Softball
vs. Michigan State (DH)
Today, 3 p.m.
Alumni Field

SPORTS

Baseball
vs. Siena Heights (DH)
Tomorrow, 1 p.m.
Fisher Stadium

K-

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Three in a row
Wolverine hitters sweep doubleheader at Penn State

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by Michael Rosenberg
Daily Baseball Writer
Back in 79 A.D., when Mt. Vesu-
vius erupted in Pompeii and killed
10,000 people, nobody really ex-
pected it. The same could be said for
the Michigan baseball team's offen-
sive explosion yesterday at Penn
State.
The Wolverines (3-9 Big Ten, 9-
24 overall) scored 24 runs in 14 in-
nings to sweep the doubleheader.
The Nittany Lions fell to 2-10 in the
conference and 10-15 on the year.
Michigan has won three straight
and four of five. The last time that
happened, the ashes from Vesuvius
were still being cleaned up.
Significantly, the Wolverines
committed no errors in either game.
They have not fielded well all year,
and were errorless in only three of
their first 27 games.
Eric Heintschel (2-4) recorded
Michigan's first shutout of the sea-
son in the first game, an 8-0 Wolver-

DOUGLAS KANTEF[C
The Michigan baseball team put its erroneous ways behind it yesterday. By playing two error free games against
Penn State secured Michigan's second and third Big Ten victory of the season.

ine triumph. Having not blanked
anyone since he beat Ohio State a
year ago for Michigan's only victory
over the Buckeyes of that season,
Heintschel allowed only five Penn
State base runners.
Scott Niemec's fifth-inning sin-
gle, which scored Matt Copp and
Scott Weaver, broke a 0-0 deadlock.
In the next inning, Chad Chapman
hit an RBI single to increase the lead
to 3-0.
Soon after that, the Wolverines
received their first lucky break of the
season.
With the bases loaded, Pat Mal-
oney lofted a fly ball to centerfield,
which managed to drop in. All three
runners crossed the plate, giving
Michigan a six-run lead. Sean Cos-
ton's two-run homer in the seventh
completed the scoring.
Coston's shot marked an irony of
sorts for the Wolverines. Coston had
entered the game in place of desig-
nated hitter Nate Holdren, who just
came back from knee surgery. All
year long, Michigan coach Bill
Freehan has been waiting anxiously
for Holdren, who hit a team-high
seven home runs in 1992, to bring
some power into the lineup. Holdren
finally plays, and it is his replace-
ment who provides the punch.
Jeff Burris (3-2) took the loss for
the Nittany Lions. He pitched a
complete game, giving up eight runs,
only four of which were earned.
Michigan's second game pro-
vided even more offense. After go-
ing scoreless in the top of the first,
the Wolverines scored in every in-
ning thereafter.
Ron Hollis (2-5) earned ... well,
was credited with the victory for
Michigan. Hollis gave up seven
runs, all earned, in just 4-1/3 innings
for the Wolverines.
But it didn't matter because the

Michigan bats were hotter than they,
have been all season. Niemen,
stroked an RBI single in the top ofr
the second. He ended up 5-for-6
with two walks and three RBIs ow
the day. Maloney then knocked in,
two with a triple and scored on th,
Winterlee
t..
next play when Scott Winterlee hj$,
into a fielder's choice. Penn Stag,
scored in the bottom of the second.
Holdren hit a two-run home run'
in the third, his first of the year. That
put Michigan up 7-1. The Lions re-
sponded with four of their own to
come within 7-5.
That was as close as they would
come. Michigan scored nine runs in
the next four innings, while Penn
State could muster only two.
Almost every Wolverine con-
tributed to the barrage. Chad Chap-
man hit a three run home run in the
6th. Winterlee did the same an in-
ning later. Rodney Goble pulled off
a rarity, hitting a double in the 6t&i
and a triple in the 7th.
Matt Dalsey (0-1), who let up
eight earned runs, took the loss for
the Nittaany Lions. Penn State's-
Dean Kerns went four innings,
giving up four runs on nine hits.

'M' volleyball prevails over Chippewas

by Erin Himstedt
Daily Sports Writer
It took a while to get started, but
once the momentum got rolling, the
Michigan men's volleyballteam was
unstoppable.
After losing their first game to
Central Michigan (CMU) at Keen
Arena Friday night, the Wolverines
came back to deny the Chippewas
the next three games, and ultimately
take the match.
With memories of last' week's
disappointing losses to Michigan
State and Notre Dame fresh in their
minds, the home win was sweet to
the spikers.
"It was the difference between
night and day between last weekend
and this weekend," Michigan coach
Pam Griffin said. "It was nice to see
them pull together and win. It was a
nice, positive end to the home sea-
son."
CMU brought a team composed
of both its 'A' and 'B' team
members. Although not as strong as
at the Midwest Intercollegiate Vol-
leyball Association (MIVA) finals,
CMU provided a respectable chal-
lenge for the Wolverines.
"This is not the same group of
guys we played at MIVAs. They've
got half their A team and half their B
team here," Griffin said. "They just
weren't as strong, but they've still
got some of their same players,
though, who in my opinion didn't
play as well as they played at
MIVAs. They're a decent team."
The Wolverines came out strong
in the first game, establishing a 10-2
lead. Hopes of an easy win disap-
peared quickly, however, when the
Chippewas rallied to win, 15-11.
Despite this early loss, the Wol-
verines said they remained confident.

"I knew we weren't playing our
best, so I knew we'd pick it up a
lot." setter Stan Lee said. "I was
down in the way that we lost the
first game, but you have to stay up
with these; you can't give up. You
just have to try harder the next

game. I knew the next game would
come out differently. I think we still
had the confidence. We knew we had
to work harder to come back."
Defensive specialist Chris Pierce
agreed that this preliminary setback
was due more to a Michigan lapse

agreed that this preliminary setback
was due more to a Michigan lapse
than Chippewa strength.
"We let down; I don't think they
played any better," Peirce said. "I
think it was all us, so when we de-
cided to play better, we did."
However, following the defeat in
the first game, Michigan controlled
the rest of the match. Griffin said
she was impressed with the improve-
ment her players made throughout
the evening.
"I think that they made a lot of
progress from the first game to the
last game, in just their whole level
of play. ... Everyone pretty much
had a good night after that first game
got that out of our system."
Once again this weekend, the
middle position was critical to the
Wolverines' success.
"Our middles (were our greatest
strength)," Griffin said. "Todd Cof-
fey played very well tonight. His
hitting percentage was probably
close to .800. The biggest difference
is that Stan set the middles a lot
more, and the middles executed. We
worked on that in practice this
week."
The middle hitters' impressive
performances compensated for less
than satisfactory passing. Griffin
noted passing as a target for team
improvement going into next week's
national championships.
"Passing was the biggest down-
fall tonight, because if the passing
isn't there, Stan can't set the middle,
and we can't go with our game
plan," Griffin said. "Passing is really
key, and it just wasn't there. The
passing still wasn't very good, but
the middles managed to turn around
and execute ... that made the differ-
ence."

Softball hosts Spartans,
readies for stretch drive."

SUSAN ISAAK/Daily
Wolverine Chad Stielstra turns away a Central Michigan attacker. His team
turned away the Chippewas in four games last Friday.


Ihltch may still decide to
leave Tiger Stadium

by Charlie Breitrose
Daily Softball Writer
It's crunch time.
The Michigan softball team
likely has no more leeway if it is to
win its second consecutive Big Ten
title.
The No. 15 Wolverines (4-2 Big
Ten, 18-6 overall) begin their re-
newed effort against the team just up
the road - Michigan State (2-6, 7-
16). The Spartans and Wolverines
clash twice today. The first game
begins at 3 p.m. at Michigan's
Alumni Field.
Michigan is coming off a week-
end split in Evanston, where North-
western won two close games on
Saturday, 3-1 and 1-0. Michigan
center fielder Kari Kunnen said the
team had trouble executing the in-
tangibles.
"Defensively we had a couple
mental mistakes that shouldn't have
happened," Kunnen said. "And that
got runners on base and probably got
our pitchers nervous.
"If you get people on, they can
score, and that's what we can't do. A
few errors and stuff like that got
(Northwestern runners) on and kept
them in the ballgame. We just
couldn't get our runners in."
However, there is a bright side to
the losses. Kunnen said the North-
western series should motivate the
team. .
"It's a tough loss, but I think it
will make us a stronger team," Kun-
nen said. "I know everybody's going
to come back strong."
Michigan State arrives in Ann
Arbor after being swept in four
games by first-place Iowa. The Spar-
tans, who finished in a tie for last
place in the Big Ten last year at 4-22
and 6-38 overall, have already im-
proved on their total wins from a
year ago.
Michigan State has a very young
squad. Senior Shelly Wynn and her
2.79 earned run average leads the
Spartans and has both of their con-
e- -- - -- _ __ _ . ." . _. --., .. ..,-

Kunnen warns against taking the
Spartans lightly.
"Any team can beat any team q
anytime (in the Big Ten)," Kunneg
said. "Michigan State in recent years
hasn't been very intimidating to the
Big Ten, but they still can beat us.
They beat Iowa last year.
"So we have to go in there fight.
ing every inning, just like (MSU will
do)."
Senior Kelly Forbis and sopho-
more Kelly Kovach make up a
formidable barrier for opposing bats
ters. The Wolverine pitchers may be
the most dominant duo in the con-
ference.
"Most teams have one ace pitcher
and another one or two backups,!
Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said:
"But in our case we have two num-
ber one (pitchers). I think that makes
us the toughest."
Forbis had her seven-game win-
ning streak stopped on Saturday with
the 3-1 loss.
The Michigan bats have bee*
producing, with three players ovei.
.300 - Kari Kunnen, Patti Benedict
Michigan State in
recent years hasn't
been very intimidating
to the Big Ten, but
they still can beat us.
-Kari Kunnen
Michigan softball player

I

DETROIT (AP) - Detroit

Tigers owner and pizza magnate
Mike Ilitch said earlier he hasn't de-
cided whether to build a new ball-
park, but there are signs he is pursu-
ing the notion.
He has hired architects and plan-
ners with expertise in ballparks and
shopping districts to study his vision
of a possible new park and more de-
veloped Fox Theater district.
Before Ilitch can move either the
Tigers or his Red Wings hockey
team, he would have to get out of
leases that tie the Tigers to their
current ballpark on Michigan and
Trumbull and the Red Wings to Joe
Louis Arena. Both leases run until
2008.
"They really have got top-notch
people. It lends credence to the fact
that (Ilitch) is seriously studying the
alternatives" said Larry Marantette,

ing proposals for an Ilitch-created
entertainment district that would in-
clude a ballpark not far from the his-
toric Fox Theater, which Ilitch reno-
vated and made home to his Little
Caesars Enterprises offices.
Ilitch° also hired Chicago-based
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
architects and planners to create a
master plan for the district around
the Fox Theater. Ilitch also retained
HOK Sports Facilities of Kansas
City, Mo. - the nation's top
designer of baseball stadiums - to
study a new park.
He hired Birmingham architect
Victor Saroki to explore the design
of a shopping district near the Fox.
A new ballpark is projected to
cost about $150 million or more and
take three years to build.

01

and Tracey Carr - including Bene'
dict's astounding .462 average"
Benedict leads the team with her 36
hits, and has an impressive sluggin
statistic. Her four doubles and sevdi
triples contribute to her .692 slug-
ging percentage.
Hutchins says her team needs
keep its consistency.
"The key (to beating MSU) is f6r
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