May 30, 1999
Box Score | Quotes
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Top-seeded Cal State Fullerton spotted
Michigan an early three-run lead, then roared back late to defeat the
Wolverines 9-4 and win the South Bend Regional title in the NCAA
Division I Baseball Championship.
Fullerton never led until the sixth inning when designated
hitter Aaron Rifkin's one-out, two-run home run nudged the Titans on top
5-4. The winners iced it in the seventh with three more runs, one
scoring on a wild pitch and two on an error by Michigan shortstop Scott
Tousa.
Rifkin and shortstop Shawn Norris each had two hits for the
Titans, who also defeated Michigan in an opening-round game Friday. Ryan
Owens hit his 20th home run for Fullerton in the second inning with a
man on.
The Titans added single tallies in the third, when Reed Johnson
eventually scored after reaching on another Tousa error, and also in the
eighth on a Johnson sacrifice fly.
Michigan struck quickly, putting three runs on the board in the
first inning. Mike Cervenak singled in two runs for the Wolverines and
Mike Seestedt's single knocked in a third. Despite three more hits than
the Titans, Michigan managed only one more run the rest of the way, that
coming on a solo, two-out home run by Rob Bobeda in the fifth. Brian
Bush, Cervenak and Bryan Besco had two hits each for the losers.
Senior Marco Hanlon pitched the first six innings for Fullerton
for the win, and reliever Kirk Saarloos' three-inning, two-hit
appearance earned him a save. The loss went to Michigan reliever Bobby
Korecky, who came in with none out in the sixth, gave up the home run to
Rifkin and left after giving up two singles to start the seventh.
The most outstanding player award for the regional went to
Fullerton pitcher Adam Johnson who threw a complete-game victory
Saturday in the Titans' winners' bracket victory over Notre Dame.
Fullerton (47-11) advances to play Columbus (Ohio) Regional
winner Ohio State in a best-of-three-games super regional that begins
Friday. The site for that series will be announced Monday.
Michigan finishes its season at 34-30.
MICHIGAN 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 -- 4 12 4
FULLERTON 0 2 1 0 0 2 3 1 X -- 9 9 0
Bryan Cranson, Bobby Korecky (6), Luke Bonner (7) and David Parrish.
Marco Hanlon, Kirk Saarloos (7) and Craig Patterson.
W-Hanlon (6-1).
L-Korecky (1-5).
HRs-UM: Rob Bobeda (5);
CSF: Ryan Owens (20), Aaron
Rifkin (4).
