BASEBALL The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - April 14, 1997 - 58 Michigan baseball alone in first place, braces for final stretch By Sharat Raju Daily Sports Writer The Michigan baseball team is now in first place in the Big Ten. Still, this is no time to rejoice. At this point of the season last year, the Wolverines were threatening to take first place at 9-3 in the conference. And last season, Michigan dropped eight of its last 16 conference games - along with two straight losses to Penn State in the Big Ten playoffs - to end the season in fourth. "This team is a different team than last year," Michigan coach Geoff Zahn said. "This team has been around a little bit." Although Michigan did finish with its best conference mark since 1989, the Wolverines had a shot to win the conference. So what caused the wheels to fall off last season? "The killer was Ohio State," Zahn said. "Ohio State, to me last year, had the best tal- ent in the conference. They played very, very well against us." The Wolverines hit an ugly, seven-loss stretch last season to end their shot at the title, including being swept by the Buckeyes. Zahn's observation about Ohio State's talent proved to be correct. This season, the Buckeyes have been ranked in the top 25 at various times. Last season's slide came at an inopportune moment down the stretch. "I know we didn't lose focus," Zahn said. "Ohio State just beat us." Now the Wolverines are in a similar point in this season, but last season's stretch-run demise might still be on the player's minds. "I don't have to remind them that they have to keep playing," Zahn said. "They're not going to stop playing hard." One distinct feature of this season has been Michigan's ability to come from behind. More often than not, the Wolverines have innings which either put away the opposition or give Michigan the lead. In yesterday's game, a six-run third inning put Michigan ahead. A six-run second did the same for the Wolverines during Friday's victo- ry. The Wolverines had a 15-run inning in the opening Big Ten series of the season against defending conference champion Penn State, along with an 11-run explosion. Michigan put 11 on the board against Maine earlier. In. countless games, the Wolverines have posted at least four runs in a single inning. Their exciting, single-inning outbursts seem to be a combination of timely hitting and a breakdown in the opposing team's fielding. During the aforementioned six-run third against the Wildcats, the Wolverines scored on six hits and two errors. "This is the exciting part of the season," Zahn said. The Wolverines have three conference weekend series remaining - Indiana, Michigan State and last season's spoiler, Ohio State. The offense has come through for the Wolverines all season long. If the pitching can hold up, Michigan has a very realistic shot at a Big Ten championship. It might all come down to the final series. Indiana has a quality team which should make for a good series, but Michigan State is occu- pying the cellar. The final series of the regular season may be the decisive one for the Wolverines. And maybe for the championship. I don't have to remind them that they have to kreep playing. They're not ,going to stop playing' hard." - Geoff Zahn Michigan baseball coach "This is a group of guys that have never won," Zahn said. "We're going to find out what they have. "I've told them all along that they have to keep working to get better-every single day, and we'll see where that'll take us.' 6 igan's Mike Cervenak went 74or45 with three RBIs to help lead the Wolverines in sweep over Norhtwestern. Blue's Sanborn finds By Tracy Sandler "I'd like to say that I can h D Sports Writer any ballpark, but I can't," Sa obody said it was going to be easy. long as I can hit the alleys a After making the Michigan baseball team as holes where they are, and can, a walk-on his freshman year, sophomore Dan ple in, that's what my strength Sanborn was cut from the team during his sec- One of Sanborn's biggest ond year. the team is his ability to ste Due to hard work and a lot of improvement, needed. he has rejoined the Wolverines, splitting time Because he and Scales share with sophomore Bobby Scales as Michigan's ignated hitter, Sanborn is n designated hitter, batting .380. every day, sometimes going a "In '96, when I first came here, I had a out seeing action. month to look at him," Michigan coach Geoff "It's very, very big to have g *n said. "He didn't throw very well, he did- that can be out of the lineup n't swing the bat well and we didn't think he and they don't get down, and could help us at that time. He accepted that, then you put them in and they and he went out and worked very hard on his Zahn said. own." "That's tough to do. It's ha At the end of the summer, Sanborn called role, and he has accepted th Zahn, asking him whether he should try out for done very well." the team again. No matter how often Sanbon "I thought this is still something I really ing, the amount of time he p wanted to do," Sanborn said. "It wasn't going does not change. Accordin to hurt if I tried out, and I got cut. I tried out, roommate - rightfielder I * my love for the game was still there, so I Sanborn usually gets to prac put my heart and soul into it." can get in some extra work. After seeing Sanborn play over the summer, "He wants to get in as much Zahn noticed a significant growth in his ability Besco said. at the plate. "He's working for a startin "I said, 'If you really want to play, then I'll not locked in like other peopl give you an honest evaluation,"' Zahn said. Part of the reason for his "He had improved, in my estimation, quite a Sanborn's belief that 100 perc bit., into anything that he does. "So, he made the team, and we really like his "If you're going to do somethi swing. He's worked hard, and he's an integral thing you want to do, you don't of this team right now." Sanborn said. "You put everyth eing an integral part of the team means done and to do it the way you w coming through with clutch hits when needed. Along with hard work come A team needs more than just a power hitter. It orities. Last season, Sanborn needs a player who can drive in runs by getting baseball. It was school. the ball to drop. "Last year, during the winter In this weekend's series against everything," said Sanborn, a i Northwestern, Sanborn went 3-for-7, with two of the dean's list. "I wanted to RBI and scored two runs. put baseball on the back bur X a, . . . .t . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ..'T tough road leads to rewards W LDCATS Continued from Page 1B it the ball out of anborn said. "As nd I can hit the drive some peo- is." contributions to p it up whenever e the role of des- ot in the lineup few games with- uys on your team for a few games, they stay up, and 're ready to play," ard to be in that at role, and he's rn is or isn't play- puts into practice ng to Sanborn's Derek Besco - ctice early, so he work as he can," ng position. He's e are." constant effort is ent should be put ping, and it's some- do it half-hearted," ing into it to get it ant to do it." es a setting of pri- 's priority wasn't , I kept lifting and four-time member stay active, but I ner, and I tried to MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily Michigan's Kirk Beermann and the rest of the Wolverines swept Northwestem in four games to wekend to sit atop of the Big Ten standings. around to score on a double by Derek Besco. The game remained 1-0 until the sixth, when the Wildcats tied the game with an unearned run. Williamson reached on an error by Cervenak and scored on a double by Andrew Kirsh. The Wolverines wasted no time answering. Derek Besco was hit by the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth. His brother Brian followed by ripping a dou- ble down the rightfield line, scoring Derek, and re-establishing Michigan's one-run lead. Michigan freshman pitcher Brian Cranson (4-2) was impressive in his first career Big Ten start, allowing only four hits and no walks in six innings. He was lifted after Ollie Dunn led off the seventh with a single. Steketee retired the next three Wildcats to earn his fourth save. "I pitched in two other Big Ten games, and I have been feeling more comfort- able every time out," Cranson said. "Today I felt I had great control and got ahead of the hitters, and that was key." In the nightcap Saturday, the Wildcats got out to an early 1-0 lead, and for awhile it appeared as though that might be the only scoring. Michigan's Pete Martay and Northwestern's Chris Hargan were both sharp. The Wolverines finally got on the scoreboard with some clutch hitting in the fifth. With one out, Sanborn-pinch hitting for catcher Andrew Miller - was hit by a pitch. After Brian Bush flied out to center, Cervenak singled sending Sanborn to third. Scales tied the game with a single back through the box. Northwestern coach Paul Stevens brought in Ben Dodd, a lefthander, to face the left-handed Jason Alcaraz. That backfired, however, as Alcaraz sent a base hit into right, scoring Cervenak with the go-ahead run. The Wolverines picked up an insur- ance run in the sixth due to the hustle of Brian Besco. Besco led off the inning with what appeared to be a routine sin- gle up the middle, but he rounded first and kept going, beating the throw into second with a head-first slide. Brian Kalczynski sacrificed Besco to third with a bunt on a 1-2 count,and Kirk Beermann followed with a chopper to third that was so high, Besco was crossing the plate by the time Wildcats' pitcher, John Seaman, fielded it. "In the sixth inning when we scored, that was abig,bigrun forus,"Zahn said. "That kind of broke their backs." Steketee replaced Martay to pitch the seventh and picked up his second save of the day. "We worked hard for these wins. They played us very, very tough." Zahn said. "We did some things right at the right times, and that's what makes win- ning teams." The Wolverines started the weekend with an offensive explosion on Friday. They sent 11 men to the plate during a six-run second inning on their way to a 10-4 win. Kalahar started a string of five con- secutive hits with a run-scoring single. Bush followed with a two-run double, then Cervenak doubled. Sanborn's RBI work on my studies more than anything." Sanborn's various successes are credited more to strong determination than to talent alone. "I've exceled at pretty much in almost everything I've attempted to do in life," Sanborn said. "It's not because I've been gift- ed with the best talent in the world. I've been gifted with the determination and dedication to try and succeed and do whatever it takes to succeed." Michigan pitchers turn quality starts over the weekend By Kevin Kasiborsid Daily Sports Writer With the exception of Matt Herr and closer Tyler Steketee, the Michigan bullpen had a relaxing weekend. Brian Steinbach pitched a complete game on Friday, and Brian Cranson and Pete Martay each worked six innings on Saturday. Cranson made the start for J.J. Putz, who is out with an elbow injury.. The Michiganb starters were so good, Steketee was the only % 4dt reliever who even had to warm up over the. first two days of the weekend. He worked the seventh inning in both of Saturday's games, earning his might have been the best choice at the time, to put Tyler in. He did a great job to close out the game." Ryan Kelley struggled a little in the first inning of his start yesterday, and although he gave up five runs, he left with the lead and was in position to pick up the win. "I don't know if he got tired or what," Zahn said. "But he started to get the ball up, and we had to get him out of there" Mike Hribernik did not have good outing in relief of Kelley, allowing Northwestern to retake the lead. But Herr and Steketee held the Wildcats scoreless over the final 3 2/3 innings to secure a 10-8 Michigan win. DRIZZLE DELAY: Game one on Saturday - which started at 1:30, a where the temperature inside the rink was higher than it was outside A few of the Saturday afternoon free skaters were even spotted wearing short- sleeved shirts. Cranson said the cold weather didn't have an effect on his performance. "My last year in high school, I pitched a couple of games in the snow, so I am pretty much used to it by now," said Cranson, who is a native of Bronson. GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT: Fans at Saturday's doubleheader who were banking on a lunch from the conces- sion stand between games were proba- bly disappointed, unless they were in line in front of Northwestern coach Paul Stevens. Stevens bought out the concession stand's supply of hot dogs and pretzels.