10 - Tuesday, April 3, 2007 4 STAFF PICKS The Daily baseball beat makes its predictions for the season These writers look into the future to guess who will win it all - and who will just be disappointing. Michigan overall record Michigan Big Ten record Michigan MVP Michigan Pitcher of the Year Michigan Freshman of the Year Big Ten Regular Season Champion Big Ten Regular Season Runner-Up Big Ten Regular Season Third Place Big Ten Tournament Champion Big Ten Tournament Runner-Up Big Ten MVP Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Big Ten Surprise Team Big Ten Disappointing Team Michigan Season Ends Here ROB MIGRIN/Daily National Champion The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Prosperi 41-4 23-9 Doug Pickens Zach Putnam Alan Oaks Ohio State Michigan Purdue Michigan Purdue Lars Davis, Illinois Putnam lowa Minnesota College World Series South Carolina 40-15 24-8 Nate Recknagel Putnam Chris Bernet Michigan Minnesota Ohio State Michigan Ohio State Mike Mee, Minnesota Putnam Michigan State Purdue Regionals North Carolina 39-t6 23-9 Zach Putnam Putnam Oaks Michigan Ohio State Minnesota Michigan Illinois Putnam Dan DeLucia, Ohio State Illinois Purdue SuperP egionals Florida State Sophomore pitcher Zach Putnam has a chance to lead Michigan in the Big Ten season, Strange success for senior By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK Daily Sports Writer EVANSTON - Statistics don't always show success. And for Michigan's Brad Roblin, Saturday's box score barely tells the story at all. Technically, the senior outfielder had one hit in six at-bats through the day's two games. But in a dou- bleheader where every unusual play seemed to go his way, Roblin scored four runs for the Wolverines. The Wayland, Mass., native walked with the bases empty in the first inning of game one. One bat- ter later, he scored the Wolverines' first run after advancing to third on a passed ball and coming home on a wild pitch. The score gave-Michigan a run without a hit. "Some crazy things can happen when you get to third," Roblin said. "You always try to move up a base if you can get it. It's not a very big backstop, so I was able to read it as soon as it hit the dirt and score a run for us ... but it was a bizarre play." In his next at-bat, Roblin reached first on a bases-empty bunt to the mound. Northwestern's pitcher bobbled the ball and the first base- man dropped the throw, ensuring Roblin was safe at first. Roblin's bunt was meant to put pressureonNorthwestern'sdefense, Michigan coach Rich Maloney said. Maloney noted Northwestern's fail- ure to field the bunt was consistent with its day-long struggles in the infield. Maloney's strategy to get Rob- lin on base with a solid bunt wasn't exclusive to Saturday's game. The Wolverines have also capitalized on poor bunt defense in past seasons under Maloney. "A few years ago, when we were on ESPN at home, we basically bunt- ed ourselves to victory against Ohio State on national TV - bunt after bunt after bunt, and they couldn't field it," Maloney said. "That's part of what we practice every single day." Minutes after his bunt, while attempting to steal second base, Roblin collided with the second baseman and forced the ball out of the Northwestern player's glove. Roblin scrambled around him on all fours to touch the base. "I saw him and he was moving toward me, soI knew it was going to be kind of a bang-bang play," Roblin said. "I was just going for the bag, he was going fortheball and, thankful- ly, I got there a split second before. There was a little bit of contact, but I beat the ball there." In Saturday's afternoon game, Roblin continued his streak of unconventional plays by scoring two consecutive unearned runs. He reached first on a pitcher's field- ing error, then scored two batters later as part on a nine-run Michigan inning. Roblin hit a routine grounder to Northwestern's third baseman in the following inning. The throw from third was short, bouncing past the first baseman. Both games on Saturday were fueled by big hits but spurred by Michigan's ability to capitalize on Northwestern's errors. Most of the at-bats that led to Roblin's runs won't boost his aver- age - but on a cold, rainy day when the game was anything but clean, the Wolverines celebrated their unearned runs and the day's double victory. "It's about being able to do the little things and ... just scrapping out and getting a run here and there," Roblin said. "If we can get to three or four runs, we feel like we have a really good chance at winning, so we're always just trying to ... do whatever we can to score a lot." Junior Samantha Findlay and her sister Angela compose the third pair of sisters in Michigan softball history. Findlay sisters teamup ,we 11 By ANTHONY OLIVEIRA DailySports Writer EVANSTON - Some sisters, like Northwestern's Kelly and Erin Dyer, not only talk and look alike, but also complete each other's sen- tences. This weekend, the Findlay sis- ters did something extra. They hit back-to-back jacks. Just the third pair of sisters in Michigan softball history, junior Samantha Findlay and freshman Angela Findlay made Michigan history posting two solo home runs off two-time Big Ten player of the week Lauren "boom-boom" Delaney (no relation to Michigan sophomore Stacey Delaney). With both sisters facing two strikes, the wind to right field helped Samantha's high ball carry out while Angela's blast to the left field gap took no more than three seconds to clear the fence. As the ball trailed out of the park, everyone knew it was something to remember, even the Dyer sisters, who played with the Findlays back at Lockport High School, approxi- mately 50 miles from Evanston. "It's really cool and just to see them hit those," Kelly Dyer said. "It's something that if Erin and Idid that, I'd be so excited. Playing with them and knowing how (Samantha and Angela) are together, it's just really nice to have them do that." The only person who didn't care for the moment was " Northwest- ern's Delaney, who got yanked after just 2/3 of an inning and saw less than three innings of work during the series. Starting the season seventh in the batting order, Angela earned the clean-up spot behind her sister, batting .387 in 24 games. Trailing her older sister by just one home run, it was simply a matter of time until the moment happened. But to Angela, it was just another at-bat. "After (Samantha) hit the home run, all I was thinking was to get the ball in play and get us another baserunner," Angela said. "Home runs happen. Obviously, we both had some great cuts and just so happened that we were back-to- back." Since Angela's shift up in the line-up to protect her sister, the Findlays have flourished, hitting a combined .400 in three games. Although Samanthas home runs (four) are down from last sea- son (10 through 35 games), she has become a much more patienthitter. Her 3.56 walks-to-strikeout ratio through 32 games in 2007 is a vast improvement from last year's .559 ratio through 35 games. Angela complements her sister well. In the past weekend, each has upped her slugging percentage by about 30 points. Though the two runs in the first weren't enough for the Wolverines, the moment exemplified how spe- cial these sisters were to their high school coach Marissa Chovanec. "It was very exciting to see them hit back-to-back homeruns," Cho- vanec said. "When your sister's got your back, it says something for them. They feed off each other's emotions. They're just real athletes and great players. I was fortunate to be a part of that." With the duo being sisters, though, you can't help but to com- pare the two. With similar stats, one would guess that Angela has formed her game to be like her sister's. But according to Samantha, that theory can be thrown out the win- dow. "In high school, Angela was more of a contact bitter, but she could put the ball out of thepark, whichmakesherthatmuchbetter," Samanthasaid. "Butwe'rebothtwo different people. She's always been asked-about being in my shadow, but she's her own person." Dream jobs-alumni have them. And we can hook you up with Michigan Apprentice. Spend a full day shadowing a Michigan alum in the field you're interested in and learn from the best. Spend a day in the career of: " Broadway producer on location in New York City " Television news reporter in the field and on the job in Detroit " Wall Street investment banker in New York City * Washington insider on the front lines of the political scene in Washington, DC Michigan Apprentice is open to juniors and seniors. Those selected will shadow a U-M alumnus/a for one day at his or her company or organization. For companies located in other regions, travel and two nights of hotel expenses will be paid by AAUM. Application deadline is Thursday, April 12. 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