0. 6A - Monday, February 20, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom BASEBALL Michigan wins pair after dropping season opener Wolverines earn revenge against Kentucky in 2012 By STEVEN BRAID Daily Sports Writer If the Michigan baseball team proved anything this weekend, it's that it isn't2011 anymore. After giving up PITTSBURGH 9 five runs MICHIGAN 8 in the final two innings SETON HALL 1 en route to MICHIGAN 2 a season- opening 9-8 W.VIRGINIA 3 loss to Pitts- MICHIGAN 14 burgh, the Wolverines (2-1 overall) bounced back to defeat Seton Hall and West Virginia in the Big Ten/ Big East Challenge behind great starting pitching. "Any time you can get seven- plus innings out of a starter, you're in good shape to win the game,"said sophomore rightfield- er Michael O'Neill. "(Redshirt junior pitcher Bobby Brosnahan and junior pitcher Ben Ballan- tine) didn't overthrow, they threw strikes, they hit their spots, and they kept us in the game." Last season, the Wolverines went winless at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge and didn't pick up their second win until 11 games into the season while their pitch- ing staff struggled. A much differ- ent team appeared this weekend. Against an undefeated Moun- taineers team on Sunday, Michi- gan started off strong and never looked back. Senior third base- man John Lorenz smacked a three-run home run in the first inning and five other Wolverines collected RBI, as the offense bat- ted in 14 runs to secure a 14-3 victory. O'Neill gave the West Vir- ginia pitching staff fits all game, going 3-for-5 with four runs, two stolen-bases and one RBI. But as well as the offense hit, Ballantine might have had a bet- ter game. Looking to improve on his sophomore campaign - in which he went 3-I with a 4.91 earned run average - Ballantine pitched seven strong innings, while allowing just three hits and one earnedrun. He also had five strikeouts. "We definitely wanted to come back to Ann Arbor with a win- ning record because we knew how important it would be for our morale," Ballantine said. "(Assistant coach Steve) Merri- man and I, we just said, 'attack the hitters with fastballs ... keep them off balance with some off- speed stuff and let the defense make plays.' "And they did that all game, and so it was really easy for me to make it through seven innings today." Ballantine's performance gave the Wolverines their second- straight game with a strong pitch- ingperformance. The difference on Saturday, though, was that Michigan really needed Brosnahan's strong show- ing. With the Wolverines's lineup struggling to produce, Brosna- han sqaured off against Seton Hall's Rick Mangione in a pitch- er's duel. After giving up a run in the first inning, Brosnahan sty- mied the Pirates's lineup for the rest of the game. He allowed just three hits, while striking out four batters over the next six innings. Meanwhile, Michigan's bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth inning. Junior center field- er Patrick Biondi started off the inning with a single. After Bion- di stole second base, freshman left fielder Will Drake doubled down the right field line to tie the score at one. Seton Hall then brought in Benny Mejia to relieve Mangione, but the Wolverines were still able to capitalize on the scoring opportunity. After Drake advanced to third base on an O'Neill fly to right field, senior catcher Coley Crank knocked him in on a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Wolverines the lead for good. Redshirt sophomore Logan McAnallen came on in relief to pitch a scoreless final two innings to secure the win for Brosnahan. "I was encouraged by the pitching," said Michigan coach Rich Maloney. "I thought Bobby and Logan pitched very well." The opening weekend also revealed that the Wolverines have found an offensive force in Drake. In his first collegiate game, the first-year player went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI against the Panthers. He finished the weekend with five hits, five runs, four RBI and three stolen bases. "He drives in runs, he's con- stantly on base, he can steal whenever he wants - it's nice to hit behind him because he's always on base," O'Neillsaid. "Not only does he drive in runs, but he also allows (other) hitters to drive him in. He's an instant impact on offensive." After going winless at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge last year, Michigan is encouraged by it's two early wins, especially by the way itplayed after the dishearten- ing loss to Pittsburgh. "We battled back," O'Neill. "We didn't let that loss on Friday night determine our weekend which is a great sign." By GREG GARNO Daily Sports Writer If Michigan coach Carol Hutchins was worried about her young pitchingsquad before this weekend, she can MARYLAND 7 stop now. MICHIGAN 3 The No. 11 Michi- LONG ISLAND 0 gan softball MICHIGAN 4 team won four of five KENTUCKY 0 games over MICHIGAN 3 the week- end at the FLORIDA ATL. 0 FAU Kick- MICHIGAN 2 off Clas- sic in Boca WRIGHT ST. 0 Raton, Fla., MICHIGAN 4 includ- ing one over nonconference rival Kentucky - the team that knocked off the Wolverines in Ann Arbor during the Super 16 round of the NCAA Tournament last season. Many questioned whether the Wolverines could handle the stronger teams from the south and west, and this weekend was a chance to prove that they could. Freshman pitcher Haley Wagner led the way for the Wol- verines, improving her record to 4-0. The standout rookie threw her second and third complete games and held No. 22 Kentucky scoreless. "I just pitch and let my defense work," Wagner said. "I trust them tobe there for me and I know that they have my back." Wagner didn't seem fazed heading into the matchup against Kentucky. Despite see- ing her defense struggle early in the weekend, the youngster didn't feel pressure - or at least you couldn't tell. 0 0 Senior third baseman Amanda Chidester and Michigan went 4-1 in Florida. "I went into it just like it was another game," Wagner said "It's just a game where I'm going to compete." Michigan coach Carol Hutchins was quick to credit her young pitcher. "I thought Haley had an out- standing game," Hutchins said. "She worked the count well and the defense stepped up behind her." Even more impressive was the Wolverines' ability to bounce 'J Looking for Housing? Do you love the outdoors?! Radrick Farms is now accepting applications for Fall2012-13 Caretaker posi -seeking Graduate Students {must be enrolled for the -Plea:odi oe.:ilott, r iesi n duration of the appointment) 3 ref.nms - -Worksatleasts10ahours/we nechcaige ifor -Maushave the ability to drive a sutiy vehsics opt maisntsenansceeqipnt tasiningoroided)sl -5Sillsreltsed tsEeiroiential 5Stear siis Idsapn a plus Sian!'- Admini!,,sill iadrikI . 487.Ee Ansn'Ar, r sanhiixi: 't RELEASE DATE- Monday, February 20, 2012 Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS DOWN 38 Casual hellos 49 Rules of conduct 1 Like Eastwood's 5 Expels from the 39 Humiliated 50 In Harry country 40 Like many rural harmonious 6 Aromatic resin 2 "Should I deal roads 52 Twin Cities 11 Emeril catchword you a hand?" 41 Thousand suburb 14 Start of un ano 3 Abundantly thousand 53 Subatomic 15 Add to the mix supplied (with) 44 "Papa Don't paticle 16 Freudian subject 4 Helen of _ Preach" singer 54 Oohed and 17 *Get really angry 5 Partner of hither 45 Radiated 58 Face-off with 19 Cocktail cooler, in 6 salts 46 Flights leaving pistols Coblenz 7 "Filthy" dough around midnight, 61 Squealer 20 Paris airport 8 Preppy collars usually 62 Nonprofit's URL 21 Having trouble 9 Downed Russian 48 iPhone, e.g~ briefly ending deciding space station ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: 22 Hind usocial 10 Mashroom with a division black-edged toy S QU ADC A R S IDD OM 24 Fisheggs 11 Secretionused in M U S T E R S U P C O S M O 25*Belfast-born hives A B E R N A T H Y E L L I S flutist 12Stiryup ZI M A F U R B F L A T S 27 "For shame!" 13 Strolled,as to the E T E O T T L A L A 29Sedative saloon H A B E A S C O R P U S 30 Suffix with bed or 18 French state home 23 "Foat like a L A MA R M A KESU R E 31 Arthur of tennis btterfly"boxer U S P S E D I T H I R A N 34Selectedona 25Karaterelative G O E S A W O L A N G E L S ballot, with'"in" 26 Habitue E U G E N E C E R N A N 35*2004loserto 28nMahal L T R S ED T N R C GeorgeBush 31Landersor Lee SAS H A Y G A S D 100R 39 Source of quick 32 Enjoy the slopes A C T O R T E C H S A V V Y cash, briefly 33 Put a spell on K N I F E I N T OO D E E P 42 Operating system 36Awed crowd since the '60s reaction 43 Ball hit over the 37 Stat start xwordeditor@ao.com 02/20/12 Wall 1 2 a 45 8 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 47 Steals 50 Title street of 14 15 16 kids' TV 17 15 19 51 *Sandwich request e2 or 02 a 55 Accomplished 56 Islamicdeity 24 25 2n 57 College head 58 Shower affection 27 28 59 tal: cocktail 60 One oftthefour 3s a5 33738 that end this puazzle's starred 3 40 41 42 43 44 4 4 4 answers 4 ,4 o 63 Rock producer Brian 51 52 53 54n 5s 64 Stealthycraft 65Zellweger of s s5sn5 "Chicago" 66 Room with 59 so 51 s2 bokcases 003 4 65 87 Tolerate 68 Flowers with so 67 swordlike leaoes, brietlyk sGefreyLewis 02/20/12 (c)2012 Tribune Media Services, inc. 411 HIGH ST. 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"It was just one of those games where nothing goes your way," added senior third base- man Amanda Chidester. "We definitely have a lot of work, as every team does, but it has to be up to us to play for Michigan and fight hard for our team." A loss now is better than late in the season for the Wolver- ines, when momentum is crucial to putting together a run in the postseason. Hutchins was happy with the team's response to the loss Fri- day, though. "I thought we owned it, took ownership of it, and then put it behind us," Hutchins said. "I thought we owned it " (and) put it behind us." After losing to Maryland on Friday, Michigan strung togeth- er four shutouts against Long Island, Kentucky, Florida Atlan- tic and Wright State. Despite the lack of power hit- ting, the Wolverines handled each team with ease. Michigan tallied only one home run and one double in the five games. In last weekend's tournament, the Wolverines hit four home runs in four games. But home runs aren't neces- sary when you post four straight shutouts. "I am not really big on the shutout, but it is a great way to beat someone," Hutchins said. "Shutouts are a team effort. We have a versatile pitching staff this year. They are each focused on pitching one inning at a time right now." Chidester said that piecing together wins like the team has been is simple, as long as Michi- gan keeps it simple. "You play your position and you do your part at your posi- tion," Chidester said. "When you try to do more, mistakes hap- pen."