Page 14 - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 28, 1985
THE PROFILES
a
S
Hayward:
Even more
drive 85
By BRAD MORGAN
Last season, Ken Hayward hit .342
while leading Michigan with 12 home
runs and 64 RBI's. He was also 8-2 with
five saves and a team best 1.96 ERA as
a relief pitcher. At the end of the
season, he was named Michigan's Most
Valuable Player.
His reply to all that?
"I'VE GOT tons of weaknesses."
Such a statement may seem out of
context and make other players wish
they had such weaknesses, but it's
made with the best of intentions. The
senior first baseman simply holds the
attitude that he can always improve in
some way.
"Baseball is a game where success is
considered getting a hit one out of every
three at bats, so if I bat 100 times, 70
times I'm not going to get a hit," he ex-
plained. "I think there is always room
for improvement. I'd like to hit more
home runs this year."
IMPROVING on last year's numbers
may be tough, though. Hayward's eight
wins tied for the team lead (with Scott
Kamieniecki and Gary Wayne), he set
single season records for games played
(63) and pitching appearances (23),
was a unanimous pick as All-Big Ten
first baseman, and he was directly
linked to eight of Michigan's 11 Big Ten
victories by posting three wins, two
saves,gand driving in a league-leading
three game-winning hits.
So where will the improvement
come? Hayward feels it will be in
leadership.
"The most important thing is getting
the team off to a good start, and as a
senior it's important for me to be ready
mentally and to show good hustle and
leadership," said the Pontiac native.
THAT'S NOT to say that Hayward
feels he will be alone in that leadership
role. In his view, it is up to he and fellow
seniors Jeff Minick, Randy Wolfe, .and
C.J. Beshke to take charge on the field.
"There's definitely a little more
responsibility out there (as a senior).
There's four of us, and I think we all did
a good job of starting to get us where we
want to be in the season," he said.
After such a great season last year,
one would expect Hayward to be feeling
the pressure to repeat this season. Not
so, he says.
"WITH THE type of team we have, I
don't feel I have to have four hits or
three RBI's every game. No matter
what lineup we have, I know we're
going to play great D and score runs, so
I don't feel pressured that way. The
most important thing is getting the
team into a state of mind to play well.
"Any pressure I feel comes from the
competitiveness of the team. I know if I
want to stay in the fourth hole (in the
batting order), I have to produce. It's
an unwritten law. With Coach Mid-
daugh, you have to produce whether
you're a freshman or a senior," he con-
cluded.
Because of his production and the
versatility he has shown in his three
years here, Middaugh decided tos try
Hayward out behind the plate after tri-
captain and three-year starter Rich
Bair graduated, and while it may have
eventually worked, Hayward and Mid-
daugh both decided to let well enough
alone.
"IT WAS no big thing. Coach just saw
what I might be able to do there and
decided to try it," said the 6-4, 225
pound right-hander.
Middaugh agreed, adding that "he
had the size and good throwing arm, but
it just didn't work out."
So far this season, Hayward has con-
tinued to produce as in the past. During
last week's Texas trip, he batted .311
with two home runs. Still those were
spring games, and much like
professional spring training, the games
mean little except in the way of
preparation.
"TO US, our record (9-0) is no in-
dication of how good we are. We did a
good job of getting us where we want to
be later," he said. "We have to strive
for the team to be good and to be goal-
oriented. Personally, I need to strive
for more consistency and more long
balls."
Now that the spring trip is over,
though, the real struggle of the regular
season and Big Ten race is here.
Pressure will mount as the team tries to
return to Omaha for the College World
Series, and Hayward feels he is at his
best under pressure.
"My strength is pressure situations,"
he emphasized. "I would like to feel I
can handle those game situations.
Coach constantly puts pressure An you
in practice so the game doesn't
pressure you as well. I'm going through
it for the fourth time, so I should be able
to handle it better."
Tons of weaknesses? They're all in
the eye of the beholder.
Kanueniecki
gets older
-and better
By CHRIS GERBASI
The tall, young man wearing warm-
up jersey number 19 strides in toward
the lockerroom after running many
times across the outfield. On this par-
ticular day, he is the last player off the
baseball field.
The work ethic and togetherness that
Michigan coach Bud Middaugh em-
phasizes is evident in pitcher Scott
Kamieniecki.
A JUNIOR from Detroit,
Kamieniecki has developed steadily
over the past three years to become the
stopper of the Wolverine staff.
"He's our most experienced pitcher,"
said Middaugh. "He has a dominant
role on our pitching staff. He's very
competitive and he's blessed with great
tools. He's improved each year and I
think he'll continue to improve."
That .improvement is due, at least in
part, to Middaugh, according to
Kamieniecki.
"I THINK I've progressed more this
year than other years," the 6-0, 180-
pounder said. "Because I have a better
understanding of the fundamentals and
techniques that Coach tries to teach
us."
Some of those techniques have helped
Kamieniecki develop a cut fastball this
year to go with his fastball, off-speed,
pitch and an improved breaking ball.
But whenever he's in trouble,
Kamieniecki will rely on his best pitch,
the fastball, nine out of ten times. The
fastball helped him strike out 21 batters
in 21 innings on the recent spring trip.
And Kamieniecki really doesn't mind
being in trouble - that much.
"I like to pitch in big games. I like to
be in there, in any game, in tough
situations. I like battling guys."S
MIDDAUGH appreaciates his pit-
cher's attitude and competitive spirit
and thinks that Kamieniecki has taken
on a leadership quality as well. But
Kamieniecki doesn't necessarily agree.
Instead, he prefers to portray a team
concept.
"I don't know about having a leader-
ship role," he said. "Most of the guys
have been here a year and they've been
through it. I'll help them if they need it
and if I need help, I'll ask for it."
One guy who hasn't been around for a
year is freshman pitcher Mike
Ignasiak. Although he hasn't been on
the scene very long, Ignasiak is well
aware of the cooperative nature of the
Wolverines' team.
"SOMETIMES I'll go to Scott for
help, and vice versa. Everyone's
helping everyone," he said. "Scott
works with me a lot and it gives me con-
fidence to pitch behind him and to have
him working with me. He can relate all
of his experience to me and that helps
me out tremendously."
Naturally, most of the pitchers are
close friends on and off the field, since
they work together all the time, but ac-
tually, Middaugh doesn't want his
players to get too tight.
"I think Casey Close said it last year,
that after your career is over, it's the
guys you played with that you remem-
ber best," said Kamieniecki. "But we
try not to form little groups, 'cliques'
Coach calls them."
MIDDAUGH wants his players to be
alert on the bench. "Sometimes you can
learn more about pitching from wat-
ching than pitching yourself," said
Middaugh.
This year, Kamieniecki will also have
a summer of baseball in the Cape Cod~
League under his belt. The Cape Cod
League? Well, the league attracted
Kamieniecki and somie of his team-
mates, such as Close and Ken
Hayward, as well as many players who
tried out for the Olympic team.
"It was a good experience," said
Kamieniecki. ""The competition is
really balanced. Here, the teams have
five or six good hitters, but the Cape has
some of the best guys. It was pretty
good competition."
ALTHOUGH he has improved each
year, Kamieniecki has a penchant for
auspicious beginnings. His first
collegiate start only resulted in a no-hit
effort against Cleveland State. This
year at Pan American, he nearly
duplicated the feat with a one-hitter.
Pretty impressive for the first game of
the season.
In fact, the entire team got off to a
noteworthy beginning of 9-0, one of the
Wolverines' best starts ever.
Obviously, Michigan wants to keep it
going. And so does Kamieniecki. On the
horizon may loom a pro career. Being
from Detroit, Kamieniecki has had the
typical ambition to play for the
hometown team. Perhaps he could have
already been driving toward that
amibition if he had signed with the
Tigers when they made him a second-
round draft choice in 1982. But the
choice Kamieniecki made was
Michigan.
"It came down to what I wanted most
and I wanted both of them (college and
a career)," he said. "I thought if I went
to college and progressed the way I was
supposed to, the major leagues would
come aftereard."
Make way for progress.
Spring Trip Results
March 14 - MICHIGAN 12, Pan
American 0.
Kamieniecki wins
opener with one-hitter.
Larkin and Wolfe
homer.
March 18 - MICHIGAN 13, Nor-
thern Iowa 1. Freshman
Jim Agemy wins his
collegiate debut.
MICHIGAN 2, Pan
American 0. Freshman
Mike Ignasiak matches
Agemy's effort, winning
his debut with a com-
plete game.
March 19 - MICHIGAN 7, Miami,
OH 6 (8 inn.). Minick
drives in five runs to
help Kamieniecki to his
second win.
March 20 - MICHIGAN 12, Pan
American 9. Freshman
Eddie Woolwine knocks
in three runs and Paul
Kasper picks up the win
in relief.
March 21 - MICHIGAN 11, Miami,
OH 2. Dave Karasinski
pitches a complete
game, allowing only five
hits.
March 22-MICHIGAN 4, Miami, OH 2
Ignasiak notches second
win.
MICHIGAN 6, Northern
Iowa 0. Agemy teams
with Greg Everson on
three-hitter.
March 23 - MICHIGAN 8, Pan
American 2.
Kamieniecki tosses
complete game, striking
out nine for third win.
Dally Photo by DAN HABIB
Michigan MVP Ken Hayward gets a word of encouragement from coach Bud
Middaugh during Tuesday's action against Grand Valley. Hayward is
determined to have an even stronger season in '85, his final season as a
Wolverine.
Daily Photo by JEFF SCHRIER
Detroit native Scott Kamieniecki shows his more-than-effective pitching
form during his freshman season. Now a junior, Kamieniecki has continued
to work onsthe fundamentals of pitching which have helped him win 13 games
in-, two seasons.
t
PITCHERS & CATCHERS:
l
Battery gets
By CHRIS GERBASI
There's no substitute for experience but Michigan's pitchers and catchers
aren't looking for one now after gaining some valuable experience
on the recent trip to Texas.
Gone from the pitching staff are graduated seniors Gary Wayne and Bill
Shuta, who combined for 13 wins in 1984. Leading the Wolverines in '85 is
mound ace Scott Kamieniecki, but the righthander should be ably assisted
by fresh faces Jim Agemy and Mike Ignasiak.
BOTH AGEMY and Ignasiak made the trip to Texas and both earned their
plane fare by notching victories in their collegiate debuts.
The two newcomers represent the long and short of the Michigan staff. At
6-6 and 205 pounds, Agemy is a towering presence on the mound, while the 5-10
Ignasiak is a control pitcher.
"I thought there were two dominant pitchers down south and that would be
Kamieniecki and Ignasiak," said Wolverine coach Bud Middaugh.
"Ignasiak did very well and Agemy threw too good games, but he didn't
have the competition. He'll have to throw better up here, but he did throw
strikes."
SIZING UP the rest of the staff isn't easy considering there are eight other
freshmen and sophomores with varying degrees of experience.
"That's my most concerning thing, our pitching," said Middaugh. "We're
not as strong as we used to be. That was our downfall last year."
Sophomore lefthander Dave Karasinski split his time between starting
and relieving last season. He started eight games and had a 3-3 overall
record. Karasinski tossed a complete game five-hitter against Miami down
south. John Grettenberger is the only other sophomore who started more
than one game a year ago.
THE "GREYBEARDS" of the staff are juniors Kamieniecki, Casey Close
and Dan Disher and senior Ken Hayward.
"Kamieniecki pitched well in his first and third starts," said Middaugh.
"They never ususally do as well in their second outing, but he had tough star-
ts, beating Pan American twice. He'll probably continue to get the tough
assignment."
CLOSE STARTED 11 games and went 5-5 with a 7.67 earned run average.
Disher started three games, was 0-1 and had an inflated ERA of 17.03 in only
seven innings of work.-
The Wolverines' team ERA was 5.25, but Hayward had an outstanding 1.96
mark. The versatile righthander took time off from his first base duties long
charge
NEWCOMERS:
Frosh find room at top
By MIKE REDSTONE
After losing only four of his regular players to graduation following a very
successful 1984 season, Michigan baseball coach Bud Middaugh may not
have room for many newcomers on his 1985 roster.
He may have to make room, though, as several new players have come in-
to Ann Arbor this year with 'hopes of seeing regular action with the
Wolverines.
AMONG THE TOP five newcomers, three are right-handed pitchers, Jim
Agemy, Greg Everson, and Mike Ignasiak.
Agemy and Ignasiak each drew two starting assignments during last
week's Texas trip, and each came away with a pair of victories.
According to Middaugh, Ignasiak had the tougher assignments in facing
Pan Am and Miami. The Anchorville, Mi. native proved equal to the task,
though, giving up four hits and one run in 12.3 innings for a 0.73,ERA.
"I THINK I DID WELL for my first time out in a Michigan uniform," said
Ignasiak, who compiled a 14-1 record during his last two seasons of high
school ball at Orchard Lake St. Mary's. "I've come a long way since last fall
gemy but there's still a lot of room for improvement."
Agemy, a 6-6, 205 pounder, also pitched effectively down south to post a
0.75 ERA in 12 innings of work.
"I was pretty effective (in Texas) but I think I can throw a lot better," said
Agemy, who was 8-0 with a 1.01 ERA his senior year at Dearborn Divine
Child. "I'm learning a lot of new things from Coach Middaugh. Once I get all
the mechanics down, I'll be alright."
EVERSON, THE ONLY transfer student to join the Wolverines this
season, saw action in one game during the spring trip. The 6-2, 195 pound
junior transferred from Michigan-Dearborn where he also played hockey.
He will be used primarily out of the bullpen, according to Middaugh.
One freshman hoping to land a spot in the Michigan outfield is Eddie
Woolwine. Woolwine hit .480 as a senior for his Deer Park (Cincinnati) high
;. ;.: S ; ;:::school team. The 6-0, 195-pounder impressed Middaugh this spring by hitting
.300 and stealing three bVes.
Karasinski
., r . rf