Page 8 - The Michigan Daily - Saturday, April 20, 1985

Netters set to match
skills with Hoosiers

By ADAM OCHLIS
As the men's tennis team closes up yet
another successful regular season with
this weekend's matches against In-
diana and Ohio State, Brian Eisner's
squad appears ready to recapture the
Big Ten title that eluded them for the
first time in sixteen years last season.
But before worrying about the con-
ference championships that don't take
place for another three weeks, the
Wolverines will have their hands full
with the Hoosiers and the Buckeyes.
THIS AFTERNOON Indiana comes
to town looking like anything but the
club that finished eighth last year. Led
by first year coach Ken Hydinger, the
Hoosiers stand atop the conference with
a 6-1 record, 21-3 overall. Eisner had
nothing but praise for Indiana.
"They are a great team and it will be
a very difficult match. They are one of
the most improved teams in the con-
ference," a conference in which all ten
teams have moved closer in ability, ac-
cording to Eisner.
While Eisner wished not to comment
on any possible lineup changes, one
thing is for sure-Jim Sharton will play
first singles and will have to play well in
order to beat Hoosier Joey Cristoff.
Cristoff comes into today's action
posting an impressive 10-4 record, 3-4 in
the Big Ten.
"THESE TWO always play a close
match and it usually goes to three
sets," Eisner says of junior rivals.
"Fortunately (Sharton) has always
won, but it will be a tough match."
If Eisner goes according to plan, and

posts good credentials, having com-
piled a 17-7 record (4-3 in the conferen-
ce).
The other probable matches post up
this way: Michigan's Ed Filer against
Sven Salumaa, Jon Morris against In-
diana's Jeff Cohen, Brad Koontz will
take on Kim Anderson at fifth singes
and Franz Geiger will oppose Frank
Guengerich.
TOMORROW, the Wolverines host a
struggling Ohio State team, which,
despite their 0-5 Big Ten record, should
not be overlooked.
"They are a very good team, but they
haven't got the performance out of the
lower part of the lineup that they had
expected," said Eisner. "They have the
type of team that can explode on any
given day and we can't take them
lightly."
A weekend sweep would insure the
Big Ten regular season title for
Michigan, but since the overall con-
ference champ is decided during the
May 10-12 Championships in
Bloomington, Indiana, these matches
are fairly meaningless, as Eisner would
admit. To lose a match this late in the
season, however, could hurt the
Wolverine's young squad mentally.
"To lose a match just before going in-
to the Big Ten tournament can make
you lose your confidence," Eisner ex-
plained. "I didn't like how we perfor-
med at Michigan State (a 6-3 victory last
Wednesday), but we've had a great
week of practice and I think we're
ready to come out of the blocks strong
(today)."
Today's match begins at 2:30 p.m,
and Sunday's starts at 1:00 p.m. Both
will take place at Liberty Tennis and
Fitness Club.

Daily Photo by CAROL L. FRANCAVILLA

that is by no means a certainty, John
Jim Sharton, who is scheduled to play first singles today, smashes a Royer will play second singles against
backhand in a recent practice. Brad Pontow. Pontow, a senior, also

Associated Press
Tiger Larry Herndon barrels over Royals' catcher Jim Sundberg, scoring
safely on teammate Chet Lemon's second inning double last night at Tiger
Stadium.


Brett's two
homeruns
rip Tigers,
9-2.
By PHIL NUSSEL
Special to the Daily
DETROIT - It was the Bret-Brett show
at Tiger Stadium last night as the Kan-
sas City Royals dealt Detroit its second
straight loss, 9-2.
Bret Saberhagen, the only pitcher to
beat the Tigers three times last season,
spread out ten hits in six-and-one-third
innings to even his record at 1-1.
THE MORE famou
Brett- George- showed again that h
personifies the "essense of hitting" by
belting home runs in each of the first
two innings off Tiger starter and loser,
Dan Petry (2-1). The blasts were
Brett's first rotnd-trippers of the
season.
After Bret's solo homer in the first,
the Royals followed with four straight
singles to take a 3-0 lead. Then the
veteran third baseman hit a two-run
dinger to make it 5-0 in the second.
The Tigers got one back in the bott
of the inning on a double by Larry He*
ndon and an RBI single from Chet
Lemon.
Petrr
.J. lasts three innings
JUAN BERENGUER came on for
Detroit in the third inning in his first
appearance of the season and promptly
gave up a homer to outfielder Darryl
Motley on the very first pitch. He then
settled down and held the Royals
scoreless over the next four innings.
Detroit had several opportunities t~
narrow the margin over the next four
innings, but failed to get any clutch hit-
ting, leaving seven men on base over
the span.
The Tigers finally scored in the
seventh on a Lou Whitaker double and a
single by Alan Trammel. At that point,
Royal ifelief ace Dan Quisenberry camne
on to put out the fire and get the save.
The Royals blew the game wide open
with three more runs in the eighth in-
ning off Aurelio Lopez, who looked lika

t