The Michigan Daily -SPORTSMonday - Monday, April 3, 1995 - 5 BASEBALL Continued from page 1 perfect suicide squeeze play. Redshirt freshman Brian Steinbach started the game for the Wolverines and allowed 10 hits, but didn't surrender a walk and held Illi- nois to just one run in five innings. Bullpen ace John Arvai replaced Steinbach in the sixth and cruised through a 1-2-3 inning. But Brian McClure led off the top of the seventh with a double. Arvai then hit Illini leftfielder Bill Antonacci with a pitch. Sinak followed with a grounder to Arvai that advanced both runners. Bill Schullian and Brett Laurvick hit consecutive RBI singles to score McClure and Antonacci. Sean Bennett came on to pinch-run for Schullian and crossed the plate to tie the score on Dusty Rhodes' grounder to third base. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Weaver cranked his third double of the game. Simmons was intentionally walked to put two run- ners on board for the Wolverines. But Coston struck out and Chapman flied out to the centerfield to end the in- ning. Down 5-4, Kelly Dransfeldt led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single. But after catcher Scott Niemiec and pinchhitter Mike Muir struckout, Dransfeldt was doubled off attempting to steal second base. Derek Besco (0-1) faced only two batters, but took the loss for Michi- gan. Weaver led the Wolverines with three hits, an RBI and a two runs scored. Chapman and Dransfeldt both finished with 2-for-4 performances and one RBI. Tyler Steketee (2-3) had his best outing of the year in Sunday's second game. The freshman fireballer didn't allow an earned run and limited Illi- nois to only six hits, but still was stuck with a 4-1 loss. Steketee hurled his second straight complete game, striking out three and walking none. His ERA (5.20) is best among Wolverine starters. In his last two outings, Steketee's ERA is .071. "Steketee pitched a hell of a ballgame," Freehan said. "He's just a Baseball results "(Illinois) didn't score an earned run and that's unbelievable. A ,good defensive team doesn't play that way." - Bill Freehan Michigan baseball coach freshman, but he has pitched well for us. He kept us in the ball game last week against Iowa." Rightfielder Rodney Goble singled in Coston with two-outs in the third inning to score Michigan's only run. Michigan committed two errors which led to all four Illini runs. "We didn't hit the ball well to- day," Freehan said. "We didn't field the ball well in the second game. It's something we usually do well. (Illinois) didn't score an earned run and that's unbelievable. A good de- fensive team doesn't play that way." In Sunday's first game, Mark Temple (2-4) lasted only two in- nings, giving up six runs on eight hits in a 9-3 loss. Illinois rocked Temple for five runs in the first inning. The Illini sent 10 batters to the plate in the first, racking up six singles. Three Michigan relievers were tagged for three more runs on eight hits. Chapman knocked in all three Michigan runs with a bases-loaded double with two outs in the sixth. Kids get overlooked byfoul bllpolicy By John Lrol Daily Baseball Writer Anyone else remember going to the ballpark as a little kid, dragging along an oversized Ozzie Smith autographed glove in hopes of nabbing a foul ball? With the exception of consuming mass quantities of popcorn and hot dogs, trying to snag a foul ball is the most fun youngsters have at a baseball game. And Ann Arbor youths are no exception. Every time batters at Fisher Stadium foul a ball off, mobs of kids take off after it. Dozens of kids dash towards the parking lot in hopes of being the first to spot the stray baseball. A foul ball is a treasure like no other for a little kid. And in a world of multimillion dollar contracts, drug abuse and labor strikes, the happiness that one foul ball can bring to a child is amazing. But not at Michigan. The minute children rush into the parking lot for the first time, a voice booms over the public address system: "Please return all foul balls to the first base dugout." With no Major League baseball for months, the games the Michigan baseball team plays at Fisher Stadium are the only action around. Youngsters may already have a negative picture of baseball and professional sports in general. Now the University is taking away the pleasure of a Michigan foul ball. It would seem that a university that recently inked a multimillion dollar contract with Nike would have the extra bucks to allow kids to keep any baseball that ventured into the stands. If kids spend two dollars for a hot dog and two more for a watered down Coke, it seems only fair that they should be allowed to keep a foul ball they snag at a baseball game. But the Athletic Department disagrees. Every game youngsters race for foul balls and every game, the same announcement descends like a canon ball from the press box: "Please return all foul balls to the first base dugout." Sure, some stray balls go unreturned. But why even tell a kid it is not the University's or the NCAA's policy to let them keep their coveted prize? "We're under a budget," Wolverine catcher Matt Fleury says. "There is a limited number of balls for each game. We recycle the game balls, when they're not suitable for games as practice balls. It's a standard rule in college baseball. Some places offer a free Coke or something as an incentive for returning (a foul ball)." With all the greed and selfishness in pro sports today, bribing a kid to get him to return a foul ball is hardly a good message to give him. Anyone who has seen the look on a child's face just after grabbing a baseball that was actually used in a college game knows what a baseball means to a kid. "I have a hard time asking a kid to give a ball back after he gets one," infielder Andy Wade says. "(After Sunday's two losses) all I could think about was how badly we played. Some kid asked me to sign his glove and he told me I was his favorite player. Even on a day like this, it's got to make you smile." But for the kids who had to return their treasures, there will be no smile today. Baseball Notebook: gers' payer joins 'M' as new volunteer coach TONYA BROAD/Daily The Wolverines' Chad Chapman hit his second home run of the year and was 6-for-12 at the plate on the weekend. Game 1 Illinois 000 Michigan 312 000 210 0 --0 x -- 9 1. 9 1 0 W - Ferulo {24), L " Wolland (3); DP- UM 2; LOS Uilinols 2, UM 3; 28 - Coston {UM), Dransfeldt (UM); R Chapman (UMI; CS -B. 8mn (UM); WP - Wolland Ofls;E -Sinak (Illinois). Game 2 lilinois 100 Michigan 011 000 31- 5 020 00- 4 15 10 2 1 W - Ocestreich (23) t ".D. Besco (0.2); LOS . fitInois 16, .UM 8; 20- McClure (Illinois), Weaver 3 (UM), Vac Oeveren (UMf, Chapman (UM), Ofansintdt (UM); 38- iMcClure (ltinols); *W McCure (Ilinois); CS- Antonucci E(Illinois), Coston (WI), Dwasfeldt (UiM); 5#- ESoan I(Illinois), &inak (Mimnos), Van Geveren (UiM); E " Bogan (Illinois), IBusehe 4llllnos), Vas 0everen (Uim). j Came 3 Illnos 00 220 0 -4 6.1. E Michigan 001 000 0 -1 3 2 W - Qestreich (33), L, Steketee (2-3); LOS -fllinois 5, UiM 5; 3$ - Weaver' (UM): SB - Antoinacrj 3 (llnots), Sinak (Mlinois); 5F " . Inuvick (Illinois); WP'- Oestreich j ifinois), Steketee (UiM); E - Otstretch (Illinois), Van Deveten (UiM), Wade (UiM). Gamue 4# Illinois 502 101 0- 9 16 0 Michigan 000 003 0- 3 6 2 IW " Williams (3.5) k - Temple (2.4); LOB. Illinois 6, tM 4; DP-Iflin is 1. UiM 4 28- Aztoaci (Illnois); HR I Latnvlck 2 (Illinois); 81$-. na (Illinois); Sf-SChutlian Dransfeldt (UM), TONYA BROAD/Daily Michigan secondbaseman Andy Wade just missed tagging out Illinois' Bill Antonacci. By John Lerol Daily Baseball Writer Three weeks after assistant coach Dan O'Brien left the Michigan base- ball team, a new coach may be added to the staff. The man rumored to take over as the Wolverines' newest as- sistant has quite a spectacular resume. He played a little bit of Major League baseball in his time and he knows a few things about hitting. Some kids may even have his baseball card lying around. His name: Alan Trammell. The Tigers' All-Star shortstop has attended practice this week and has helped with coaching duties. Coach Bill Freehan said yesterday that Trammell is "the official volunteer coach." The 1987 World Series Most Valuable Player has worked with in- fielders and helped with batting prac- tice. "Its great to have Alan Trammell here," Freehan said. "The players love him being at practice - the infielders really love him being at practice." Of course, Trammell has had plenty of time off to contemplate his future in baseball. Freehan said that Trammell wishes to stay in baseball after his playing days are over. Freehan also said that he wotfld be more than, happy to have Trammell on his staff. However, with the Major League baseball strike over, Trammell is now otherwise employed. Trammell is in his mid-30's and is flirting with re- tirement. Whether or not he has played his last game in a Tiger uniform is anyone's guess. "I don't know," Freehan said yes- terday. "He could be a Major Leaguer tomorrow." The Wolverines could use a coach who has won a few Gold Gloves at shortstop. Michigan infielders made three errors yesterday. BIG GUNs?: Centerfielder Brian Simmons, who leads Michigan in every conceivable offensive cat- egory, and shortstop Ryan Van Oeveren, who was last season's MVP and is batting .500 in his last four games, have always been the go-to guys for the Wolverines. How- ever, Simmons and Van Oeveren may may have hit a mild mid-sea- son slump. This weekend, the two All-Big Ten selections were a combined 4-for-20 with no RBI, five strikeouts and two errors. This eekends K, I Vs . L a 7g Saturday and Sunday I p.m., Fisher Stadium 0 Feruilo adjusts to starting position with ease By Ravi opal"A was disappointed, because you tion, but Ferullo kept his cool. He Daily Baseball Writer don't get very many opportunities of kept his head high, for his team hadH 'splayed It was the 22nd game of the throwing a no-hitter," Ferullo said. the victory. But he didn't go crazy. Michigan baseball team's 1994 cam- "But I wasn't going to let it affect my Setting an example for the younger well or us. He's paign. performance." players was something he really never Senior pitcher Ron Hollis pitched As per baseball superstition, the had to do. With the senior group last pr bably ourmost a no-hitter against the Spartans, as the Wolverines were mum on the subject year, Ferullo was left picking up their Wnl~ripc nn -0 nlh nlno f nnn-ittr Rt ta idnt kee rid t a hi wncsart of thy Wolverine c si en woverines won ,-v. rxis, along with Ray Ricken, Heath Murray and Chris Newton, made up Michigan's senior pitching foursome. The four- some combined for 20 of the Wolver- ines' 29 victories last year. A little over a year later, Michigan senior pitcher Matt Ferullo took to the mound against Illinois, in the Wolverine's 25th game of the year. Working his way through the Illini lineup, he brought a no-hitter into the top of the seventh inning. Deja-vu? o a no-flier. u a.il nUl ull Keep Ferullo from thinking about it. "The sixth inning is when it really set in," he said. "(A no-hitter) would've been great." But Ferullo was able to take things in stride. After the game, his team- mates jumped all over him in celebra- UU YVs 1C e oW l l 111C.,VJIV .ii'. bullpen. He compiled a 4-2 record that sea- son, posting a 4.61 ERA over 21.1 innings. "He started adjusting (to a starting role) last season, during the non-con- ference slate," reliever John Arvai said. Arvai added that Ferullo's expe- rience starting in the Cape Cod Sum- mer League last summer aided the transition from a relief role for his teammate. Now, he leads the team in com- starter. " - Bill Freehan Michigan baseball coach "I know I've been around for awhile, but I lead by example," he said. "Our captains (outfielder Rodney Goble and shortstop Ryan Van Oeveren) are more vocal (than me)." Ferullo's leadership has helped the Wolverine hurlers through a rocky start to the season. Although Michigan's team ERA is 6.55, Ferullo . .......... ...... ..... .... . . ..... ....