Softball
vs.Wayne State
Today, 3 p.m.
Varsity Diamond
The Michigan Daily
SPORTS
Baseball
vs. Northwestern
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Ray Fisher Stadium
Wednesday, March 29, 1989
Page 9
Softball
team set
togo in
opener
BY PETER ZELLEN
Opening Day is always
exciting and the Michigan softball
team is caught up in the frenzy -
ready to face Wayne State in their
home opener today.
"I don't feel nervous yet I'll get
nervous by the game," said senior
centerfielder and captain Beth
Mueller.
The eighth-ranked Wolverines
are coming back from an 18-6
spring road trip in California and
New Mexico and are raring to face
Wayne State.
"I'm excited," said junior
pitcher-thirdbaseman Jenny Allard.
"We're all pumped to play and
we're up and confident due to our
spring trip. We hope that contin-
ues and we'll keep feeling good."
Coach Carol Hutchins enters
her fifth season at Michigan with
a career record of 128-74. She
looks forward to the game.
"Wayne State's always a good pro-
gram and they'll be pumped up
and fired up to play us," Hutchins
said.
Hutchins' outlook for the
team's play is that of tremendous
confidence. "We're proud and we're
looking ahead to play hard," said
the coach.
Starting for the Wolverines in
the opener should be sophomore
Andrea Nelson. Over the spring,
the righthander compiled a record
of 14-1 with. a team-leading 0.95
ERA. The Ann Arbor native has
'given up only 74 hits and 18
walks in 103 innings.
Another asset that Nelson
provides is emotion. "It's her
'mental toughness," Hutchins said.
"Andrea just wants to win so bad
and the pitcher on the mound has a
lot to do with a team's person-
ality."
Offensively, the Wolverines are
batting .272 as a team with Allard
leading the squad at .359 with 15
RBIs. Second is Mueller with a
.350 average and a team-leading
four homers and 16 ribbies.
First pitch is at 3:00.
FALCONS AND WEATHERMAN TEAM UP IN BLUE LOSS
BGSU soaks Michigan 8-0
BY DAVID HYMAN
Call the Michigan baseball team's loss to Bowling
Green yesterday a washout - literally.
With the Falcons leading 2-0 after six and one-third
innings, the game was held for a 59 minute rain delay.
After the teams returned, Bowling Green (9-2)
responded with five more runs in the seventh inning
on way to a 8-0 victory. The game was called with
two outs in the top of the ninth due to darkness.
Even before the first pitch was thrown, it was easy
to see the weather would play a factor in deciding
yesterday's affair. The flags in centerfield were blowing
fiercely towards rightfield and accounted for one of the
four Michigan hits - Phil Price's double, which car-
ried to short rightfield after heading for straight center.
"I think the weather affected both of us," Michigan
coach Bud Middaugh said. "We just weren't effective
after the rain delay and they were."
Many people wondered why the game continued
after the long rain delay as it was getting dark, but
Middaugh explained, "The field was playable and you
try to play as many innings as you can."
First-year pitcher Jason Pfaff (0-2) started strong
with three strikeouts retiring the first six batters in a
row. However, he took the loss, for the 12-5
Wolverines, pitching five and one-third innings with
one earned run on four strikeouts and four hits,
receiving no runs from his teammates.
"He was pitching behind batters and I didn't like
that, but it didn't hurt him until he gave up a few
walks," Middaugh said.
Pfaff said: "I was feeling uncomfortable out there. I
think the coach expects me to pitch better, but he was
happy with my performance today."
Bowling Green opened the scoring in the top of the
third when catcher Daren Stiles singled to rightfield.
He scored on a fielder's choice after a walk and a
sacrifice.
Sophomore Jeff Tanderys relieved Pfaff and pitched
only one inning giving up one earned run. Bullpen ace
John Locker then relieved Tanderys moments before
the delay, walking the first batter to load the bases, and
an RBI single by Brian Koelling started the scoring.
After the delay, Locker walked the next two batters,
and hit a batter, before a single by first baseman Greg
Lashuk - extending his hitting streak to 11 games -
cleared the bases.
Locker was relieved by junior Rick Leonard, who
made his first appearance of the season. "I thought he
threw very well," Middaugh said. "He is going to get
some more time in the future."
DAVID LUBLINER/Daily
Michigan coach Bud Middaugh cannot be smiling after watching his
Wolverines fall 8-0 to the Bowling Green Falcons. Middaugh was not
the only one to have to stand around. The game, including a 59 minute
rain delay, lasted three hours and 43 minutes before being called.
AL
EAST:
In this declining division, the Blue
Jays should be chirping in October
eiiW gp uWW
np\n
BY PETER ZELLEN
Remember when it took 100 wins
to take the American League East?
Until a few seasons ago, this was the
case, but alas, that was then, this is
now.
When writers and fans alike use to
predict this division, they always had
trouble because there was just so
much talent. Up until 1987, no AL
East team had won the divisional
title more than once in the 1980's.
Now they have trouble picking the
winner because no one is capable of
dominating the A.L. East. All the
teams are just kind of, you know,
there. Nowadays, you can only count
on the Indians for consistency -they
always lose.
Michigan Daily
SPORTS
763-0376
In order of projected finish, here
comes the American League East:
Toronto Blue Jays - You can ne-
ver be comfortable about this team.
They have the talent but it's this
Canadian thing. They choked in the
'85 playoffs and handed the division
to the Tigers in '87 after losing their
last three games. With the Expos
losing the playoffs in 1981, it's ob-
vious that Canada is destined never to
have a team in.the World Series.
Milwaukee Brewers - They're a
good team and a young team and
that's probably why they won't win.
They've got good players but outside
of Robin Yount and Ted Higuera
they have no great players. Shortstop
Gary Sheffield is the next Willie
Mays wanna-be.
Boston Re d
Sox - On Opening
Day at Fenway,
the television cam-
era will pan the
Red Sox dugout
and all the players
will be reading
Penthouse at diff-
erent angles, try-,
ing to get the best
view of Margo's Bog g s
behind. Except for
Boggs, of course. he'll be hitting
.350.
New York Yankees - A funny
thing happened to me on the way to
Yankee Stadium. I went there to buy
some tickets so I got in line. When I
moved up towards the front, I saw
that they were handing out uniforms
and a ball. They led us all to the
mound and watched while we threw.
One of the scouts came up to me and
mumbled something about Opening
school commit-
ment but then this
portly man in a
suit started writing
out a check and...
Detroit Tigers
- Can they do it a-
gain like they did
in '87? You know ;
those Mars Black- s
man Nike com- f
mercials? He looks
at Alan Trammell
and says "Can." John
He looks at Pat
Sheridan and says "Can't." Then he
looks at the team and says "NO"
Sparky's magic wand has run dry.
Cleveland Indians - They're
underrated, but not close to winning
the division. They traded for a bunch
of new faces in Pete O'Brien and
Oddibe McDowell in order to spark
their offense. They'll help but not
Day and hating Tommy John.
plained to them about
I ex-
my
enough for the 90-95 wins it will
take to go to the playoffs. I didn't in-
clude a joke here, but that's because
it's Cleveland.
Baltimore Orioles - They were so
much fun last year. Losing their first
21 games. Having three Ripkens on
the team. Letterman jokes. The
whole deal. Then they had to get ser-
ious and start trading for prospects.
This plan might just work yet as the
Birds are looking to be competitive
by the 2018 season.
However, all these teams could
finish as much as two places either
way. Likely candidates are the
Indians and Orioles - who could
place as high as fourth and fifth. The
Yankees might be the grimmest pos-
sibility. If Winfield can't come back
and their questionable pitching staff
fails, then the Bronx Bombers and
their manager (whoever he is) could
be in serious trouble come the end of
the season.
presents
An Evening with.
M Thursday, March 30
Survivors 730pmae"
This evening's presentation will explore education
outside the classroom. What is learned and unlearned
by being a survivor of the Holocaust?
Hillel does not necessarily endorse the D opinion or agree with its editorial policies.
The LSA Student Government
Speaker Series Presents:
Sponsored by Ih% MLnigan Student Assembly
Dr. Arthur
Schlesinger
Former Advisor to President John F.
Kennedy, Pulitzer Prize Winner
Wednesday, March 29
8:00 pm - Power Center
Admission is Free
EY!XL~L EKli I P ! X R L I"Qf]E] E [[LiL1~il 3 J ( i]
JOSTENS
GOLD RING SALE
IS COMING!
Come Laugh With Us!!
LALTGIFf RACK
Stand U'p Comediv
PRESENTS THE HILARIOUS COMEDY OF
GARY HARDWICK
With Student Comedians
Rich Eisen and Laurence Rosenburg
with your host
Rich Eisen
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Women's Glee Club
presents its
Annual Spring Concert
with
*Madrigals *Harmonettes
ea 60's medley eM Songs
~Jh 1
Friday,
March 31
Rackham
Order your college ring NOW.
Stop by and see a Jostens representative,
Wednesday, March 29-thru Friday, March 31,