Thursday, April 5, 2001 - The Michigan Daily - 12A
Hill propels baseball to victory.
By Benjamin Singer
Daily Sports Writer
YPSILANTI - With a chance to
earn a spot in the Big Ten rotation,
sophomore Rich Hill pitched with poise
and power to help the Michigan base-
ball team to a 4-0 win over Eastern
Michigan at Oestrike Stadium vester-
day.
Led by Hill's performance, Michigan
(1-3 Big Ten, 12-12 overall) limited the
Eagles (5-2 MAC, 8-18 overall) to just
two hits and collected 12 strikeouts. But
most importantly, no runs.
"That's the way it should be," Hill
said. "I started to refocus. I'm back on
track and I'm trying to put myself back
where I was this fall and at the end of
the summer" in the Cape Cod League.
Hill indicated that he believed he
would pitch this Sunday against Indi-
ana, but Michigan coach Geoff Zahn
made no such commitment.
"We're not 100 percent set on it yet,"'
- ii
Zahn said.
Against tougher competition, Hill
knows success will be harder to come
by.
"I'm going to have to step it up," he
said. "I'm not going to expect one-hit
games in the Big Ten. Of course, it
could end up like that."
Some of Hill's recent success may be
due to Zahn calling the pitches for him,
as the coach has done for the past cou-
ple of games.
It's nice. He has a good view of the
batter," Hill said. "I wouldn't say it
makes me more confident, maybe not
fighting myself late in a count."
The southpaw proved impressive,
giving up just one hit and striking out
nine in five innings. The one Achilles
heel on the pitcher's line was four
walks.
"If he cuts down on his walks, he's
unhittable," Zahn said. "He's got a
major league arm. He doesn't give up
many hits. His problems have always
been walks."
As a freshman, Hill gave up a walk
an inning, which he nearly did yester
day. But he never got burned by the free
pass against the Eagles, always bounc-
ing back to end the inning.
Hill found himself in a tight spot with
one out and runners on first and thO
with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the
third. A strikeout and fly out later, the
rally ended.
"He's capable of getting out of any
inning at any time because he strikes so
many guys out, Zahn said. "He can
strike out anybody at any time."
Michigan has stressed its pitching and
defense this year, and today it got a
handful of both. Doubleplays in the sev-
enth and eighth innings snuffed o't
potential Eastern Michigan rallies.
the second inning, Jordan Cantalamessa
made a diving catch in left field to rob
Chad Jenkins of at least a double.
"That help set the tone right there and
kept them from scoring," Zahn said.
Hot bat from Taylor
helps down Falcons'
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By Kristen Fidh
I Daily Sports Writer
BOWLING GREEN - Constant
cheers came from both dugouts yester-
day, but surprisingly, the loudest chants
weren't from the winning team. .
"They were annoying," Stefanie
Volpe said.
Yesterday, the Michigan softball
team defeated Bowling Green 5-2 with
unexpected stars emerging to cap the
Wolverines' victory - senior co-cap-
tain Melissa Taylor on offense and
freshman Monica Schock on defense.
Taylor sparked Michigan's hitting
early in the first inning with a fly to cen-
ter that left the Falcons scrambling. She
slid into third and was then brought in to
AA/EOE
score by a line-drive by Volpe.
"The corners were playing me in, and
the shortstop and second baseman, so I
decided to swing away," Taylor said.
"The outfield was kind of shallow, so I
wanted to get it over their heads - and
I did."
Taylor, who was referred to
Michigan coach Carol Hutchins as or e
of her "three stooges" in batting, often
bunts when at the plate.
"If the leadoff hitter gets on, then I try
to slap them over, but I.just bunt it
because (pitchers) rarely throw me out,"
Taylor said.
But in yesterday's game, Taylor hit
the triple in the first and a single to load
the bases in the second inning.
Michigan's remaining four runs came
in the second with Volpe, Schock and
Melinda Moulden battine runners hon-
After that, Michigan was all
defense - much of it coming from
Schock behind the plate. The catcher
caught four pop flys and prevented
any of Bowling Green's runners from
stealing.
"Mo did a great job today," Taylor
said. "She is a great catcher and h
lot of potential."
The Falcons first scored on a single
homerun by Lynsey Eble - the 1l1th in
her career, tying the school record - in
the fifth inning. Then, in the bottom of
the seventh, Liz Tuza hit Holly Franz in
on a double.
"They are a team that just kept com-
ing back," Volpe said. "They never let
their bats die, and they kept hitting
balls." !
Yet, even after Michigan had won the
game, the Falcons cheered as if they
were victorious.
"Really, the energy they had as a
team is good for them," Volpe said.
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