Fort Wayne Wizards at Michigan Battle Cats
April 12th, 2002
| Fort Wayne |
|
|
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
11 |
17 |
2 |
| Michigan |
|
|
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
8 |
10 |
2 |
E-Aquino 2, Conrad, Lentini, LOB FW-12, MIC-5, 2B-McCool, Hellman, Shelf, Lucas, 3B-McCool, Trzesniak, Hellman, Conrad, SB-Benick, Stockton, Aquino, Rojas, Lentini, Hodges
WP-Percosky, Mansfield, SO-Hastings 2, Trzesniak 2, Stockton, Puccinelli 2, Rodriguez, Conrad, Rojas, Lentini, Shelf 2, Checksfield, Hodges 2, BB-Benick 2, Hastings, Hellman, Puccinelli, Aquino, Lentini, Stegall
T-2:53, A-614
Battle Creek Enquirer
by Howie Magner
Maybe Michigan pitcher Monte Mansfield used up all his luck the previous day.
The winner of the daily 50-50 drawing at C.O. Brown Stadium Thursday, Mansfield was looking for a win on the mound Friday. But Mansfield, a victim of four unearned runs in the first inning, ended up on the wrong side of Michigan's 11-8 loss to visiting Fort Wayne Friday.
For division leading Fort Wayne (7-2), it was a case of turnabout is fair play. One day after Michigan scored seven first inning runs and snapped Fort Wayne's six game winning streak, the Wizards used a big first inning to end a string of six consecutive Michigan victories and get starting pitcher Mark Percosky (1-0) a win.
Things went wrong for Michigan (6-3) right from the start, as second baseman Brooks Conrad booted a grounder that let leadoff batter Lee McCool reach first base.
"You can't win and play bad defense", said Michigan manager John Masarelli, whose team, after two errors Friday night, is averaging more than 1.5 miscues per game. "They are not synonymous"
Mansfield went on to load the bases with a pair of one out walks, but had a chance to escape the frame unscathed after a strikeout. Rich Stockton's swinging bunt, however turned into a run scoring infield hit, then Matt Hellman started his bid to hit for the cycle with a bloop three run triple down the right field line.
Mansfield gave up two more runs in the second inning and was responsible for one more in the third. Mansfield left with nobody out in the third, having allowed six hits and four walks that turned into seven runs, three of which were earned.
"I'm a real emotional guy," said Mansfield, who fell to 1-1 after allowing just a pair of runs in his other start of the season. "My first outing, I threw well and felt I had to come back and back that up with an amazing outing. I just tried too hard."
Michigan tried hard to come back, scoring four runs in both the third and sixth innings. Conrad sparked the third inning rally with a two run triple, while the Cats got run scoring singles from Mike Rodriguez and Randy Rojas in the sixth.
But the Wizards scored at least one run in six of the first seven frames, and even after Michigan's four run sixth, they still held a 10-8 lead.
Hellman swung Fort Wayne's biggest stick, complimenting his first inning triple with a third inning single and a sixth inning double. Informed by his manager that he needed a home in his final at bat for the cycle, Hellman grounded out to second in the eighth inning.