Big Ten - Michigan Pitching Change

By Courtney Ratkowiak - May 24, 2007

Top 8th - With two outs and a runner on first, Putnam gave up a single to Howell that put runners on first and second. The hit finally caused Maloney to replace Putnam after four runs and ten hits allowed. Ben Jenzen, sporting a newly shaved head, is now pitching for the Wolverines. He's been very unpredictable this season and is either very outstanding or not good - not usually in the middle. He can get the Wolverines out of a jam, like he just did to get the third out here in the eighth (on a long fly to left field) or he can cause it - like in his last outing, against Iowa in last Saturday's second game, where he gave up four runs in an inning where he hit the batter (twice) with the bases loaded. We'll see which night it will be for him tonight - but it might be too late for him to save the game.

The score is still Ohio State 4, Michigan 1. Michigan is in the bottom of the eighth, one out, with five outs left to score at least three runs. The hitting is almost equal - 10-9, Ohio State - but Michigan's lopsided 9-1 hits-to-runs ratio and its inability to capitalize when runners are in scoring position has been the difference in tonight's game.

Scratch that - Michigan now has only one more inning to make a game out of this. The Wolverines just went 1-2-3 to make it the top of the ninth.