going 6 1/3 innings.

FILE PHOTO Rightfielder Derek Besco had been slumping of late, but he went two-for-four with four RBIs in Michigan's 12-8 victory over Ohio State yesterday. It was the Wolverines' only win in their four-game series with the Buckeyes.

"It just goes to show you, when the Bescos are playing well, we play well," Michigan coach Geoff Zahn said.

Derek went 2-for-4 with four RBI, and Bryan went 2-for-3 with three RBI.

Yesterday's victory served as some consolation for the first three games of the series, which the Wolverines lost by a combined total of three runs.

The nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader, a hard-fought battle that came down to the last inning, typified the intensity of the weekend's games.

Michigan junior J.J. Putz, making his first start since suffering a knee injury earlier in the spring, started the game on the mound for the Wolverines. Putz, after allowing a run in the first, settled down to pitch 3 1/3 innings before he was relieved by senior Brian Steinbach.

Putz's opponent on the mound, Ohio State junior Kurt Fullenkamp, turned in an equally solid performance, holding the Wolverines hitless through four innings.

Michigan finally got to Fullenkamp for a run in the top half of the fifth. After centerfielder Rob Bobeda tripled, first baseman Bryan Besco flied out to deep center field, scoring Bobeda and knotting the score at one.

With the score still tied in the seventh inning, Michigan mounted another rally. After Ohio State pitcher Mike Stafford walked Besco, catcher Mick Kalahar reached base on a third-strike wild pitch. Pinch hitter David Parrish walked to load the bases, and the stage was set for freshman second baseman Scott Tousa.

Tousa, who had been on fire at the plate coming into the weekend, had yet to hit safely against the Buckeyes. Stafford got two quick strikes against him, and the crowd rose, urging the Buckeyes to squash the Michigan rally.

But Tousa battled, fouling off pitches and waiting for the one he wanted. And when it came, the freshman jumped all over it, belting a single into right field and scoring Besco.

"In my first couple of swings, I wasn't very close," Tousa said. "I was just trying to make contact at the end."

Ohio State's chances to erase Michigan's one-run lead in the final inning looked slim initially, as the first two Buckeye batters made quick outs.

Then, with two strikes on Ohio State's Mike Kremblas, the Wolverines started to fall apart. Steinbach hit Kremblas with the next pitch, then allowed a single and a walk, loading the bases.

Tyler Steketee replaced Steinbach, and the crowd once again got on their feet. Steketee, the team leader in saves last year, struggled with his control, walking second baseman Chad Ehrnsberger and tying the game at two.

In the next at-bat, catcher Tom Durant drove a Steketee delivery into left field, scoring the game-winning run for the Buckeyes, who mobbed Durant as he reached first base. Steinbach was charged with the loss, dropping his record to 1-5 on the season.

"We gave them runs, and you can't do that with good teams," Kalahar said. "Everybody has lapses in concentration, and you can get away with that against weaker teams. But not against a team like Ohio State."

While Michigan's pitchers were impressive this weekend, control was also a problem in their first game.

Starter Brian Berryman (2-2) was brilliant, allowing just three hits in a six-inning, complete game performance. But Berryman had trouble finding the strike zone in the second, walking four straight batters to force in the Buckeyes' first run. An error by third baseman Mike Cervenak allowed a second run to score, and Berryman held Ohio State scoreless for the rest of the game.

Michigan was also shut down, as Ohio State starter Eric Thompson (4-1) allowed just one run on two hits. The Buckeyes eventually prevailed, 2-1, in a game that featured just five total hits from both teams.

"Berryman is pitching pretty well for us this year, so walking those guys is uncharacteristic of him," Zahn said. "You can't give guys free passes, especially in tight ball games when you know there aren't going to be a lot of hits."

Michigan dropped the first-ever night game at Davis Stadium on Friday, 6-4, in the series opener. Justin Fry, last year's Big Ten pitcher of the year, tossed a complete game for the Buckeyes, striking out 10 while raising his record to 4-1 on the season.

"These are tough losses for us, but we have to keep fighting," Zahn said. "The kids are battling, and you can't ask any more that that.

"We're hustling and we're playing pretty well, but Ohio State got a couple breaks."

04-06-98