Wisconsin TimberRattlers at Michigan BattleCats
May 27th, 2002
| Wisconsin |
|
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
8 |
3 |
| Michigan |
|
|
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
4 |
2 |
X |
|
|
14 |
18 |
0 |
E-Collins 3, LOB WIS-8, MIC-7, 2B-Conrad, Shelf, Mote, Rojas, HR-Freeman (Mansfield), Lucas (Rowland-Smith), SB-Choo, Rojas 2, CS-Mote, HBP-Lucas, SACF-Likely, SACB-Lucas, CI-Rodriguez
HB-Fruto, WP-Rowland-Smith, SO-Choo, Dobbs, Ellena, Rainey 2, Freeman, Rodriguez, Shelf 3, Checksfield, Likeley, BB-Floyd, Choo, Cadena, Collins 2, Rainey, Conrad 3, Likely
T-2:51, A-1,113
Appleton Post Crescent
The Michigan Battle Cats scored five runs in the second inning and four in the seventh to rout the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 14-3 in a Midwest League baseball game Monday at Battle Creek, Michigan.
Matt Lucas hit a two run home run and Kerry Hodges was five for five as the Battle Cats outhit the TimberRattlers 18-8. In the big second inning, Michigan scored four runs with two outs.
Todd Shelf hit a two run single and Trevor Mote added a two run double for Michigan.
Wisconsin scored in the third inning on Corey Freeman's solo home run and pulled to within 6-3 in the fifth inning on singles by Alex Cadena and Greg Dobbs.
TimberRattlers catcher Chris Collins committed all three of the game's errors.
Three pitchers from the Michigan bullpen worked four innings, holding Wisconsin to no runs and two hits. The game marked the end of the homestand for the BattleCats.
Battle Creek Enquirer
by Howie Magner
They are, most definitely, the boys of summer.
Michigan greeted the best weather of the season with it's best offensive performance of the season, warming to Memorial Day's balmy temperatures with a 14-3 scorching of Wisconsin at C.O. Brown Stadium.
More Battle Cats crossed home plate on Monday's summer like afternoon than in any other game this year. The Cats set two more season high totals with 18 hits and 13 RBIs, thanks in large part to a 5 for 5 day from Kerry Hodges.
And when it was all said and done, Cats players didn't hesitate crediting the break in Michigan's extended winter for their offensive outburst. Other than one fluke day in early April. Monday was the first time the Cats played a home game in temperatures exceeding 70 degrees.
"I was actually breaking a sweat a little bit," said California native Brooks Conrad, who was 2 for 2 with three walks and an RBI. "It's just so much nicer, man. The weather's warming up and we're warming up with it."
Nobody was hotter than Hodges, who entered the game batting .232 but exited it at .269. All five hits were singles and three of them turned into runs.
"The balls found holes," said Hodges, who caught a break on his first single when a pair of Wisconsin infielders lost hit popup in the sun, then closed the day with four solid shots to the outfield. "I wasn't trying to hit the ball hard, just put it in play. It was just one of those days."
That held true across the board. Every Michigan player had a hit except for Cameron Likely, who still contributed with a run and an RBI.
Six Cats had multiple hit days and Michigan, which improved to 28-22 had more baserunners (26) than outs (24). Randy Rojas was 3 for 5 and drove in four runs after having just 10 RBIs on the season, while Matt Lucas capped the day's scoring with his first homer of the year, a two run shot to left in the eighth inning.
The game was well out of reach by then.
Michigan scored five times in the second inning, a rally kept alive by a catcher's interference call that turned Mike Rodriguez's inning ending groundout into one of three Rattlers errors.
Todd Shelf followed with a two run single and Trevor Mote added a two run double off Wisconsin starter Ramon Royce, who took the loss and fell to 2-2.
The Cats also scored a run in the fourth, two in the fifth and four in the seventh.
Michigan starting pitcher Monte Mansfield harvested all the runs for his fourth win of the season. Mansfield now 4-2, gave up three runs on six hits and five walks in five innings of work. Relievers Mark Hamilton, Brian Rodaway and Scott Powell held Wisconsin (23-26) scoreless over the final four frames.
The Cats, who remain a half game out of first place in the Midwest League's Eastern Divison, hope Monday's sendoff carries over to a key eight game road trip against two of the top three Western Divison teams. Michigan begins a four day visit to Quad City today, then heads to Cedar Rapids for four more games.
"Hopefully when we return home," said Michigan manager John Massarelli, "We'll be in position to give ourselves a chance to win the first half title."