Recknagel (GF '06) Big Ten Conference Player of the Week

 PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Senior 1B/C Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS) of the University of the Michigan Baseball Team slugged three homeruns and posted nine RBI during the Wolverines' four-game weekend at the Centex Homes Invitational in Conway, S.C. For his efforts, Recknagel was named the Big Ten Conference Player of the Week Monday afternoon (March 17) by league officials. The honor is the second of his career.

For the weekend (March 14-16), Recknagel finished with a .600 batting average, going 9-for-15 with the three homeruns and nine RBI. He additionally scored four runs, had a 1.267 slugging percentage, got on base with a .667 OBP and directed the Wolverines to a 2-1 record as the catcher behind the plate.

Recknagel, who came into the weekend with a home run in his last game, opened action in the same fashion. In the first inning against Presbyterian College Friday (March 14), Recknagel turned on a 2-2 pitch and sent it deep over the leftfield wall and into the batting cages for his fourth homerun of the season. Recknagel's jack proved to the winning RBI -- though he would add another one in the seventh inning. "Rock" finished the ballgame going 2-2 with three RBI, a walk and a HBP.

In the first game of the Saturday's (March 15) doubleheader, Recknagel made it three straight games with a long ball, as the senior slugger belted a two-run shot to left in the second inning. He added two more RBI in the fourth inning on a double down the leftfield line. The four-RBI day tied a career best, which he accomplished on two other accounts.

The afternoon session of the double-dip again found Recknagel putting a ball over the leftfield wall for a game-winning RBI. Recknagel took Coastal Carolina ace Bobby Gagg deep for a 2-1 Wolverine lead, marking a career-best fourth straight game in which he sent a ball flying out of play in fair territory.

Michigan will open its home schedule Wednesday (March 19) with a 3 p.m. start against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. It will mark the opening of U-M's newly renovated Ray Fisher Stadium inside the brand-new Wilpon Baseball Complex.

Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 647-1726

Nate Recknagel