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

Page 367 text:

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

Page 366 text:

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

Page 368 text:

STRIKE IT RICH Sluggers swung into a first place finish in the Big Ten and built the framework for a successful future. Right now my team is Carol Hutchins fearless. They have fire Coach in their eyes, and it ' s UM Softball exciting to watch them. By Adam Hundley Hoping to attract more fans and provide better facilities for Michigan teams, the Univer- sity began a $100,000 renovation project on Varsity Diamond in 1991. But for the 1992 softball team, it was foreign fields that proved the key to a championship season. The team posted a perfect 14-0 away record against Big Ten opponents and finished first in the confer- ence for the first time ever. The non-conference portion of the schedule provided little evidence of the team ' s mastery of opposing fields. It posted an unimpressive 12-12 record the first month of the season playing in the Arizona State Sun Devil Classic, South Florida Classic, and National Invitational Tour- nament, though it did achieve consolation runner-up at the Invitational. The team split series against Northwestern and Bowling Green in late March, and then opened the away portion of its Big Ten schedule. In the space of a month, the team welcomed conference newcomer Penn State by scoring seven runs in the first inning of game one and sweeping the four-game series, took two at Michi- gan State, swept four at Indiana by a combined score of 23-4, and won four from Minnesota. The only scare came April 17 when Michigan entered the last inning of a game against Indiana SOFTBALL Front: Sue Sieler, Stacey Reams, Heather Lyke, Shelley Bawol Middle: Student Trainer Bryn Mickle, Mary Campana, Karla Kunnen, Kari Kunnen, Kerry Sayers, Lesa Arvta, Patti Benedict, Manager Deb Kleban Back: Head Coach Carol Hutchins, Athletic Trainer Sue Weitzman, Kim Clark, Michelle Silver, Kelly Kovach, Kelly Forbis, Tina Martin, Julie Chirkson, Asst. Coach Cathy Wylie, Asst. Coach Carol Bruggerman - Photo courtesy of Sports Information 3- 1 . But the intent Wolverines battled back, as Michelle Silver doubled in two runs to tie the game and Mary Campana singled in Silver with the winning run. It has been a total team effort, explained coach Carol Hutchins a few days later. Right now my team is fearless. They have fire in their eyes, and it ' s exciting to watch them. Individual performances also merited praise, as first year pitcher Kelly Kovach posted her eighth shutout of the season and lowered her ERA to 1.34 while Patti Benedict powered the Michigan offense with a .357 average. Com- bined with an 8-6 home record the team finished 37-22 overall and won the Big Ten with a 22-6 mark. Junior Kari Kunnen said, We knew what our goal was: to be the Big 10 champions. We all wanted it really bad, and we worked really hard for it. It was an incredible feeling because we ' ve never won a Big 10 championship here before. We were the first ones, and hopefully we can work hard and repeat it. Two shut-out losses to powerhouse Arizona eliminated the team from the NCAA Regional Tournament, but players felt that the season was a success just the same, and that it would prepare the team for greater accomplishments in the future. Benedict said, We were successful in winning the Big 1 0, but our hopes of going to the College World Series fell short in Arizona. In addition to the team achievement, junior left fielder Benedict was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Third-Team All- American while pitcher Kelly Forbis was selected to the Aca- demic All-District Team. Younger players like sophomore Julie Clarkson, who posted a 2.10 ERA, and first year student Kovach, who posted an 8-5 record, indicated that the Wolverines would continue to be a force in Big Ten softball for years to come. Catcher Karla Kunnen blocks the plate as she prepares to tag out the Northwestern baserunner. The Wolverines split the home series against Northwestern on the way to the Big Ten title. - Photo courtesy of Sports Information 364 Sports