Softball at Notre Dame Tomorrow, 2 p.m. Notre Dame S RTS Baseball vs. Siena Heights Today, 1 p.m. Fisher Stadium 'M' baseball regains offensive punch Wolverines kick off Big Ten season; take two of four from Hoosiers By RYAN WHITE DAILY BASEBALL WRITER Michigan baseball coach Bill Freehan isn't sure how to react to his team splitting its two weekend double- headers against Indiana in Bloomington. Saturday, the Wolverines (2-2 Big Ten, 6-12 overall) lost game one of the series, 3-2, but rebounded to crush the Hoosiers (2-2, 19-5), 13-3, in the second game. The two teams also split Sunday's twin bill with Michigan winning the first game, 3-0, and Indiana taking the series finale, 8-1. "To come out of Indiana, with a split - I guess I'm not totally un- happy," Freehan said. "I thought overall we improved, and our start- ing pitching was good to outstand- ing, but we had chances to win ev- ery game." Both Ray Ricken (1-3) and Ron S* a* Hollis (2-3) threw five-hit complete game victories for the Wolverines. Ricken's win came in game two of the series, and Hollis tossed a shut- out in game three. It was Hollis' first career shutout and his first Big Ten start since May I of last season against Ohio State. His season ended last year when he was diagnosed with phlebitis. Heath Murray (1-3) picked up the game one loss, and Chris Newton (0- 1) took the defeat in the fourth game. "Hollis pitched outstanding and Ricken pitched very well considering the conditions (rainy and sloppy)," Freehan said. "Newton, and Murray also pitched well for us." Saturday's second game saw the return of Michigan's bats, which had been lost the weekend before against Arizona State. The Wolverines ex- ploded for 13 runs on 14 hits, including a grand slam by second baseman Ryan Van Oeveren in a six-run third inning. In Sunday's 3-0 win, catcher Matt Fluery led Michigan by going 2-for-3 and knocking in two runs. Once again the Wolverines big- gest problem was defense. After com- mitting eight errors in three games two weekends ago against Arizona State, Michigan lowered the number of mistakes to five in four games. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, four were in the same contest- the fourth game. The fifth error came late in the first game and gave Indiana the chance to win. "We let two games get away," Freehan said. "For us to be a good baseball team we have to make the most of our opportunities." Michigan takes a break from Big Ten action today to open the home season at Fisher Stadium with a doubleheader against Siena Heights (8-15) beginning at 1 p.m. "(Siena Heights) has a very good program," Freehan said. "They'll give us a good battle." The Wolverines, who are 18-0 against the Saints, will send Matt Ferullo (1-1, 3.86 ERA) and Matt Humbles (1-3, 5.00) to the mound today. With four games against Michi- gan State coming up this weekend, Freehan is going to be making a num- ber of different personnel moves. "I'll probably use a lot of different pitchers and players," he said. "I won't be using the pitchers that are going this weekend as much as I normally would." After spending more than a month on the road, Freehan and his club are looking forward to finally playing at Fisher. "It will be nice to play on our home field," he said. "Hopefully the weather will cooperate." Matt Ferullo takes the mound in today's home opener vs. Siena Heights. Softball splits six games Ill California tourneyt A 4Ye Outdoor debut a success for women's track BY BOB ABRAMSON DAILY SPORTS WRITER The Michigan softball team com- pleted the tournament portion of its season this past weekend with a strong showing at the Cellular One Capital One Classic in Sacramento, Calif. The Wolverines (12-12) went 3-3 in the tournament, losing to eventual cham- pion California, 5-3, in eight innings. "The kids know they are playing well," Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. "We are starting to peak." After going scoreless through the first six innings, Michigan collected three runs in the top of the seventh off Californiapitcher Anne Walsh. Cheryl Pearcy singled in Kelly Kovach for a 1-0 lead, and a subsequent single by Mary Campana brought in Jennifer Smith and Cheryl Pearcy to stretch Michigan's lead. In the bottom of the seventh, the Bears stormed back to collect three runs off Kovach, sending the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth, Kovach surrendered a one- out, two-run homerto Melanie McCart *to give the Bears the victory. "We were outstanding against California," Hutchins said. "We had timely hitting, but we just couldn't hold them down any longer. Kovach was just tired." Kovach's start against California represented her second pitching outing of the day. Kovach pitched a 3-0 shut- out against Pacific earlier on Saturday to help catapult the Wolverines into the second round of championship play against California. Kovach (7-7) struck out 27 batters in 30 innings in the tournament, pick- ing up two shutouts, one save, and was named to the all-tournament team. The Wolverines got off to a good start in the pool play portion of the tournament on Thursday and Friday, winning its first two games. Kovach threw a 1-0 shutout over Sacramento State. Michigan's lone run came on a fourth-inning RBI double from freshman Jessica Lang. Against Connecticut, Michigan trailed 2-0 heading into the sixth inning. But three runs in the bottom half of the inning gave Michigan a 3-2 lead, and Kovach earned the save with her sev- enth inning appearance. Freshman Kelly Holmes (5-4) got the win. In the other games, Michigan lost to Toledo, 1-0, Hawaii, 12-8. Here is the remaining schedule for the Michigan baseball team: March 29 Siena Heights (DH) 1 p.r April *2 at Michigan State (DH) 1 . *3 Michigan State (DH) 1. p.r 5 Eastern Michigan 3 p.r 6 at Western Michigan 3 p.r *9 at Penn State (DH) Noor *10 at Penn State (DH) Noo 13 Notre Dame 3 p.r *16 Iowa (DH) 1 p. 19 Detroit Mercy 3 p. 20 at Eastern Michigan 3 p. 23 Ferris State (DH) 1 p.r *30 Ohio State (DH) 1.p. May *1 Ohio State (DH) 1 p- 3 at Ferris State 1 p.rr 4 at Central Michigan 3 p.i *7 Minnesota (DH) I p.i *8 Minnesota (DH) 1 p. 10 at Saginaw Valley 7 pa 11L Xavier 2. p.ir *14 at Illinois (DH) 1 p.r *15 at Illinois (PH) 1 p.r .m. n. m. i. llm. P.M rn. MI. .m 11. m. i. By DOUG STEVENS DAILY SPORTS WRITER After an indoor season that brought the Michigan women's track and field team a Big Ten title and a seventh place national standing, the Wolver- ines hit the "great outdoors" for the first meet of the spring season. The team's two week respite concluded this weekend as they headed to the deep South for the Alabama Relays. Although the meet lacked the pres- tige of the NCAAs, the Alabama Re- lays had its share of respected competi- tion. The field included national indoor champion Louisiana State, and power- houses Alabama and Tennessee. However, the Wolverines didn't back down to the rest of the field, as many of the athletes achieved per- sonal bests in their respective events. Two weeks after winning the na- tional championship in the distance medley relay, the Wolverines won both the 4 x 800- and 4 x 1500-meter relays in Alabama. "The runners really had to con- tend with a wind which affected their times," assistantcoach Mike McGuire said. "We are capable of 30 seconds faster in the 4 x 1500." The Wolverines showed the coun- try that their strengths spread beyond the track by turning in fine perfor- mances in thejavelin, discus and shot put. Carrie Stewart won the javelin with a 155.10 foot throw, a distance that provisionally qualified her for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. While Rhonda Meyers and Jayne Greiner each got personal bests in the discus and shot put respectively. Also turning in a strong performance was Laura Jerman. She placed fourth in the heptathlon with apersonal best 5120 points, which was good enough for NCAA provisional qualifier status. In addition, Jerman finished in second in the 400-meter hurdles with a school record time of 1:00.33. "We had a good opening meet," McGuire said. "It is just a matter of making the transition outside. We have to get back in the saddle and get going." "..i'i T."t 19-22 Big Ten Tournament at Battle Creek~ Home games at Fisher Stadium in bold * Denotes Big Ten conference games m ia W~iING WIT. APTbI 150 Wings $3.25/Pitcher Any Bud Famsily 665-7777 1807701 zi The world's largest student & youth travel organization STA TRAVEL 1220 S. 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