The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Thursday; March 25, 2010- 7A In home opener, Nemitz's grand slam lifts Michigan ARIEL BOND/Daily Freshman Devin Gardner, the Wolverines' most anticipated freshman, throws in Michigan's first spring practice last week. . e * Rodriguez gives update on quarterback situation By ALEX HERMANN Daily Sports Writer The Michigan softball team's home opener quickly turned into a blowout yester- BOWLING GREEN 2 day when MICHIGAN 10 senior pitcher Nikki Nemitz blasted a grand slam over the center field wall as part of a seven-run fifth inning. The scoring surge ended the Wolverines' 10-2 victory over Bowl- ing Green in the fifth due to soft- ball's eight-run mercy rule. "I got my pitch, and it just felt perfect off the bat," Nemitz said. "I was just seeing it, and I just felt confident." After the next three batters were walked, senior outfielder Angela Findlay drove another run in with a single, followed by yet another walk to unceremoniously end the game with three Michigan players. remaining on base and only one out in the inning. Findlay spearheaded the Wol- verines' offensive production for most of the game. Batting second in the lineup, the senior captain went 4-for-4 onthe day with one RBI. "I always call her my blue-col- lar player," Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said of Findlay. "She just comes to play everyday. She works hard. Whether she has good at bats ment, as weird as that sounds." or bad at bats, she just comes back Nemitz started the home open- every time and digs in, does what- er on the mound and picked up ever we ask her to do." the win, improving to 10-3 on the Before the Wolverines (23-5) season. Nemitz struck out seven blew the game wide open in the batters in the first three innings, fifth, the Falcons were able to keep finished with nine total and gave up the game in doubt early. just two earned runs. After Michigan broke out to a 3-0 Even with the strong perfor- lead after the third inning, Bowl- mance yesterday and a solid season ing Green (4-10) started to mount a stat line to date, Nemitz certainly comeback with a two-run home run still has higher expectations of her- self. "I haven't had the strongest gtjs. l senior year on the mound," Nemitz said. "But I know my team's hitting p t off the well, they're playing great defense p erlee f e and all I need to do is keep people off base. And if I'm having one bad b * I 'was inning... I know that my teammates just *eenare right there." With the first month and a half of the season spent traveling every week, playing its first game at home was certainly a boost for Michigan, of its own in the fourth. especially with the Big Ten season Following the victory, Hutchins opening this Saturday and Sunday mentioned Michigan's normally at home against Illinois. slow start in its home openers. The home opener also served as "The first home game is always the unveiling of the softball facili- kind of out of the ordinary," ties' finalized renovations, marked Hutchins said. "You've been on the by the expansion of the right-field road so long, it's so odd to walk on bleachers. your own field and actually play a "I've been watching them build game. I think it's hard to do. That's this stadium for two years now and why I always schedule a nonconfer- it's finally done," Nemitz said. "It's ence game prior to the conference just great to play on it and be back opener. Because it's a huge adjust- with our fans." By NICOLE AUERBACH Daily Sports Editor Three days of practice - just one in pads - have't made much of a difference in the quarter- back battle, but at least Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez NOTEBOOK has seen a bit more of early-enrollee Devin Gardner. "He's a big, strong guy," Rodri- guez told the media Tuesday afternoon. "He's very, very - I've used this word several times - conscientious about wanting to learn and knowing not just how, but the whys, what you're doing. And he's a talented guy." Rodriguez mentioned seeing Gardner play a few years ago at a camp, specifically remembering his thought that Gardner needed to improve his throwing motion. "He did a lot of work, and the (Inkster High School) coach- ing staff did a great job with him getting him to improve his fundamentals and his throw- ing motion," Rodriguez said. "He still obviously has to learn all the offense and the techniques that we do in our system, but he's got- ten better in three days." Rodriguez said that he and his staff haven't really had an opportunity to evaluate the three quarterbacks against one another because they haven't been in live scrimmage situations yet. With the coaches standing mere feet away from Gardner and sophomores Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson, it's difficult to assess areas like knowledge of the playbook and decision-making ability. He said after the team starts truly scrimmaging (with the first scrimmage potentially this Saturday), he will have a bet- ter idea of the Wolverines' quar- terback situation. Still, Rodriguez expects growth in all three quarterbacks this spring, and he hopes to have them in positions where they can help the team at different points of games. "I'll be shocked, if all three of those (guys), in particular Denard and Tate, don't get tremendously better in their fundamentals this spring," he said. SPRING "GAME": Due to cur- rent injuries and rehabilitation processes, the spring game on April 17 might look more like last year's offense vs. defense scrim- mage than two full teams squar- ing off at Michigan Stadium, as Rodriguez would prefer. "What I would like to do, and I'm sure the players and fans would like to do, is have a full two teams that go after each other and keep score and all that," Rodri- guez said. "I don't think we were going to be able to do that anyway, simply because of a lack of num- bers at certain positions. "I do think we'll be able to do that in the future. We only have 12 seniors on this year's team, so we'll have a lot more bodies next season." Rodriguez also announced Tuesday that the football program would partner with C.S. Mott's Children's Hospital for a fund- raiser during the spring game on April 17. Admission to the game is free, but fans will have an opportunity to donate to the hospital upon entering the gates of Michigan Stadium, with a chance to win dif- ferent prizes. "It's a win-win situation for us to have an atmosphere similar to what we did last year, which was tremendous, especially for our young players, and a chance to be able to help the hospital, which is very dear to many of us in the 'community," Rodriguez said. INJURY UPDATES: Rodriguez said two safeties, Vladimir Emil- ien and Jared Van Slyke, suffered knee sprains this past week. He said neither injury would require surgery, but Emilien might not return until the last week of the spring. Since safety is a position of con- cern this spring, Rodriguez was disappointed that these injuries would keep the safeties off the practice field. Rodriguez added wide receiver Je'Ron Stokes injured his ankle and defensive end Anthony LaLo- ta injured his elbow. Both Stokes and LaLota could return within a week. Rodriguez said that the other players - center David Molk, defensive tackle Mike Martin, wide receiver Junior Hemingway and running back Vincent Smith - that are out for the spring are "on schedule and probably ahead of schedule as far as their rehabs." Molk, who tore his ACL dur- ing last season, was able to jog and take snaps during no-contact drills in practice. WANNA JOIN DAILY SPORTS? E-mail Ryan Kartje at rkartje@umich.edu THE 2010 CANCER RESEARCH SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM As pact of is Cancer Biology Training Program, the University of Michigan -Comprehensive Cancer Center, in part with funding from the National Insli- tes of Health (NIH) is providing expo- sure to cancer research for highly moti- vated and talented college undergradu- ates. This program will provide the suc- cessful applicants an opportunity to ex- plore potential careers in the field of cancer research. In keeping with the. terms of the NIH grant, we especially encourage applications from individu- als from populations that are currently underrepresented in biomedical and be- havioral research. The program is aimed at students who are completing their sophomore or junior undergradu- ate year this spring. The program will ran for ten weeks, Jane 7th - August 13th, 40 hes/wweek. Students selected who do not currently have U-M mentors will be matched with an appropriate U-M faculty. Only U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens are eligible to apply. Interns will be paid $4,500 for the 10 week period. Your application must be uploaded by March 31 at the following site: www.mcancer.org/carsip Questions? Contact Car Nosel at cnosel@umich.edu WORK ON MACKINAC Island, this summer - Make lifelong friends. The Island House Hotel and Ryba's Fudge Shops are looking for seasonal help in. all areas: Front Desk, Bell Staff, Sales Clerks, Baristas, and Kitchen Sraff. Housing, bonus, and discounted meals available. Call Ryan 1 (906)847-7196. www.theislandhouse.com Blue to face Wildcats for fourth ti In For Friday, March 26, 2010 ARIES (March 21 to April 19) All occasions are favored today. Enjoy romance and flirtations with others. Sports, playful activities with children, movies and entertaining diversions will delight you. Have a party! TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Entertain at home today. Invite the gang over for pizza and beer. This is a good day to buy beautiful things for your home or a loved one. Enjoy your day! (This is also a good day for real estate situations.) GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You feel unusually friendly toward everyone today. Conversations with rel- atives and siblings will be warm. It's a good day for partnerships, negotiations and signing contracts. CANCER (June 21 toJuly 22) You have good moneymaking ideas today! (You might be able to boost your income.) You also will want to spend money on beautiful things for yourself and your sweetie. Purchases of art could be profitable in the future. LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) This is a feel-good day. The Moon is in your sign, making a lovely aspect to three other planets, especially Venus. You feel sociable, friendly toward every- one and up for a good time. It's a great day to schmooze with others! VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) Solitude in beautiful surroundings will delight you today. You feel quietly pleased with yourself for some reason. Someone might show you an act of gen- erosity. LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) All group activities are blessed today. Enjoy the company of others, especially females. Talk to others about your long- term goals. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) Some aspect of your private life might be suddenly made public today. Important people will notice you. Fortunately, it's all good. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Try to do something different today. Vary your routine. Go someplace you've never been before. Shake it up a little to stimulate your world! CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) This is an excellent day to discuss how to share something or to discuss with others how to spend an allotted amount of money on something. People are cooperative. AQUARIUS- (Jan.20 to Feb. 18) It's easy to get agreement with others today. Who knew? Choose today to mend broken fences with partners and close friends. PISCES (Feb. 19to March 20) This is an excellent day for business and commerce. It's also a good day at work. Be open to suggestions from and cooperation with others. It will work in your favor. YOU BORN TODAY You can be both a sprightly comic and a serious philoso- pher - a delightful combination. You're energetic, competitive and yet very sen- sitive. You have strong family ties, and you takesyour responsibilities seriously. Your personal self-discipline is the key, to your success. A major change might take place this year, perhaps something as significant as what occurred around 2001. Birthdate of: Leonard Nimoy, actor/director; James Caan, actor; Amy Smart, actress. By AMY SCARANO Daily Sports Writer Tonight, for the first time since losing to Michigan State in the Big Ten Tourna- ment on March 5, the Michi- Northwestern gan women's a Michigan basketball team will face Matchup: North- the fast, physi- western 18-14; cal brand of Michigan 19-13 basketball that When: Tonight gave them fits at 7 p.m. throughout Where: Crisler their season. Arena After crush- Live Blog: ing MAC michigandaily.com opponents Kent State and Toledo by double digits, the Wol- verines face Northwestern (7-11 Big Ten, 18-14 overall), the only other Big Ten team remaining in the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT), for the right to advance to the elite eight. "It's nice to see somebody else in your schedule rather than your conference teams because you bat- tle each other so much," Michigan coach Kevin Borseth said after a 35-point win over Kent State in the first round of the WNIT. "It's still nerve-racking, but it's someone new so, in some respects, it's fresh." Never in program history have the Wolverines faced an opponent four times in one season. If the previous three games are any indi- cation, Thursday's game won't be easy. Especially with both teams fighting for their seasons. When the Wildcats came to Ann Arbor at the end of December, they took the lead going into halftime and held on tight the rest of the way, beating Michigan by four. And it was 6-foot-5-inch junior center Amy Jaeschke who led Northwestern in points and blocks. Michigan (8-10, 19-13) didn't fare much better in Evanston at the beginning of February. After trail- ing for most of the second half, the Wolverines took a one-point lead with two minutes left. But the lead quickly vanished, and Michigan lost by four, again. "We didn't look even like we play organized basketball," Borseth said after the loss. "We really never had rhythm the entire game. It was the second game we played them and never had rhythm. We did shoot 43 percent, but it didn't feel good. Just didn't feel good." Jaeschke, again, did plenty of damage, scoring 15 points. When the Big Ten Tournament rolled around, the Wolverines knew it was crunch time, but so did Jaeschke. If the team didn't make it past the first round of the tournament, there was no guar- antee they would see postseason action. But Michigan took an early lead despite Jaeschke's impres- sive offensive performance and five blocks, and the Wolverines never relinquished it, winning by 13. Five Wolverines scored double digits to win. If Michigan can muster a repeat performance of that March 5 game, offsetting Jaeschke's impact with another impressive offensive cam- paign, it could get even with the Wildcats en route to a 20-win sea- son, the first in 10 years for the Wolverines. RESPONSIBLE, ACTIVE, CAR- ING, and creative care giver required for 8 yr old boy & 10 yr old girl this summer. Reqdetails: femaledstudent - jr, sr, or grad at UofM pref; own car; required between June 14-Aug 27; Sam- 6pm daily; $10/he. West side of AnnArbor Call Lisa @ 734-997-9676. LARGE1 BDRM avail, to sublease on Cent. CampusArafor$400. Fua.,water& heat incl. 815 E. Ann St. Mail to erdem_mel@yahoo.com C 2010 King Features Syndicate, Inc.