University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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Opponent Eckerd Saint Leo Tampa South Florida Florida Southern Rollins Eastern Michigan South Alabama Fresno State Fresno State Fresno State Wright State Wright State Wright State Dayton Purdue Purdue Purdue Purdue Eastern Michigan Northwestern Northwestern Northwestern Northwestern Ferris State Ferris State Detroit Merc Minnesoi Minnesota Minnesot Minnesota Siena Heigl Siena heights Western Michigan Indiana Indiana Indiana Indiana Central Michigan Michigan State Michigan State Ohio Sta Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State- Michigan State Michigan State Notre Dame Pcnn State ' enn Stati Penn State Penn State Trying to make contact pitcher Ron Hollis faces the hurler from Sienna Heights . Hollis pitched a 7-0 shutout to spark a two game sweep. Southpaw pitcher Chris Newton posted a 3-3 record while throwing only one out of a team total of nine games. Newton also piled up twenty-six strikeouts in forty innings pitched. 362 Sports

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YOUNG AND RAW After two years of probation, sluggers stepped up to the plate with a less experienced team than ever before. What did Jim Abbot, Barry Larkin, and Chris Sabo have in common? They each played college baseball at Michigan and went on to become star major league baseball players. These men and others who made it to the major leagues contributed to a tradition of excellence in Michi- gan baseball. However, the proud program suffered through some tough times in the spring season as the effects of a two year probation landed theteamnearthebasementoftheBiglO standings. The Wolverines still had the talent, but the level of play wavered from spectacular to dismal. The team opened the year with a dismal two wins and twelve losses during a Florida road trip. In Michigan ' s defense, most of the Florida teams had already been playing for nearly a month. When the Wolverines returned from the dismal Florida trip, they went on an incredible 1 2 and 1 run to push their record a game over .500. However, the inconsistency persisted. In late March, Eric Heintschel and Marion combined for a 1 -0 shutout of Wright State, but Michigan lost the second half of the double-header 1 5-4. Even after Bill Freehan coached his team to a fourth consecutive victory, he was far from pleased: I ' m not happy with our defense. I ' m not happy with our catching. I ' m not happy with our baserunning. I ' m not a happy coach. Such criticism may have seemed unwarranted after a win, but Freehan, like all good coaches, was more concerned with consistency and steady improvement than brief winning streaks. Reliever Todd Marion theorized, My fresh- man class that came in the fall of 1988 was one of the best in the country. The combination of the class of ' 88 graduating or being drafted and the probation prevented us from recruiting fresh talent. The result was a huge amount of inexpe- rienced players trying to fill the shoes of those who had left. Michigan Daily sportswriter Ryan Herrington, searching for humor in the incon- sistent play, diagnosed the exact cause of the ailment as youthus toomuchus. Indeed, over half the players on the 1992 squad had little or no experience entering the season, and though many showed promise, they also displayed their inexperience. Leads vanished as young pitchers struggled in pressure-filled late innings; baserunners missed signs or failed to execute in critical situations; and batters found it difficult to read the pitches of experienced southern and Big 10 opponents. In the victory that elicited the criticism from Freehan, one Michigan player hit a double but fell for the hidden-ball trick at third, anot her ran into an easy double play trying to score from second on a slow grounder, and Michigan pitchers struggled in all but two innings. The team finished the season losing 18 of its last 24 games to end with a record of 21-32 and a tie with Penn State for eighth place in the Big 10. Second baseman Scott Timmerman was named to the All-Big Ten first team. Centerfielder Steve Buerkel was named to the third team, and was the only one of seven seniors finishing his eligibility. ' ...the class of ' 88 Todd Marion graduating or being drafted and the UM Baseball probation prevented us from recruiting fresh talent. ' r ' ' ' r - BASEBALL Front: Bryan Santo, Enc Heintschel, Chm Michalek, Terry Woods, Toby BTTojnousJci. Todd Mo Coach Bitt Freehan, Steiv Buerkel, Eric Pmmger, Pal Malaney, Scott Wmterlee, Scott Ttmmcnrum, X mu Middle: Grad AMI. Ed Turek, Coach Dan O ' Brien, Bubka Wyngarden, Aaron Toth. Heath Murray. NViif H . Mutt Idoni, Chad Chapman, Ron Hottis, Malt Copp, Chris Newton, Volunteer Coach Ernie Sams, Assr GxicJi An ...ins Back Manager Adam Rosen, Groundskeeper Eric Keil, Tony Agosta, Bitty Hardy, Keiin Crociam, Ryan Van C ' at ' ivn. Jason Mahoney, Dan Weeks, Matt Humbles, Scott Niermec, Todd fracassi, Jason Livingston, Rodney Goble, Trainer Rex - Photo courtesy of Sports Information By Adam Hundley and Matt Kassan Sports 363