INJURY BUG BITES BLUE Freshman Ryan Heller and the Michigan:men's tennis team had big shoes to fill this weekend after the Wolverines suffered injury setbacks. PAGE 7B SPORT YS . , i Fiz urvixi aivivlNutix %.IkJUL) iN ! 4 iONDAY, DANIEL BREMMER: With a few changes, the disapointing i Spring Game could be much more fun. PAGE 3B TH-ES PRcTIrMnnT)AV T11.m April 12, 2004 SECTION B Underwood, Gutierrez shi ne in Spn Game By Chris Burke Daily Sports Editor With quarterback John Navarre and running back Chris Perry - two major components in Michigan's run to the Rose Bowl last year - departing due to graduation, the biggest question marks surrounding the Wolverines heading into this year's spring practice revolved around the offense. And while Saturday's Spring Game couldn't possibly answer all of those questions, the Michigan offensive units showed that there are several players at both the quarterback and run- ning back positions who are ready to step into the vacated roles. Perhaps no one turned more heads on Saturday than senior running back David Underwood - one of Perry's backups last year - who looked very effective during his stints with the first-team offense. Underwood opened the exhibition by breaking a 45-yard run down the right sideline. He would add several more solid runs, including a 35-yarder later in the afternoon that was called back by a penalty. "You can always improve," Underwood said. "I hope (I'm a big part of this offense). As far as competition-wise, every day a gazelle gets up in Africa and he's running because a lion is after him and needs to eat. So I look at it in that type of aspect." Underwood split time in the backfield Saturday with fifth-year senior Tim Bracken and sopho- more Jerome Jackson - who, thanks to a cut- back move that freed him up to the outside, scampered for a 20-yard touchdown run to cap off his solid day. "Jerome has had a very good spring," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "David Underwood has had a very good spring, and Tim Bracken has had a very good spring." The other positional battle in the spotlight is the one to replace Navarre under center. Junior Matt Gutierrez - the backup to Navarre last sea- son - is believed to have the inside track on the job over sophomore Clayton Richard and incom- ing freshman Chad Henne, and his performance on Saturday did nothing to sway that opinion. Gutierrez looked poised in the pocket and mobile outside it, leading several drives on offense. A potential touchdown pass during the exhibition's opening drive was dropped by tight end Tim Massaquoi. Still, Gutierrez was impressive, and he bounced back in his second drive by avoiding the rush and hitting wide receiver Jermaine Gonzales over the middle for 18 yards and a first down. "(The coaches) want me to be disciplined and do what I'm coached to do in the pocket," Gutier- rez said. "But if the play breaks down, they give me the freedom to try to make something happen, as long as I'm smart with the ball." Richard, meanwhile, showed flashes of solid play, and his day was highlighted by a six-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who had beaten cornerback Marlin Jackson on the play. "There's been constant improvement (for me) all spring," Richard said. "I'm definitely more comfortable. We have a receiving corps that's second to none." The Edwards-Jackson matchup pitted the Wolverines' top two weapons against each other in a showdown that was a highlight of the day. Edwards caught several passes, including the score from Richard, and induced a pass interfer- ence penalty against Jackson, as well. The matchup was possible because both play- ers announced earlier this year that they would return for their senior seasons, and Jackson was subsequently moved from safety to cornerback, where he excelled during his first two seasons at Michigan. "Marlin declared he was coming back before I did," Edwards said. "And when he declared, I was ecstatic because it helped me to know what I See SPRING GAME, Page 3B Michigan running back David Underwood looked impressive at Saturday's Spring Game. The Untouchables Game 1: Michigan 3, Ohio State 0 Game 2: Michigan 1, Ohio State 0 Blue silences u Big Ten bats for four wins K By Ian Herbert Daily Sports Writer Game 3: Michigan 7, Penn State 0 Game 4: Michigan 2, Penn State 0 tMerchant belts big home run By Jamie Josephson Daily Sports Writer JA the bottom of the sixth inning, Penn State's. Kate Gentile led off with a hard grounder to the left side. The shot went between Michigan's shortstop and third baseman and rolled out into left field. It wasn't a spectacular hit, but it was significant. Until that point, Michigan pitcher Nicole Motycka had pitched a perfect game, and, when Gentile got on, there was a chorus of cheers from the Penn State bench. Motycka retired the next three batters to get out of the inning, and the Wolverines (8-0 Big Ten, 33-6 overall) won the second game of yesterday's double-header, 2-0. "Any time you throw a one-hitter, I think that's pretty good," coach Carol Hutchins said. "I think the best thing about Nicole's game is her poise and her confidence." No. 9 Michigan beat Ohio State on Friday and Saturday, 3-0 and 1-0, before defeating Penn State yesterday in a doubleheader, 7-0 and 2-0. The wins keep Michigan atop the Big Ten by one game game over Iowa. Defense was, once again, the story of the game. On a foul ball that looked like it was going well out of play, shortstop Jessica Merchant reached over the third-base wall and made the grab. The defense set the tone on a day when the offense struggled to get started. The Wolverines have been prolific with their home runs all season long, but appeared to be in a drought this weekend. They hit two against Ohio State, including a game winner by Merchant, but the Nittany Lions kept them inside the park all day yesterday. Michigan had to rely on other methods for manufacturing runs. Five Wolverines laid down sacrifice bunts on the day in an attempt to get more runners into scoring position. "We've been known for our home runs lately," catcher Monica Schock said. "(But our) strategy is to move runners, and whatever way we can do that See NITTANY LIONS, Page 4B Shortstop Jessica Merchant's home run could not have come at a better time for the Wolverines on Saturday. Tied 0-0 in the top of the seventh inning, Merchant smacked the first pitch she saw .over the left-field fence. The single run proved to be all Michigan needed to complete its dou- bleheader sweep of Ohio State this weekend. Although Merchant knew she was just one home run away from Michi- gan's single-season home run record, the junior wasn't thinking about per- sonal fame when she walked up to the plate in the seventh inning. "I was thinking that (junior) Nicole Motycka pitched an amazing game and she deserves a run," Merchant said. "We had to get a run no matter how we did it. She deserved to win that ball game, and she did." The shortstop's home run in Michi- gan's 1-0 victory against the Buck- eyes was her 13th of the season, tying her for first place on Michigan's all- time single-season home run leader board. She shares this recoid with Melissa Gentile ('98) and Marissa Young ('03). "It feels alright," Merchant said. "It feels better to beat Ohio State twice and stay undefeated in the Big Ten." Merchant has compiled 23 career home runs, putting her in second place behind Gentile on the Wolver- ine's career home run list. Merchant is now just five home runs shy of having a share of the record. "It's an honor, actually," Merchant See MERCHANT, Page 4B Mhe iULdBUnapay The Michigan softball team awaits Jennifer Olds after her home run on Friday against Ohio State. The Wolverines didn't give up a run all weekend. 'M' nine take three of four from Hawkeyes By Matt Venegoni Daily Sports Writer If a team scores just 20 runs in four college base- ball games, it would be safe to figure the team did not do too well. But 20 was enough for the Michi- gan baseball team to take three of four from the Iowa Hawkeyes (1-7 Big Ten, 8-19 overall) in Iowa City this weekend. On the strength of great pitching from starter Bobby Garza, Michigan downed the Hawkeyes 2-1 yes- ,o I+ terday to take the series. Garza The Wolverines started the scoring yesterday in the fourth inning. After loading the bases, second baseman Chris Getz drew a walk, scoring shortstop Jeremy Goldschmeding. But Michigan (5-3, 15-12) could not capitalize anymore than that in the inning. Iowa bounced back in the bottom of the inning when second baseman Andy Lytle singled home first baseman Mike Best. But, just like Michigan, Iowa could not get any more runs in the inning. The best scoring chance after the fourth hap- pened in the seventh inning, as Iowa had runners at second and third with just one out. Tognetti came in for Garza and got Michigan out of the jam, forc- ends where we have to win three out of four to get closer to our goal of winning the Big Ten Champi- onship." With that hustle, Bohm was able to score all the way from first. Tognetti finished the game, getting the win for Michigan. Good pitching was the theme all weekend, as Michigan had two shutouts on Saturday. Sopho- more Derek Feldkamp got things started, dominat- ing Iowa by yielding just four hits and no walks. Junior Michael Penn followed Feldkamp's shutout by throwing his second shutout of the year, holding Iowa to just four hits in the process. This was the KOM W. NOW PT Ull