The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Tuesday, April 17, 2007 -13
Freshman Nikki Nemitz is already a key contributer, but Michigan coach Carol Hutchins thinks the southpaw could eventually take the Wolverines to the World Series.
Little S ist fa
ter deiin co
Legion leaves
Blue behind
By H. JOSE BOSCH ferred to nationally renowned Oak
Daily Sports Editor Hill Academy. He helped his team
compile an impressive 40-1 record
Tonight Michigan coach John en route to a No.1 ranking in the USA
Beilein will greet students for the Today Super 25 rankings. Legion's
first time during an evening rally at scoring average remained the same,
Crisler Arena. but he upped his rebounds to 5.6 per
Butyesterday evening, Beilein offi- game.
cially bid farewell to highly touted Michigan's other loss, Baker,
recruit Alex Legion - thought by who became a fan favorite after he
some to be the crown jewel of the made his first five collegiate 3-point
Wolverines' recruiting class - and attempts, will also part ways with the
freshman guard Reed Baker. program.
"We have had several discussions "With the fact that Reed's finan-
with Alex and his family and they cial aid package had expired, he has
have expressed an interest in opening decided to look into other options
his recruitment,"Beilein said through for his playing career," Beilein said
the athletic department. "We under- through the athletic department.
stand his situation and encouraged "We have encouraged Reed to do so
him to do so, giving Alex his uncondi- and will do whatever we can to help
tional release." himwith that process."
Beilein also stated that he'd con- Baker wasn't even on most fans'
tinue to talk to Legion and his fam- radar prior to the season, primar-
ily while they reevaulate Legion's ily because he was signed so late
options. in the summer - the Naples, Fla.,
While the announcement was native, committed on July 3, 2006.
made yesterday, recruit Kelvin Grady He appeared in 28 games this season
told The Michigan Daily that Beilein for the Wolverines. His most memo-
contacted him about Legion's deci- rable game came on Dec. 28 when
sion last Friday. But Grady said there he made his first career start against
wasn't any ill will. Army. The 3-point specialist scored
"I just wish him the best," Grady 19 points that evening, hitting five of
said. "We don't want a hassle on the his seven shots frombeyond the arc.
team that doesn't want to be there. ... Legion's request to leave comes
I hope he finds a good school but we one week after Michigan announced
have to move on - there are plenty of the rehiring of assistant Mike Jack-
guys that want to come to the Univer- son. Jackson had been hired onto the
sity of Michigan." staff at Illinois Statebutwas brought
Former Michigan coach Tommy back to Michigan.
Amaker was credited with convinc- Some believed Jackson's hiring
ing Legion to recommit to the Wol- would not only help bring future
verines over the summer. Since his Detroit recruits to Ann Arbor, but
firing on March 18, fans waited on also convince Legion and shooting
pins and needles to see what Legion's guard Manny Harris to come to Ann
decision wouldbe. Arbor after Amaker's dismissal.
Legion spent his first three years Harris told The Detroit News last
of high school playing for Detroit Wednesday that he would still come
Country Day, where he averaged 19.6 to Michigan.
points and 5.1 reboundsper game. For There is no word yet on Beilein's
his senior season, the forward trans- contingency plans.
By MICHAEL EISENSTEIN
Daily Sports Writer
There's no question it's an
advantage to have around-the-
clock access to a recruit.
But when Michigan softball
coach Carol Hutchins and associ-
ate head coach Bonnie Tholl were
recruiting Nikki Nemitz, they had
no idea how much of an advantage
Nemitz's little sister, McKenzie,
would be.
"We went to (the Nemitz)
home and McKenzie gave us a
card," Tholl said. "It was a Uni-
versity of Michigan card, that
McKenzie, who's now 10 years
old, had made up. It said, 'Uni-
versity of Michigan is the best.
Why would you want to go to any
other school?'
"And this was three weeks to
a month before her sister (Nikki)
made her decision."
McKenzie's enthusiasm for
Michigan influenced Nemitz's
decision to become a Wolverine.
In addition to helping sway her
sister to go to Michigan, McKen-
zie (who is occasionally the team's
batgirl) might also be looking out
for the long-term future of Michi-
gan softball.
Hutchins recounted her visit to
the freshman pitcher's house:
Pickens
up the t
ignoran
By ALEX PROSPERI
Daily Sports Writer
The departure of last year's All-
American candidate Jeff Kunkel
left a void at the catcher position
for the Michigan baseball team
- one filled quickly by junior Doug
Pickens.
With Pickens catching more
than half of the Wolverines' games
this season, sophomore pitcher
Zach Putnam says that having
Pickens behind the plate is very
reassuring.
"I like just having him back
there because he exudes confi-
dence," Putnam said. "I kind of
feed off of it. He's always so sure
of the calls and the plays and stuff
that he's putting on, and it really is
comforting as a pitcher to have a
catcher that is in control."
Putnam and the rest of the
weekend rotation are a combined
18-3, partially due to Pickens' role.
And it doesn't hurt that Pickens
is throwing out 65 percent of base
stealers and has committed just
two errors this season.
"I'm just trying to help our
pitchers feel as comfortable as pos-
sible," Pickens said. "I try to give
our pitchers the best opportunity
to get a strike called."
"I said, 'McKenzie, when are
we going to get Nikki to make her
decision?'
"She says (hesitantly), 'Well,
you know.'
"I said, '(But) you're going to
come right?'
"'Oh yeah."'
Hutchins said McKenzie was
the first 10 year old she's ever got-
ten to commit.
But while Hutchins is happy
to have such a young "recruit" in
McKenzie, she is more excited
about the advantage Nikki - a
lefty - brings to the Wolverines.
Nikki is Michigan's first left-
handed pitcher since All-Ameri-
can Kelly Holmes (1994-1997).
"A lefty gives you a different
look," Hutchins said. "That was
certainly a big draw for her, but
only because she was going to be
a good lefty. We feel she is capable
of taking this team to the World
Series and being the leader of
that"
And so far this season, Nemitz's
play has made her a leader of the
team.
The St. Clair Shores native
started the year with a 9-0 record
and a 1.24 ERA. Her first loss came
against then-No. 5 Arizona, 2-1.
Nemitz's three losses were
decided by a total of just four
picks
ools of
ce
Although the West Bloomfield
native shines behind the plate, the
most important part of Pickens's
arsenal is his ability to play sec-
ond base and both corner outfiek
spots.
"He's invaluable," Putnam said
"Doug is just one of those guys
that he's just such an athlete that
you can put him in at the dish, yoc
can put him on the infield, you car
put him on the outfield and yoc
know he's going to do a great jo
for you."
EventhoughPickensbatted.302
last season, the former 31st-round
selection of the Cleveland Indians
in the 2004 MLB Draft is batting
even better this year - .349.
He credits his early success this
year to playing summer ball in the
Cape Cod League.
"It really helped my hitting,'
Pickens said. "I saw some of the
best pitchers in the country there
I really had to work on changing
my game because it's a differeni
game you see.
"The competition was great, the
coaches I had really helped me ou
with little things that really helpe
me excel hitting wise."
But the Birmingham Brothei
Rice High School product was als
quick to acknowledge the guys
runs.
"She's been absolutely great,"
sophomore Teddi Ewing said.
"Nikki has definitely come out
and done her job. We know we can
count on her to come into a game
and to do what she needs to do....
And she looks great on the mound.
I don't think anyone really ever
gets she's a freshman out there."
And she may even be better at
vocally leading the team. When
she's in the circle, Nemitz (15-3,
1.38 ERA on the season) exudes a
confidence that spreads through-
out the team.
"If I make amistake ... she's like,
'It's all right, we'll get the next
one,' " Ewing said. "She just picks
everyone up out there. She doesn't
look down on anyone if they make
a mistake behind her. She believes
in the defense, which helps us with
our confidence, too."
It's that trust in the defense that
has been critical to Nemitz's suc-
cess this season.
Nemitz has yet to develop the
pitching repertoire necessary
to become a dominant strikeout
pitcher. As a result, she relies on
her changeup to set up hitters
before jamming them with an
inside pitch.
The coaching staff is working
with the freshman to add a curve-
ball and screwball to her arsenal
and further develop her riseball
to help her ring up more batters.
She has just 78 strikeouts in 98.2
innings of work.
"Our goal is for Nikki to get
more strikeouts, and I think she
will as she learns to spin the ball
better," Hutchins said.
But even though recruiting
Nemitz turned into a double-
whammy, the southpaw wasn't on
Michigan's radar at first.
"Nikki had played a lot of ball,
but she hadn't played at the high-
est level which we usually recruit
out of, which a good majority of
our kids had," Hutchins said. "We
didn't know how well she'd step
in and how quickly she would
(adjust).
"Basically, we told her she was
in a position where she needed to
step in and help us."
And Nemitz hasn't just stepped
in.
She's stepped up in a big way to
help the ninth-ranked Wolverines
to their 32-7 record.
Maybe McKenzie shouldn't
have pushed so hard for her sis-
ter to go to Michigan. After all,
she's going to have some awfully
big shoes to fill when she comes
to Ann Arbor to don the maize
and blue.
Junior Doug Pickens has raised his batting average by .047while taking over most
of the catching duties left unfulfilled after Jeff Kunkel's graduation last year.
batting around him as a big reason traveled to Northwestern to play
for his better numbers. a four-game series. During that
"As far as this season goes, a lot weekend, Pickens batted .529,
of the credit has to go to the guys including four multi-hit games.
hitting around me," Pickens said. He also added two doubles, two
"I'm seeing a lot of pitches, a lot of homeruns, seven RBI and had a
fastballs, and I think that has to do slugging percentage of 1.118.
with how potent our lineup is." After his big weekend, Pickens
WithAdamAbraham and Derek was named the Big Ten Player of
VanBuskirk surrounding Pick- the Week on April 2.
ens in the lineup, it's easy to see The departure of Kunkel was
what Pickens is talking about. The a big loss for the Wolverines, but
duo has combined for 49 hits, five one of the main reasons Michigan
homeruns, and each are slugging sits atop the Big Ten conference
over .475. is because of the guidance and
As the Big Ten conference sea- improved play from its talented
son began on March 31, Michigan catcher.
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