8 - Friday, March 21, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
No h ts through
five? o problem
In home-opener
at Fish, Michigan
takes advantage of
Oakland errors
By JASON KOHLER
Daily Sports Writer
In the middle of the fifth
inning of yesterday's home open-
er at Ray Fisher Stadium, No. 25
Michi-
gan had OAKLAND 4
yet to MICHIGAN 7]
record a
hit against Oakland.
But the Wolverines still led,
2-1.
Despite the hitless streak,
Michigan capitalized on the
Golden Grizzlies' errors in a 7-4
win.
In the fifth inning, junior
Kevin Cislo reached second
after a throwing error, and later
scored on a sacrifice fly.
"That's part of baseball," Cislo
said. "If they make an error, you
have to score on that play."
After five hitless innings,
junior Adam Abraham's line
drive double to center field in
that inning finally broke the
streak.
Michigan coach Rich Malo-
ney said "freebies" - his term
for errors, walks and stolen
bases - were key to his team's
victory. The Grizzlies gave up
10 more freebies than the Wol-
verines.
In the second inning, senior
Kevin VanBuskirk reached base
and subsequently scored Mich-
igan's first run of the afternoon
after two errors by Oakland
junior third baseman Jonathon
Zalenski.
The freebies proved criti-
cal. Although 'the Wolverines
scored seven runs, just three
were earned, and they had just
six hits.
The Wolverine pitching staff
was key to yesterday's victory,
too.
Freshman Travis Smith
earned the win for Michigan (9-
6), becoming the first Wolverine
to throw a pitch in the newly
renovated Ray Fisher Stadium.
Unfortunately for him, that
first pitch was a ball.
Smith struggled to adjust to
the frigid Michigan weather.
Yesterday was the first time this
season the Wolverines played
north of the Mason-Dixon line
this season. Smith threw three
more balls to walk his firstbatter
on four pitches.
"It's a little different throwing
when it's 45 degrees," Smith said.
"You got to do a lot more stuff to
prepare yourself"
The Austin, Texas native
struggled throughout the first
inning, giving up an early run.
Oakland right fielder Dan Ryan
hit an RBI single, driving in cen-
ter fielder Justin Wilson, who
reached base on Smith's lead off
walk.
But the first-inning run was
the only one Smith allowed all
day. He threw five innings and
struck out six batters.
"I just warmed up," Smith
said. "I was pretty confident
in my pitches, and my defense
played pretty well."
With Smith off the mound,
the Grizzlies (2-10) made a late
charge in the eighth inning.
After a controversial call when
Oakland's Wilson was called
out after sliding around, but
not touching, home plate, the
Grizzlies earned three runs off
freshman pitcher Tyler Bur-
goon.
But Burgoon came back and
held Oakland scoreless in the
ninth.
In all of Michigan's losses,
pitching has been a concern. But
yesterday it was the bats that fal-
tered.
"We need to focus on getting
better hits," Cislo said. "Not
on pounding the ball or swing-
ing too early, but on getting our
pitches and just letting it rip."
RODRIGO GAYA/[
Freshman Travis Smith delivers a pitch in yesterday's 7-4 victory over Oakland. He gave up just one earned run through five
innings, but the Michigan hitters struggled to make solid contact. Their seven runs came on just six hits.
ICE KY
Blue aims for CCHA
title amid distractions
Running back injures finger in
"freak" weightlifting accident
'M' to face Wildcats
after tying them
twice last month
By MICHAEL EISENSTEIN
Daily Sports Writer
It's no surprise the Michigan
hockey team has thrown around
the word "focus" over and over
again with all the distractions
surrounding this weekend's
CCHA playoffs at Joe Louis
Arena.
There's the "academy-award-
style" ceremony.
The national media attention.
And of course, the conference-
playoff championship on the
line.
"We're hungry," sophomore
Chris Summers said. "We're defi-
nitely hungry. We haven't won
anything since our seniors were
freshmen so this is going to be a
big weekend, a chance for us to try
and capitalize on something that
people remember and is going to
go up in our rink."
The Wolverines have already
added two banners to the Yost
Ice Arena rafters this season.
Whether it's been the Great Lakes
Invitational or the CCHA regu-
lar-season title, Michigan has col-
lected titles by setting goals and
then accomplishing them.
NEXT ON THE PLATE: Winning
Friday and hoisting a trophy in
Detroit Saturday. Last night's
CCHA award banquet was just a
side spectacle for the players and
coaches.
"I see it as a distraction,"
Michigan coach Red Berenson
said. "We're social, but you can't
really relax. You
have a big game Northern
the next night
(and) the other Michigan vs.
team is sitting in Michigan
the same build-
ing."I Matchup:
For Michigan, Michign
that "other team" 12-13-3
isthebig-hitting, Michigan
tight-checking, 20-4-4
shot-blocking When: Friday
Northern Michi- 8:05 p.m.
gan Wildcats Where: Joe
(12-13-3 CCHA, LoarsArena
19-19-4 overall). TV'
The last time TD: o
Michigan (20-4- PSN Detroit
4, 29-5-4) faced
the Wildcats, it came away with
just two points after a pair of 3-3
ties.
Michigan took a lead in both
games, which came between a
pair of matchups against power-
houses Michigan State and Miami
(Ohio). Each time, the Wolverines
squandered the early advantage,
letting the Wildcats sneak up on
them.
"That's not like our team,"
associate head coach Mel Pearson
said. "Maybe at that point in the
season we didn't know a lot about
them or give them the credit they
deserved. If anything, it's helped
our team realize they're a good
hockey club."
Since then?
"I think we're more focused
now," Summers said. "Obviously
these games have a little bit more
value to them, so I think the team
focus is much more intense."
LINEUP ADJUSTMENTS: Still
not feeling 100 percent at prac-
tice this week after fracturing
his fibula, freshman Matt Rust is
likely out for the weekend. Fresh-
man Carl Hagelin will once again
replace him at center. ... Freshman
Max Pacioretty is suspended for
tonight's game after receiving a
game disqualification for fighting
during the second period against
Nebraska-Omaha last Saturday.
The first-liner will return to the
lineup Saturday.
PICKING UP THE HARDWARE:
Not surprisingly, Michigan
cleaned up at last night's CCHA
awards banquet. Senior captain
Kevin Porter took home the big-
gest individual prize: Player of the
Year. He is the third Wolverine to
win the award. Brendan Morrison
and David Oliver previously won
the award.
Pacioretty won Rookie of the
Year honors. He led all fresh-
men with 28 points in 25 CCHA
games.
Berenson was named the Coach
of the Year for leading his young
squad to the conference regular-
season crown and the nation's No.
1 ranking. Berenson last won the
award in 1994.
Brown might also
be a candidate
for quarterback
position
By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
Daily Sports Editor
The Michigan football team's
first practice in pads, held yes-
terday, went more than 30 min-
utes longer than scheduled.
And like Saturday's first spring
practice, it showed that transi-
tion almost always starts with
confusion.
"I always NOTEBOOK
tell them, if you
don't know where you're going,
run in place," Michigan coach
Rich Rodriguez said. "There
were quite a bit of the guys run-
ning in place."
Quarterbacks Steven Threet,
Nick Sheridan and David Cone
received almost equal snaps, and
Rodriguez said they are learning
his system at a predictable pace.
Rodriguez said Saturday
that junior running back Carlos
Brown, who played quarterback
his senior year of high school,
hadn't taken reps at the position
- and "it would be a secret" if
Brown was in the running.
But after breaking his finger
this week in what Rodriguez
called a "freak accident" while
lifting weights, Brown is now
expected to miss most of the
spring.
Rodriguez said junior running
back Brandon Minor has had
"excellent practices" this week.
Atyesterday's practice, defensive
coordinator Scott Shafer empha-
sized the need for senior leader-
ship on
defense, BROWN
and
Rodriguez
named
fifth-year
senior
corner-
back Mor-
gan Trent YEAR: Junior
as one of POSITION:
the team's RunningBack
earlyvocal INJURY: Broke
leaders. I
The finger, likely to
Wol- make him miss
verines some practice
have not
been able
to practice kickoffs or kickoff
returns because of the low ceil-
ing at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse,
but the team has practiced punts,
punt blocking, field goals and
field goal blocking daily.
Rodriguez said film sessions
have been nearly as important as
the actual practices, but watch-
ing film has left him "usually
more discouraged than encour-
aged."
"You see a lot of things on film,
like geez, that guy's not running
full speed and all that," he said.
"I think sometimes, I tell them
the two worst things you can be
are lazy and soft, and sometimes
fatigue makes you both of those.
We've got to stress that we've got
to get in better shape."
SPRING GAME UPDATE: Rodri-
guez again confirmed the spring
game will be held Apr. 12 at a
location yet to be determined,
possibly a local high school.'
He called the spring game
more of a "scrimmage" and said
that, similar to last year, the
offense will be pitted against the
defense.
In last year's spring game, the
defense was awarded six points
for a turnover and three points
for a three-and-out, while the
offense earned six points for a
touchdown and two points for a
pass of 20 yards or more.
"We'll have a point system
that nobody will like and can fig-
ure out, but that's okay," Rodri-
guez said.
OTHER INJURIES: Redshirt
junior runningbackKevinGrady,
redshirt freshman running back
Avery Horn and fifth-year senior
defensive tackle Will Johnson
participated in yesterday's prac-
tice after being minor injuries
caused them to miss the start of
spring practice Saturday.
Rodriguez expressed disap-
pointment that sophomore wide
receiver Zion Babb could not
participate in yesterday's prac-
tice.
"Most coaches say, if you get
through a practice, got funda-
mentally better and didn't get
anybody hurt, it's a good day,"
Rodriguez said. "But that's not
always totally true."
No. 3 Utah only roadblock to a perfect regular season for the Wolverines
By NICOLE AUERBACH
Daily Sports Writer
Twenty four routines stand
between the Michigan women's
gymnasticsteam
and. a perfect
regular season. Utah at
There's just Michigan
one catch -
they'll be stack- Matchup:
ing up against Utah (10-1)
24 performanc- chian
es from No. 3
Utah. When: Sat-
That doesn't urday 6 p.m.
mean the Where:
fourth-ranked Crisler Arena
Wolverines (5- Stats:
O Big Ten, 18- Mgoblue.com
O overall) will
be intimidated
when they take on the Utes Sat-
urday.
The last time Michigan com-
peted in Crisler Arena two weeks
ago, it knocked off No. 1 Georgia
with a season-high 197.600-point
score.
But the Wolverines have a
slightly different look in this
showdown - they'll be without a
star freshman.
Trish Wilson is out for the sea-
son after tearing her ACL in a fall
during her exhibition floor rou-
tine in the Georgia meet.
"We'rehopingthat she'llbe able
to have surgery within another
week or two and that we'll get her
on the road to recovery," Michi-
gan coach Bev Plocki said. "We'll
concentrate on getting her ready
for next year."
Wilson's biggest contributions
this year have come on the uneven
bars.
Competing on bars in every
meet this season, Wilson collected
four event titles over the course of
the year. Against Georgia, she
won bars with a career-high 9.925
score. Wilson has occasionally
competed on floor and beam this
season, too.
This isn't the first time Michi-
gan has dealt with a loss. Riddled
with minor injuries all season,
lineup adjustments have yet to
faze the Wolverines. Last week-
end at Maryland, juniors Tatjana
Thuener-Rego and Huneth Lor
returned to competition after sit-
ting out the Georgia meet. Sopho-
more Jaclyn Kramer saw her first
action of the year against the Ter-
rapins, competing on floor exer-
cise.
Sophomore all-arounder Sarah
Curtis was pulled from the vault
and floor lineups to give her a
weekend to recover from minor
aches and pains. Michigan's other
all-arounder, fifth-year senior
captain Lindsey Bruck, competed
in all four events at Maryland and
won the 11th all-around title of
her career.
Utah comes into Ann Arbor
after suffering its first loss of the
season.
The Utes lost on the road to
No. 2 Florida last weekend. Utah
is the only other team to defeat
top-ranked Georgia this season,
a feat the Utes accomplished in
the opening meet of the year on
Jan. 11. The Utes didn't face top-
five competition again until last
weekend's loss.
Michigan and No. 9 Oklahoma
(17-0) are the only teams in the
country that remain undefeated.
"We're going to bring our 'A'
game against Utah," Bruck said.
"This week in the gym it's more
about quality of routines, not
quantity. We should be able to hit
what we need to in practice and in
meets."
6
Fifth-year senior Lindsey Bruck won her 11th career all-around title last weekend at
Maryland. She leads Michigan into its top-four showdown with Utah Saturday.
t