The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 4, 1986-- Page 9

FIVE SENIORS TAKE CHARGE
Aretha Frankness
Pitchersheadline softball squa ByDave Aretha



By DARREN JASEY
In their ninth year of play, the 1987
version of Michigan softball just might
be the one to bring home their first
Big Ten Championship.
It is not as if the Wolverines have
not been successful. Michigan has
never experienced a losing record.
Two years ago it finished second in
the Big Ten, and last season it finished
with a "disappointing" 32-17 record,
according to head coach Carol Hur-
chins.
THE FIFTH-YEAR coach feels that
last year's slide from an 11-4 start and
a 15th ranking in the national polls to a
mediocore 12-12 Big Ten mark,
provided the young Wolverines with
valuable experience.
"We know that (last year) we could
have done better," said Hutchins.
"We're returning everyone from last
year's squad so that experience
should make us a much better team."
With another full year of softball
under their belts, Michigan's five
seniors - Vicki Morrow, Martha
Rogers, Alicia Seegert, Julie Clark,
and Mari Foster - provide a valuable
core of leadership and talent.
THE PITCHING staff will include
three of those seniors plus junior
Michelle Bolster. Morrow, whose 15-7
record was not indicative of the kind
of season she had in 1986, will anchor
an excellent pitching staff. With two
no-hitters and 0.45 ERA to her credit
last year, Morrow is certainly con-
sidered one of the Big Ten's best.
Clark and Foster compliment the
pitching power of Bolster and Morrow
with their crafty off-speed variety of
pitches. In her role as reliever and
spot starter Clark notched a sen-
sational 7-1 record and 0.82 ERA in
1986.
Pitching was definitely Michigan's
strength last year but hitting was not.
"WE DIDN'T execute real well of-
fensively," said Hutchins. "We didn't
execute bunts and we didn't get the
key hits."
As a team, Michigan's batting
average hovered around the .200 level
last season. Of their 17 losses, 13 of
them by one run. The Michigan
batting leaders were Seegert (.353, 5
HR, 27 RBI), Morrow (.342, 2, 22) and
Pam Wright (.293). After that you
have to look .100 points down the bat-

ting ladder to find the next highest
average.
Hutchins expects that to improve.
Sophomores Pam Wright, Nan Payne,
and Mary Ann Daviera all contributed
heavily as freshmen. Each should bet-
ter last season's batting statistics.
Also, slick-fielding infielder Rogers
should regain the form that put her in
the Big Ten's top twenty hitters in
1985.
The most prolific Michigan slugger
of the past three years has been Alicia
Seegert. As a freshman, the catcher
led the Big Ten with a .418 average.
Last year she was a first-team All-Big
Ten selection for the second time.
Her senior year could be the one that
will see her break numerous Michigan
batting records.
Maybe this is Michigan's year.
They have the leadership of five
capable seniors and a group of talen-
ted underclassmen to boot. But if it's
not, Morrow and Seegert - two of
Michigan's finest players ever -- will
help make 1987 a memorable one for
Michigan softball.

Michigan sports fans...
...not just afootball fan
S O WHAT are you gonna do on the weekends this fall? You'll
have a lot of free time, I imagine. Gonna be a true Maize 'n Blue and
check out the Michigan sports action?
No, I mean besides football. I'm talking about the hard-driving
"spikes" and "kills" of volleyball, the funky finesse of field hockey, and.
the quiet intensity of golf and cross country.
Bet you can't wait to cash in on all the chills and thrills, huh?
What't that? You say you can't make it to any "minor" sporting even-
ts? Not even in the winter for women's basketball and gymnastics, or in
the spring for softball and tennis? You say you have better things to do?
Oh. Well, okay. That's fine. I guess these sports teams will just have to
play by themselves. That's alright.
I mean, it's not like they're not used to it. It's not like the softball team
isn't used to fielding more people than it draws. It's not like the women
basketball players haven't grown accustomed to filling one-and-a-half
percent of Crisler Arena-many of those are Girl Scouts on a field trip.
It's not like these athletes aren't used to being snubbed by virtually the
entire Michigan student body.
M' tennis titles 17, fans 0
Just try not to worry that the tennis team, winners of 17 Big Ten cham-
pionships in 19 years, gets so little fan support that it can't Afford line
judges or even scorers.
"Is it 40-15?" asks Michigan's Dan Goldberg, one of the best amateur
tennis players in the country.
"Um... I think it's 30-30," replies his opponent.
"30-30? But your last shot went out."
"But I thought it hit the line."
"'I don't think so.
They look into the Little League-style bleachers for clarification. The
five fans who are awake weren't paying attention.
"Alright," says Goldberg, "30-30 then."
It's hard to run a top-flight program with this kind of school spirit. I
mean, Goldberg's mother's girdle gives more support than Michigan's
students.
But I understand. You have "better things to do."
Just try not to think though, about the senior cross country runner as he
breaks the tape for his first career win-only to be greeted by a few half-
hearted hand claps.
3650 miles per year, and then .. .
The poor runner. He's been waiting four years for this moment. He's
trained more than a football player can imagine, running 10 miles every
day. EVERY day. 3650 miles a year for four years. He's run more than
half way around the world so that maybe, just maybe, he could one day
feel the jubilation of victory.
And where are all the Michigan supporters to congratulate him? They
couldn't make it because they had "better things to do."
But that's okay, I'm sure his dog stillloves him.
Don't think I'm trying to make you feel guilty or anything-even though
you are Michigan students and these are your teams. I'm sure you really
will have better things to do (like get drunk on Goebel's, watch "The
Monkees" reruns on MTV, and eat Pop Tarts.
It's okay, though. The teams will continue to play by themselves, as
always.
Like I said, it's alright.
Just break these athletes' hearts.
Go ahead. Be that way.

Seege rt
... batting leader

Daily Photo by SCOTT LITUCHY

After a pair of no hitters in 1985 along with a 0.45 ERA, senior Vicki
Morrow will be the kingpin on the Wolverine's talented pitching staff.


B>

THE SPORTING VIEWS

Middaugh and
Berenson .. .
a I



of

styles contrast

MMMOMMM"

By SCOTT G. MILLER

JOB SECURITY BASED ON
whether on not a 19-year-old
delivers the crucial base hit or stops a
hockey puck is tenuous. It takes a
special breed to be a college coach.
Two with the right stuff at Michigan
are hockey coach Red Berenson and
baseball coach Bud Middaugh.
Both employ differing styles.
Berenson is a quiet technician, who
paces behind the bench and offers ad-
vice to players when necessary. A
Bobby Knight clone, he is not.
His demeanor developed as coach
of the St. Louis Blues. For guiding the
Blues to their best record in franchise
history, Berenson won NHL Coach-of-
the Year honors in 1980-81. The team
expressed its gratitude the next
season by handing him a pink slip.
Coaching in the NHL was the
culmination of 17 years as a
professional athlete. Berenson earned
All-American honors in 1961 and 1962
with the Wolverines. After the com-
pletion of his senior year, he became
the first college player to directly step
into the NHL.
Middaugh, on the other hand, is
flamboyant. Whether in the dugout or
in the coaches box, he is vocal.
Discipline is important both on and
off the field.
Middaugh, like Berenson, was a

college athlete. He played shortstop
for Miami of Ohio. Unlike Berenson,
he never achieved his professional
aspirations. He coached three years
in high school before returning to his
alma mater. He has guided the
Wolverines for the past seven season-
s.
Despite differing styles, both men
hate to lose. Berenson's first two
seasons as coach at Michigan have
been difficult for the fierce com-
petitor. Both campaigns were losing
ones. After a loss to Ferris State last
year, an upset Berenson gave a press
conference in an adjacent pitch-dark
rink.
Middaugh believes there is little to
gain through losing. "You play me in
badminton or croquet or whatever
you want to play me in, I'm going to
beat you," he said. "I don't care who
you are or where you're from. I am
going to try to beat you anyhow."
This philosophy accounted for the
Wolverines 19-2 record in one-run
games last year. He consistently finds
a way to win. As a result Michigan
has won four Big Ten Championships
in the last six years.
While others bring athletes to
school to major in eligibility and fat-

ten their won-loss record, Berenson
and Middaugh recruit student
athletes, not just athletes. Education
is a priority. Both men know how hard
it is to become a professional athlete.
They try to prepare their players for
the future.
Berenson earned a BBA and an
MBA at Michigan. He expects his
players to challenge themselves in
the classroom. Seven of his eight
recruits for the coming season will
enroll in LSA.
Some of Middaugh's recruits never
enroll, opting instead for the minor
leagues. Baseball players can be
drafted as high school seniors and
college juniors. Maybe the toughest
part of Middaugh's job is watching
would-be seniors leave. All Middaugh
can do is offer advice and hope the
player returns to get his degree if he
fails to make the major leagues.
Stories of coaches cheating and
NCAA investigations permeate the
news. At times it seems a coach has to
cheat to achieve success. Berenson
and Middaugh prove that theory
wrong. Both are winners. Their
coaching ability, hard work, and in-
terest in athletes as people reflect the
positive side of college athletics.


-q___
=7

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BEST in Maize 'n' Blue
University of Michigan
clothinggifts & souvenirs.
Wide selection.
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The Michigan Shop,
First Floor.
341 East Liberty,
at Division Street
The Michigan Shop,
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