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SPORTS
Thursday, April 8, 1982
Page 8
SOPH AIDS 'M'BATSMEN
Sabo shows all-around strengths
t
By JOE CHAPELLE
When Chris Sabo decided to come to
Michigan, he had to choose between
playing baseball and hockey. Con-
sidering, that Fisher Stadium is filled
with snow right now, hockey . might
have been Sabo's more logical choice.
Luckily for the Wolverine baseball
team, however, Sabo decided otherwise.
When the sophomore batsman arrived
at Michigan last year, he considered
competing in both college hockey and
baseball. In addition to his talent on the
baseball diamond, Sabo also played for
a brief time as a goalie in the Michigan-
Ontario Hockey League.
"I WANTED TO play college,
hockey," said Sabo. "I was recruited
by Michigan's old coach Dan Farrell,
but coach (Wolverine baseball coach
Bud Middaugh) said that baseball was
a year-round sport here. I liked playing
baseball better."
The Wolverine third baseman may
not have made a poor choice. As a
freshman last year, Sabo managed to
string together several impressive ac-
complishments. He tied Michigan's
single season home run record, making
ten round-trippers last season. That
honor is shared with former Detroit
Tiger great Bill Freehan, Dave Brown
and teammate Jim Paciorek.
Sabo's hitting strength is also demon-
strated by his .341 batting average last
year, which made him the fourth
leading hitter on the team. This season,
Sabo hopes to pick up where he left off.
"DURING THE spring trip, I was hit-
ting a lot of grounders and liners at
people. Right now, I am trying to move
the ball around out there," Sabo said.
Sabo had .278 average during the 11-
game spring trip in 36 at bats. He has
since raised his average, and after 18
games is at the .323 mark with 20 hits in
62 at bats.
Middaugh is quite impressed with
Sabo's hitting abilities. "I moved him
from the fifth to the third hole," said
Middaugh. "I think that that should tell
you what kind of player I think he is.
That is a key position and, to win, we
will need him to produce a lot of hits."
HITTING, however, is not Sabo's
only forte. 4The sophomore's base
stealing talents are also impressive:
He led the Wolverines in that depar-
tment last season as a freshman, gar-
nering 11 steals in 14 attempts, ip-
cluding one theft of home against In
diana.
"Coach (Middaugh) hasn't been
giving me the (steal) sign yet this year.
He's waiting for it to get a little warmer
(in order to avoid injuries)," said Sabo.
This season, though, Sabo may not at-
tempt to steal as many times since he is
followed in the batting order by
Paciorek - another one of Michigan's
power hitters.
"I CAN'T AFFORD to have him gets
on first and steal second, allowing thei
*other team to walk Paciorek," saidi
Middaugh. "His speed has to help.
He's a good all-around player. Of cour-
se, I like it whenever he steals the:
plate," Middaugh said, referring to
Sabo's theft duringthe Indiana game.:
The fielding department is also one of
Sabo's strong points.
"He's also playing in a key spot it
third," said Middaugh. "That ie
another place where we'll need a good,
performance in order to win."
ANOTHER ONE of the sophomore'
qualities which tends to make him a
contributor to Michigan's success is
that he is a team player.
"Right now I'm concerned with the
team effort," said Sabo. "Every player
wants to be a pro. I want the team to
win the Big Ten, and I want to go back
to Omaha.I think that we can play be-
ter this year."
Middaugh believes that the team Ofp
fort is very important. "Each inh
dividual should be' involved with
the team effort and I think Chris does
that," he said.
WOLVERINE third baseman Chris
Sabo shows the batting style and the
throwing arm that have made him a
key contributor to Michigan's success
this season. Sabo is currently hitting
.323 and is third on the team in assists.
UPEND ATLANTA, 120-115:
Pistons win
'mus
By RANDY BERGER
Special to the Dpily
PONTIAC - The Classy Chasis were
bad dancers, the popcorn was stale, the
music ws obnoxiously loud, but the
Pistons won, 120-115.
It was a big win, for that matter, as
Detroit toppled Atlanta, the very team
that they need to beat out for the last
playoff spot.
"IT WON'T HAVE to take a miracle
for us to reach the playoffs now," said
Piston coach Scotty Robertson.
The game really shouldn't have been
as close as it was. "We got careless
with our ball-handling at,the end and
our defense left lanes wide open for the
Hawks to get easy baskets," added
Robertson.
As late as 1:49 left in the ballgame
the Pistons had an eight point lead, and
it appeared that the game was over.
However, reserve Hawk center Steve
Hawe's tip-in of a Rory Sparrow missed
free throw suddenly put the Hawks in
the game. Detroit's inexperience then
showed, as it committed two costly tur-
novers to enable the Hawks to close the
gap to 116-113, with 39 seconds
remaining.
Fortunately for the Pistons, the
Hawks ran out of time and luck, and
Detroit upped its record to 36-40, still
two games behind Atlanta in the chase
for the last playoff spot.
The pistons were led by Kelly
Tripucka's 27 points, and Isiah Thomas'
12 assists. Dan Roundfield led the
Hawks with 23 points, as their record
fell to 38-38.
Bulls 122,,Caraliers 105
RICHFIELD, Ohio (AP) - Reggie
Theus scored 22 points and Artis
Gilmore and Ronnie Lester each had 20
to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 122-105
game
National, Basketball Association vi
tory over the Cleveland, Cavaliers lat.
night.
Chicago's victory snapped a six-
game losing streak while the Cavaliers
stumbled to their 13th consecuti
defeat and 27th in 31 games.
.CHICAGO LED, 65-61 with eight
minutes left in the third quarter and
outscored the Cavaliers 17-6 over toe
next three minutes to gain an 82-67 Al-
vantae. Gilmore led the surge with six
points and Lester added five. '
76ers 116, Nets 113
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)
Julius Erving scored a game-high 38
points, including 18 of Philadelphia's
final 26, to pace the 76ers to a 116-113
victory over the New Jersey Nets ji
National Basketball Association actifl
last night.
The Nets were leading, 46-45, with
3:36 left until halftime then the Sixers,
led by Erving's eight points, took offon
a 16-2 Tally that put them ahead, 61-48.
The Nets battled back early in the fiial
quarter with Albert -King scoring Si-x
points in a 9-2 spurt that narrowed the
gap to 88-84.
WITH 33 SECONDS to go, Ray
Williams hit a three-point field goal that
cut Philadelphia's lead to 110-107. Two
free throws each by Erving and Cala-
well Jones pushed the Philadelphia lead
to seven.
Ray Williams followed with another
three-pointer to make it 114-110, but Er-
ving added another jumper for the
Sixers.
sum
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1983 MICHIGAN ENSIANI
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0s
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