ATHENS, Ohio ? Michigan starting pitcher Joe Brauer held the Bobcats hitless for 6 2/3 innings as the Wolverines registered a 5-0 victory in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Bob Wren Stadium. The second game of the twin bill was suspended in the sixth inning due to rain and will resume at noon on Sunday.

Brauer (3-0) went eight innings and gave up three hits, struck out nine, and allowed just five Ohio batters to reach base. Dusty Hammond's (Bellefontaine, Ohio) single to left center with two outs in the bottom of the sixth broke up Brauer?s no-hit bid.

Ohio starter Derek Witt (Powell, Ohio) held the Wolverine offense in check for the first four innings as he scattered four hits and two runs. Trouble came in the fifth for Witt (1-1), however, as Michigan sent nine batters to the plate and scored three times on four hits with a Bobcat error mixed in.

The Bobcats? (3-7) best scoring threat came in the seventh as Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio) reached on a Michigan (9-3) error to start the frame. Ben Crabtree (Roxbury, Conn.) followed with a single to right field to give Ohio two runners on with no outs. Willie Walker (Marysville, Ohio) subsequently struck out and Jared Willis (Logan W.Va.) line out. Matt Stiffler (Bellbrook, Ohio) drew a walk to load the bases, but pinch hitter Jon Vondrell (Centerville, Ohio) struck out swinging to end the inning.

Crabtree led off the ninth with his second single of the day to get things going in the Bobcats? last at-bat. After pinch hitter Brian White (Frankfort, Ohio) flied out to right field, Willis was hit by a pitch to give Ohio two runners with one out. Batting for Stiffler, Ryan Planck (Canton, Ohio) hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and the contest in favor of the visiting Wolverines.

Crabtree finished 2-for-4 and Hammond 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Bobcats. Luke Howard (Lebanon, Ohio) pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief of Witt and didn?t allow a run on four hits with three strikeouts.

Michigan?s A.J. Scheidt reached base all five times he stepped to the plate, going 3-for-3 with two walks and a pair of RBIs. The Wolverines had three other players finish with multiple-hit games as well.

Game Two ? Suspended Until Sunday
The conclusion of the second game of today?s scheduled doubleheader has been suspended until Sunday. The Wolverines currently hold a 6-3 edge in the top of the sixth inning.

After Bobcat starter Rob Harmon (Villa Hills, Ky.) got out of the first without any damage, Michigan plated two in the bottom of the second to take the early advantage. Two-straight singles to start the inning set up Leif Mahler for a two RBI double to the warning track to get Michigan on the board.

The Wolverines were back at it again in the third with two more runs to chase Harmon. On in relief, Dan O?Rourke (Monongahela, Pa.) got a groundout to strand two Michigan runners.

Michigan stretched the lead to 6-0 with a two RBI double off the wall in left center by Scheidt in the top of the fourth before Ohio was able to get their first runs of the day.

With rain falling, Walker singled to start the Ohio fifth and Bryant Witt (Powell, Ohio) reached on a fielding error that saw Walker advance to third. After a Hammond pop-up, Walker scored on a fielder?s choice with Sabatini reaching first. Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio) then followed with a two-run home run over the left field wall to cut Michigan?s lead in half at 6-3.

As the rain picked up in the top of the sixth, the players were called off the field and the tarp was pulled with Michigan?s Matt Butler on at first and no outs.

The game will resume at that point at noon on Sunday. The series finale will then get underway approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the suspended game.