100%

Scanned image of the page. Keyboard directions: use + to zoom in, - to zoom out, arrow keys to pan inside the viewer.

Page Options

Download this Issue

Share

Something wrong?

Something wrong with this page? Report problem.

Rights / Permissions

This collection, digitized in collaboration with the Michigan Daily and the Board for Student Publications, contains materials that are protected by copyright law. Access to these materials is provided for non-profit educational and research purposes. If you use an item from this collection, it is your responsibility to consider the work's copyright status and obtain any required permission.

April 11, 1994 - Image 19

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 1994-04-11

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 11, 1994 - 19

'M' softball drills Northwestern
Michigan breaks .500 mark with four game sweep of Wildcats

By MELANIE SCHUMAN
DAILY SOFTBALL WRITER
The challenge of crushing
Northwestern's Big Ten hopes in its
conference debut was motivation
enough for the Michigan softball team.
The Wolverines (6-2 Big Ten, 18-
16 overall) rallied not only for four
victories against the No. 18 Wildcats
(0-4, 14-12), but also managed to rise
above the .500 mark for the first time
this season.
Thanks to clutch hitting, strong
pitching and extra innings, Michigan
paved its way to third place in the
conference standings.
In game one of Friday's double-
header, freshman Jessica Lang wal-
loped her first home run as a Wolver-
ine to break open a scoreless game in
the bottom of the fourth inning.
In the top of the fifth, with runners
on first and second, junior Kelly
Kovach (8-8) held off the Wildcats by
striking out one batter and forcing the
next to ground out.
That scoreless effort ignited the
Wolverines in the bottom of that frame
when third baseman Tracy Carr, who
went 2-for-3 in the contest, singled in
shortstop Mary Campana to seal the
triumph. Although Northwestern put
in Beverly Stigglebauer to stifle the
Wolverine rally, Wildcat standout
Michelle Hawkins (10-3) took the

loss.
In the second game, victory was
not so easy for the Wolverines. Michi-
gan made a bid for the win in the fifth
inning when it loaded the bases with
Northwestern ahead, 1-0. After steal-
ing second, sophomore Cheryl Pearcy
slid around a tag at the plate to score
on Carr's RBI double to left-center
field. Michigan, however, could not
muster another run.
It seemed as though the Wolver-
ines would end the deadlock in the
11th, when sophomore Kathryn
Gleason was called safe on first
baseman's Tracy Hocutt's behind the
back tag, a call which Northwestern
assistant coach Robin Petrini deemed
"unbelievable."
The Wolverines found a spark, as
Campana's smack to center ignited
Gleason, who was tagged out at the
plate.
But with darkness looming and
two outs in the top of the 12th, left
fielder Lesa Arvia singled to left, scor-
ing Lang.
"It seemed as if we just got hot at
that point, and Northwestern got into
trouble," Michigan coach Carol
Hutchins said.
Outfielder Anne Carpenter hesi-
tated on the throw as the Wolverines
held their breath when Lang circled
the bags. After Arvia stole second,

she and first baseman Michelle Silver
came in on catcher Jennifer Smith's
two-run single to seal the victory.
Kelly Holmes pitched all 12 innings
for Michigan, improving her record
to 7-8.
"No other way like waiting for the

when the Wolverines dropped the first'
two games to Ohio State. Michigan
had gone on to win the next two, but
hoped Northwestern would not have
the same success.
"They're in the position we were-
in last week. They'll be happy to split
with us. We're not," Hutchins said.
Apparently, the team felt the same
way. Although Michigan needed ex-
tra innings again to record victory
number three on the season against
the Wildcats, the final game of the
series was by far the easiest.
As promised, fans got a glimpse at
Michigan's new pitching rotation in
the first of Saturday's matchups when
Carr relieved Kelly Holmes after just
two batters in the seventh. (Kovach
had started the contest). Clutch hit-
ting in the bottom of the seventh, not
to mention two Northwestern errors,
tied the game for the Wolverines, 4-4.
Arvia started the rally with a two-
run double down the left-field line
and designated player Kathleen
Berrigan scored the tying run on an
error. In the bottom of the ninth, with
two outs, Michigan won 5-4 when
Berrigan scored again, this time on a
fielder's choice.
Twelve Wolverine hits in the
fourth game of the weekend repre-
sented Michigan's determination to
See SOFTBALL, Page 20

f zl

Lang
12th inning to beat (out a close one),"
Hutchins said. "It's a great game,
(but) it's a tough way to lose."
Saturday morning, Michigan knew
Northwestern was in a position simi-
lar to its own the weekend before,

SARAH WHITING/Daily
Junior Michelle Silver had five hits for the Wolverines this weekend.

LrWolverines add needed depth
_ine'__ies_ and quality to pitching rotation *aB
Mchtle Silver.

By MELANIE SCHUMAN
DAILY SOFTBALL WRITER
Before this season, the Wolverines' pitching rotation
was shallow.
The loss of Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Kelly Forbis to
graduation left the coaches with a sole building block,
junior Kelly Kovach.
Forbis, who finished her senior year with a 1.37 ERA,
carried Michigan to its second consecutive Big Ten title
last year. Forbis pitched 11 shutouts, including the school's
first perfect game in a 5-0 win over Santa Clara.
"She was at the top of her game her senior year,"
Kovach said.
Although only a junior, Kovach is no novice.
Last season, Kovach, twice the Big Ten Pitcher of the
Week, recorded 20 wins and only nine losses. The season
before, Kovach (19-9) earned Big Ten Freshman and
Pitcher of the Year honors.
So when the Wolverines entered the Big Ten portion
of this season under .500, it seemed as if Forbis might be
missed more than anyone probably wanted to admit.

But when it lost one Kelly, Michigan found another.
Canton native Kelly Holmes couldn't have joined the
softball team at a better time, considering the void in the
pitching staff. Also, Michigan's past success had brewed
optimism for the season ahead.
"When we recruited Holmes, she had the same mold as
Forbis - big, tall, linear and throws (hard)," coach Carol
Hutchins said. "When I saw (Holmes) in the fall, I knew she
would step in and help us. Certainly, you don't replace a
senior with a freshman, (but)Iknew she could hold her own."
Holmes finished her high school career at 73-12,
including 15 no-hitters and a phenomenal 0.39 ERA.
Twice, she was an All-State selection in Michigan. After
a few adjustments to college ball, she became the newest
part of the Kelly tandem.
"We weren't really competing for a job," Kovach said.
"We know we're one pitching staff."
Yet, perhaps what Kovach didn't know was that this
pitching staff would soon enlarge. Adding sophomore Tracy
Carr gave Michigan a formidable trio.
In high school, Carr set a national prep softball record for

career victories, tallying 136 in four seasons. At Michigan
she played outfield and second base, then settled into third.
"Tracy Carr is probably the most focused athlete I've
ever coached," Hutchins said.
This season, she shines at the hot corner. But another
infield spot has her in the headlines as well.
On the mound this season, Carr (2-0) has an ERA of 0.60.
Carr's pitching game is different than the Kelly tandem.
Her pace, strength and stroke all make it more difficult for
batters to adjust to Michigan's third "great weapon."
"(Carr) gets us fired up," Kovach said. "She just gives us
that lift. We had a tough preseason and she definitely helps
us out. We're not taking a step down."
In fact, the pitching staff is ascending just as the Big
Ten season is getting underway. All three contributed to
the four-game rout of Northwestern this past weekend.
"To be competitive, you always have to have a two-
pitcher rotation. This year, we've needed (Carr) a bit more
and she's stepped up," Hutchins said. "Right now we're
going with the pitcher who looks the strongest in the starting
job and working all three into games if we have to."

r

rogucin easeswas
ogeoucege.

Power Macmioshm 6100160 8/160, Apple Color Plus
14" Dizay, Apple Flended KeyboardlY and mouse.
Only $29500.

Power Macintshm 7100/66 8/250,
intealAppleCDM 3001 Plus CD-ROM Drive, Macintosh'
Color Dpay, Apple Extended Keyboard II and mouse.
Only $345500

Speed. Power. And more speed. That's what the new Power Macintosh is all about. It's a
Macintosh with PowerPCm technology. Which makes it anI
incredibly fast personal computer. And the possibilities are

like statistical analysis, multimedia, 3-D modeling and much more. So, what are you
waiting for? Visit your Apple Campus Reseller for more in-
formation and see for yourself. Now A ____

9

I

.

A A/4iAt /"\

Back to Top

© 2024 Regents of the University of Michigan