ATHENS, Ohio ? The No. 23 Michigan Wolverines proved their national standing this weekend as they became the first team to sweep Ohio in its home-opening series since 1987 with two victories on Sunday by finals of 10-4 and 8-2.

Chiefly among a number of factors that separated the two squads this weekend was the pitching of Michigan (11-3). The Wolverines staff limited Ohio (3-9) to a .192 average at the plate and allowed just six runs with a 1.67 ERA over the three-game set.

After taking the first game of a schedule doubleheader on Saturday, Michigan led 6-3 in the top of the sixth of the second game when it was suspended due to rain. The Wolverines had led in that contests 6-0, but a rally by Ohio cut the lead in half when the rain moved in. The momentum didn?t carry over to Sunday.

Michigan added a run in the seventh and tacked on three more in the eighth off of Ohio reliever Daniel Utts (Circleville, Ohio) for all the insurance they would need. The Bobcats were able to push one run home in their last at-bat as Phil Sabatini (Oakmont, Pa.) scored on a fielder?s choice, but it was too little too late.

?It started raining just as we put on a rally, but there?s nothing you can do about the weather,? said Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone. ?That did put a damper on us because we were swinging the bats real well right then on a couple of pitchers they had in there and then we had to stop play because of the rain.?

Michigan?s Michael Penn (2-1) ended up getting credit for the victory in the two-day affair while Bobcat starter Rob Harmon (Villa Hills, Ky.) (2-1) took the loss. Willie Walker (Marysville, Ohio) and Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio) were the only two Ohio batters to record multiple-hit games, going 3-for-4 and 2-for-3, respectively. Leif Mahler finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs to lead Michigan.

Behind starting pitcher Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio), the series finale saw Ohio contend for the victory through six innings before the visitors got to the Bobcat bullpen. Kyle Bohm?s single down the right field line on Ohio reliever Daniel Weiss (Cincinnati, Ohio) proved to be the game-winning RBI as Matt Butler scored to make it 3-2. The Michigan batters eventually plated five more runs to close out the game and clinch the sweep.

For the third game in a row, Michigan got out in front on the scoreboard first with a run in their opening at-bat. This time, however, the Bobcats answered immediately. The first three batters reached in the bottom of the first and Bryan Buck (Hudson, Ohio) scored on Colopy?s fielder?s choice to tie the game at 1-1.

The Bobcats took their first lead of the weekend in the bottom of the fourth. Walker smacked a double to the left center field gap and advanced to third on a wild pitch just before Ben Crabtree (Roxbury, Conn.) reached on a walk. Sabatini then singled to left center to bring home Walker to give Ohio a 2-1 advantage.

The lead would hold up until the top of the sixth when Michigan?s A.J. Scheidt led off the inning with a home run over the center field wall to tie things at 2-2. The tally was the first of seven-straight for the visitors over the final four innings as they ran away with the final game and the series 8-2.

Gressick (0-1) finished his third and longest start of the season with two runs and five hits to his credit in five innings of work. It was his longest outing since he returned to throwing following Tommy John surgery after his freshman season.

?We were encouraged with the way he threw the ball,? Carbone said. ?He?s showing signs of being able to go longer and longer. Hopefully that will hold true for the rest of the season.?

Michigan?s Derek Feldkamp (3-0) scattered four Bobcat hits over six innings and allowed two runs to earn the victory. Weiss (0-1) took the loss for the Bobcats after he gave up four runs in 1 1/3 innings. He had allowed just one score in 10 1/3 innings of work before today?s appearance.

The weekend losses for Ohio marked the first time that the Bobcats have been swept in a home-opening series of two games or more since Cincinnati took two at Trautwain Field in 1987.

?We played and outstanding team this weekend, they?re undoubtedly one of the best teams in the Midwest if not the best team,? Carbone said. ?They rolled some great pitchers out there and they?ve got a veteran team that plays very good defense and is very well coached.?

Ohio will now head to Harrisonburg, Va., for a two-game set with James Madison on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both games will start at 2:30 p.m., in JMU?s Mauck Stadium.