The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 4, 1986- Page 7
Abrupt exit leaves
'M'
down, not out
By SCOTT G. MILLER
The clock struck midnight, and
Michigan baseball's Cinderella
season ended with a pair of losses in
the NCAA Mideast Regional held at
Ray Fisher Stadium last May.
The tragic finish was a bad dream
compared to the season's many ac-
complishments. The Wolverines went
47-12, captured the Big Ten Eastern
Division, and won the Big Ten Cham-
pionship Tournament for the fifth
time in the last seven years.
"YOU SAW AS gutsy a club as I
have had since I have been
coaching," said coach Bud Middaugh.
"I hope I can have some clubs down
the road that are determined and as
proud as this club was."
That pride and determination led
the team to a 12-3 record in one-run
contests. Combacks were a squad
speciality. No deficit seemed insur-
mountable.
In the first game of the Big Ten
Tournament, Michigan trailed
Wisconsin by eight runs in the bottom
of the eighth inning. The Wolverines
eventually won 12-11. Against the
defending national champion Miami,
Michigan trailed by two runs in the
bottom of the ninth. With the bases
loaded and a two-strike count, team-
captain Casey Close hit a grand slam.
CLOSE' FREQUENT heroics won
him the Ray Fisher Award as team
MVP and the Big Ten Player-of-the-
Year. The seniors right fielder hit .440
with 19 homers and 72 RBIs
Other seniors, outfielders Chris
Gust (.339) and Kurt Zimmerman
(,304), and pitchers Dan Disher (6-2)
and Scott Kamieniecki added to the
team and its chemistry.
"I have a warm feeling for this
club," said Middaugh. "I am going to
cherish the experiences this club has
given me this year. Of the 19 years I
have coached, this has been one of my
favorite clubs because they did so
many things with so much adversity.
"THERE AREN'T too many teams
in the country that could play as well
as this team played with the number
one and two pitchers out of the lineup.
It is like losing two quarterbacks in
football. They overcame that."
Arm problems sidelined both
Kamieniecki and Jim Agemy, who
combined for an 18-0 mark in 1985. In
1986, however, Agemy appeared in
only two contests, and Kamieniecki
appeared in five.
Young pitchers accepted the
challenge and delivered. Freshman
Chris Lutz (7-0, 2.52) had the lowest
ERA in the Big Ten. Jim Abbott, the
highly-publicized one-handed fresh-
man pitcher, went 6-2. Juniors Mike
Ignasiak (8-3) and Dave Karasinki (6-
1) had steady seasons. Greg Everson,
the stopper in the bullpen, had four
saves and six wins.
NEXT SEASON youngsters will
dominate the Wolverine roster.
Besides losing seniors to graduation
Middaugh must replace juniors
Morris, who finished second to Close
for the Big Ten batting title,
Karasinki, and pitcher Paul Wenson.
These juniors signed professional con-
tracts.
"We have lost an abundance of
players, which is certainly going to
show on our club," said Middaugh. "It
gives younger players a chance to
play, but you are not playing against
freshmen. You are playing against
juniors and seniors from other
universities."
If anybody can win with freshmen,
it is Middaugh. The seventh-year
Michigan coach has a knack for blen-
ding in young players.
THE RETURNING nucleus in-
cludes second baseman Steve Finken
(.358), shortstop Jeff Kiel, outfielder
Eddie Woolwine (.343), third baseman
Billy St. Peter, and catchers Mike
Gillette and Darrin Campbell. No
matter what the lineup, Middaugh's
philosophy remains consistent.
"I am not a philosophical guy. I am
a hardcore guy," said the coach with
a .761 winning percentage at
Michigan. "I just think you go out and
play hard, and things work out well.
"You don't ask for breaks. You
don't cry when things aren't going
your way. You just go out there and go
after it."
Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON
Although Bud Middaugh (above) and the Michigan Wolverines went 47-12
in 1986, the season was disappointing due to an early exit in the NCAA
playoffs.
Losses weaken women's track
Daily Photo by SCOTT UTUCHY
Lefthander
season.
Jim Abbot brings it home against Grand Valley State last season. The sophomore went 6-2 last
FOUR ALL-AMERICANS RETURN:
Thi nlads
on track
By EMILY BRIDGHAM
Losing two of the top distance run-
ners in the conference, not to mention
the nation, has got to hurt and as a
result younger talent is the key to the
1986-87 season for the women's track
team.
"I'm very optimistic as always,"
said head coach James Harvey.
"We've had some unfortunate injuries
but we managed to fill the gaps for
this season and I know that will help
us. We will be very young, but we will
gain a lot of ground."
ALL-AMERICAN'S Sue Schroeder
and Cathy Schmidt,. large point ear-
ners in previous years, have left the
distance division open to the veteran
ranks. Kelli Bert, Mellissa Thompson,
and Cheri Sly will lead the pack for th
e Wolverines.
Bert gave a strong '86 performance,
narrowly missing the NCAA standard
time in the 1500-meter event clocking
a season-best 4:26.5. The versatile
senior also runs a quick 800-meter and
3000-meters and should kick in a
strong leg in the distance relay.
The other senior standout on the
team is middle distancer Dedra
Bradley Bradley is the only member
left from the world-record holding
distance relay, which ran a 11:08.8.
BRADLEY CLOCKED hot times in
both the 400-meter and also 400-meter
hurdles. Until this season Bradley has
run largely in the shadow of middle
distance star Joyce Wilson.
A definite bright spot on the '86-'87
squad, and one that will be around for
a few years, is Debbie Duncan. Dun-
can, a shot put and discus sensation,
was able to break the school record
last season in the shot, flinging it 13.98
meters. She also won the discus event
on numerous occasions and sailed the
disc to a season best 43.84 meters.
In close competition with Duncan
will be sophomore Starry Hodge who
took fifth in the shot last year at the
Big Tens, close behind Duncan's
third. And Ann Arbor Huron's Sonya
Payne will further add to this event,
after winning the state title.
ANOTHER largely sophomore-
dominated field is the sprints. Falling
into the hands of Dana McKeithen and
Gretchen Jackson for the second
year, the hope is that these two will
stack up the needed points in this
area.
The jumping field is another highly
questionable area, after the loss of
Angie Hafner. Coach James Henry
will have to rely on younger talent and
recruits to fill this spot. And recruit he
did, grabbing up some of the best local
as well as national talent in both the
long and high jump Gretchen
Jackson's abilities in the triple jump
should gain some points for the team.
Jackson went a season-best 11.02 in.,
after being out a good portion of the
season last year. She also managed as
a high school senior to finish eighth in
the world.
Among the hopeful jumpers are
Elaina Davis, Michigan's 1985 long
jump state champ, and Gillain Osbor-
ne out of Wesbury, NY, who has gone
19'4", almost two feet further than
any others on the Wolverine squad.
While Lisa Devries will be a vital
replacement in the high jump after
leaping 5'101" in high school in Lon-
don, Ontario
"I believe that this year we will get
more places and be right up there,"
said Henry. "We had a strong year
this past year, probably our best, but I
think we will be even better
By EMILY BRIDGHAM
With at least four All-Americans
among its ranks, the Michigan Men's
track team will return for its '86 87
season in top form.
.'! The Wolverines' only major loss
was middle distance sensation Todd
Steversen. This loss can only be par-
tially filled by indoor All-American
junior Omar Davidson, who has
proven his worth for the thinclads.
RETURNING FOR his fifth year,
All-American Chris Brewster will be
eligible to compete in both the cross
country and indoor track seasons.
Brewster cranked out his All-
American honors during the '85 cross-
country season. He missed his second
All-American title in the 3000-meter
indoor finals later in the year when
was sidelined due to a leg injury.
Also going the distance for the
Wolverines will be freshman Brad
Barquist, who clocked a 9:06.8. two
mile as well as an 8:31.7 3000 meters,
These times should keep pace with
3 seniors Joe Schmidt and John t nam
bers and Junior John Scherer. Thest
three were a few feet behind B ewstei
and had fine 85-86 efforts which placed
them high in the Big Ten.
Schmidt will also be the main con
tender in the 3000-meter steeplechast,
where he earned All-Big Ten honors
during the '85 season.
"WE'RE NOT pulling a lot of
recruits, but we're trying to beet up
ta dia-a --p haetie wa,-a a
46.61 last March and ran one of the
hottest third legs in the 1600-meter
relay the school has ever seen.
Adding depth to the middle distawi
ces will be sophomores Claude tiller
and Matt Butler as well as senior Bill
Davis and junior Rollie Hudson Tiller
and Davis, who competed with David
son in the 1600-meter relay will
probably fill out the ranks again.
FIFTH YEAR senior Thomas
W itcher, will be back for the Blue
during the outdoor season to cover the
hurdles. The two time All-American
easily blew past his competition in the
NCAA indoor 55-meter hurdle finals
last March, capturing the crown and
winning the event in 7.22. His victory
marks the first time a Wolverine has
von an NCAA title.
Senior triple-jump champ Butch
Starmack will also be contending for
All American honors. Starmack, a
walk-on, narrowly missed qualifying
for the indoor NCAA's during the '86
season If his progress is any in-
dicator he should have little difficulty
with the last inch necessary to
quality
Aiding Starmack in the field events
will oe .ophomore J ,J rant, whose
st rength in both the shot and discus
place him among the top in the Big
'en Like Wilcher Grant plays foot-
ball
in the spriting events, the squad
falls a bit short relying on the
younger talent ot sophomores Wiley
Boulding an Ted Harris. These two
clocked 6 49 and 6 53 respectively in
the 60-yard dash and should be joined
by a few new recruits. according to
coach Harvey.
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