The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - March 8, 1999 - 3B Play ball! Blue opens season in California ,JIM ROSE Rose Beef ... Sprng Traiazbzg - why thAis 'tzrne of year is' the greatest By Stephen A. Rom Daily Sports Writer LOS ANGELES - When ESPN anchor - and University alum - Rich Eisen recently said that "pitchers and catchers report" were the four sweetest words in baseball, he was on to some- thing. But there is one key phrase he may have omitted in making that claim. "Let's play ball!" That is exactly what the Michigan baseball team heard eight times during the last 10 days. And after spending most of their winter only imagining real com- petition, the Wolverines were more than happy to oblige - especially consider- ingwhere they were headed. For the first time in the school's histo- ry, the Wolverines kicked off a season with a west-coast swing. The trip had them first playing three games at UC San Diego, one each at UCLA and Southern Cal, then finally three against Pepperdine. Perhaps saving their toughest oppo- nent for last, Michigan faced a Pepperdine club that had lost only one out of the 15 games they had played this season. The Waves would serve to be a credi- ble opponent for Michigan to test the waters of this young 1999 season. "We're trying to fit our rosters and see about our pitching staff," Michigan coach Geoff Zahn said. "We'll take it one game at a time to feel them out." By the time they arrived at Pepperdine, the Wolverines had a few games under their belt, sporting a 3-2 record. And a weekend series with the No. 9 team in the nation is all that stood between Michigan and a winning road- trip. In what began as a beautiful after- noon, a methodical and disciplined Pepperdine ball club kindly welcomed Michigan to Eddy D. Field Stadium and greeted them with all the skills that have earned them their near-perfect record. The Waves took advantage of leadoff walks in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to go ahead 3-0. This would be all they needed, as Pepperdine went on to win by a final score of 3-2. There was a bright spot for the Wolverines though, as junior left fielder, Rob Bobeda displayed some clutch hit- ting in the seventh inning. Bobeda smacked a two-out, two-run single up the middle to make the contest interest- ing. In game two of the series, the biggest blow came in Pepperdine's half of the fourth inning when center-fielder, and Wave leadoff hitter, Danny Garcia hit a 3-run homer to complete a five-run, five-hit inning. This brought the score to 6-0 and it also brought to rest any hopes the Wolverines had that day. Michigan went on to lose the contest by a score of 7-1. Because of weather conditions, the Wolverines routinely start their season with this type of disadvantage. But their success in resent years - highlighted with a Big Ten championship in 1997 - shows exactly why they have the respect of their peers. In keeping true to form, the Wolverines trotted right into Jackie Robinson Memorial Stadium and roaied past the Bruins, beating them 4-3 in 16 innings. After losing nine of their first 15 games, a suddenly awakened UCLA team had won five of their previous seven. The Wolverines utilized key hits in the 6th inning to take control of the game. Those hits were capped by a two- run homer from senior Jason Alcaraz. The blast was also his 200th career hit as a Wolverine. Michigan carried its momentum over to the other side of the ball as the Wolverines turned five double plays in the game. The most timely one occurred in the bottom of the ninth, only moments after the winning run crossed the plate from third base, nullifying it. See PLAY BALL, Page 6B MPE, Ariz. - I've always said this is the best time of the year, withMarch Madness filling the final real days of winter and baseball's spring training a happy reminder that warmer days are (probably) just around the corner. Football season is fun on a week-to- Rek basis, and the bliss of a lazy sum- mer can be hard to beat, but to me, the transition from winter to spring is that rare fresh time, to be appreciated each and every year, when the world comes literally to life. Exactly one year ago, I was covering the Michigan men's basketball team, preparing for what looked to be a promising NCAA Tournament but in turned out to be a brief, season- ding trip to Atlanta (and that was for the, team - I watched it on TV). I wrote at one point that the start of the men's NCAA basketball Tournament was the greatest event in sports, and that it was, in my opinion, part of the reason that this time of year - right now - is as good as it gets. This year, I was fortunate enough to get a chance to see the other great sporting event of the not-quite-spring- *getting-past-winter stage in the sea- sons. Spring training. Part of the setup's charm here is that Arizona State and the University of Arizona - two of college baseball's finest programs, year in and year out - are both within a relatively short drive of most of the training sites. The Anaheim Angels, who base their spring workouts in Tempe's Diablo dium, played host this past week to na State's team. The result was a charity game that gave some college kids a chance to play against some legitimate pros and some lucky baseball fans the chance to see all of the above for afew bucks a head. I was one of those lucky fans. I wandered into the smallish stadium with two of my housemates, and we sat down somewhere behind home plate, just in front of the guy giving away free *heim Angels T-shirts to anyone willing to fill out a credit card appliea- tion. Yes, I now have an Anaheim Angels T-shirt (though I expect a rejection let- ter from MasterCard within days). Almost by instinct, I wandered back toward the stadium's main information office, and asked for a copy of the game program. "If there was a game program,you ild have it," the man posted at the door said sheepishly. "We weren't able to get one ready in time for tonight's game." Eventually, I came to the media offices. Again, no program, but I did get a couple of rosters and a half-heart- ed invitation to the press box. I turned it down. If there's one thing I've decided, after almost four years of pretending to be a sports writer (a couple months of which were spent on Michigan's baseball team), it's that in most cases, the games are just as easily watched from the stands. The food isn't as free in the stands, and the stat books certainly are harder to come by, but as far as just plain watching a game and taking in the atmosphere, the sterile press box just isn't for me. If you're just going to take in a ballgame, the place to be is in the stands. And so that's where we were. We watched the Angels play their non-ros- ter invitees after the first inning and watched the Sun Devils put up an impressive nine runs. So what if they gave up 16? For the guys playing, it had to be pretty cool to play a couple innings against Mo Vaughn and Jim Edmonds. It was interesting to watch the dynamics of the crowd, something that can be tough to do when you're busy checking the media guide for fielding percentages and the like. Many of the 1,945 fans in Diablo Stadium were there to get an up-close look at the pros; just as many were there to see their sons and friends and classmates match up against the big boys. You could just imagine the stories that would circulate in lecture the next day when Andrew Beinbrink, Arizona State's third baseman, jerked a home run over the left field wall to give the Sun Devils a brief 8-7 lead. Yes, Anaheim came back to win, but my housemates and I were long gone by that time. We had already seen what we'd come to see - spring training, in Arizona, in March, in shorts and T- shirts. Is that bad journalism? Leaving before the game was over? Maybe. But actually, it wasn't journalism at all. We were just catching a ballgame. - Jim Rose can be reached via e-mail atjwrose@umich.edu. Game, set, career i r Michigan tennis coach By Raphael Goodstein Daily Sports Writer Through the years the University of Michigan has had great coaches come and go - from Bo Schembachler to Cliff Keen to Fielding Yost. At the end of this ten- nis season, Michigan will lose anoth- er legendary coach. Michigan men's tennis coach Brian Eisner announced his inten- tions to retire at the end of this year. Eisner has been coaching tennis for 36 years, 30 at Michigan. Eisner has compiled a 438-198 record at Michigan, and a 514-228-1 career record. Eisner collected his 500th career victory last year against Boise State at the Boise State Invitational. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my 30 years of coaching here at the University of Michigan," Eisner said, in a released statement. "I feel this is the optimum time for me to retire for several reasons. First, I have many interests that I have never had the chance to pursue. Secondly, the program is in great shape with the new tennis facility, most of the players return and I think there is every reason to believe that the great success of Michigan Tennis will continue into the next century." Eisner has been the principle rea- son that Michigan's tennis program is in "great shape," Eisner said. Eisner was the key person in the development of a new tennis arena - the Varsity Tennis Center, as well to retire after season as laying the foundation for a tradi- tion of excellence. In fact, there is sentiment to re-name the Varsity Tennis Center in honor of Eisner. Eisner has won 19 Big Ten titles in his 30 years at Michigan and has a 254-62 record in Big Ten competi- tion. Eisner led the Wolverines to 17 NCAA Team Championships. He has also seen 27 All-America citations handed out to his players, and in 1982 he coached unseeded Michael Leach to the NCAA Singles See EISNER, Page 6B Do you have a BACHELOR'S DEGREE? We need you! Measurement Incorporated is an educational testing company that hires hundreds of people each year to hand-score tests. Bachelor's degree in any field required. Paid training provided. Scorers are hired per project. Projects usually last 3-6 weeks. As a reader/evaluator, you will work in a professional but relaxed atmosphere with many interesting people from around Ann Adborpsilanti area. We employ a diverse group of individuals which often include new college graduates, retired persons, and teachers looking for supplemental income. Day shifts - 8:15 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Friday Evening shifts: 5-10:15 p.m. Monday - Friday ~ ~ ~$8.25 per hour 9MEASUREMENT INCORPORATED (734) 528-3468 A Yowsl"n. 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