The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 7A

The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 7A

SOFTBALL
Lack of intensity
dooms Michigan
Driesenga allows hitters popped up, flied out and
struck out, stranding the two
one run and hits a runners on base. If the runners
had beenmoved over with abunt,
double, but drops the fly out would likely have been
game to WMU long enough to score Luetkens
from third to give Michigan a 1-0
lead.

AIA brings faith to the field at 'M'

By DANIEL FEL
Daily Sports Wri
"Nothing."
In her most blunt w
gan softball coach Carol
summed up the offensiv
tion and what No. 20
did well.
Since W. MIC
Tuesday's MICHIG
scheduled
game against Western
(18-12 overall) was p
to yesterday due to
weather, the Wolverine
extra day to prepare.
The team didn't
right mindset entering
according to Hutchins.
"They just thought 1
going to walk
in here and
show up
because they
have Michigan
on their chest," abs
Hutchins said.
Instead,
Michigan (8-1
Big Ten, 27-11)
did something
it had not done in over
- lose to Western Mi
which they had not don
in nearly 20 years.
"We got what we d
Hutchins said.
The Wolverines' ba
to remain hot following
game sweep over the
against Ohio State, w
scored 27runs and talli
This wasn't the cas
Wolverines managed
hits against Broncos
Meredith Wagner, two
were hit by sophomore l
Nicole Sappingfield.
Michigan had a chan
in the second inning af
man pitcher Sara Drie
off the inning with a do
left-center wall.
The next batter w
third baseman Stepha
patrick, whose intent
down a sacrifice bunt
sophomore pinch runr
Luetkens to third. But
hit by a pitch, giving th
ines runners on first at
with no outs. With
ners on, Hutchins deck
for a big inning and no
another sacrifice bunt
the runners over to se
third.
This would ultima
Michigan a run, as the n

DMAN As the game dragged on to the
iter fifth inning with the score still
0-0 and each team with just two
hits apiece, it became apparent
ay, Michi- that one run could be enough to
Hutchins win the game.
ve produc- Western Michigan added
Michigan that run in the sixth on a two-
out single by first baseman Tara
HIGAN 1 Buchanan.
iAN 0 "(Driesenga) gave up a run and
clearly couldn't afford to give up
Michigan a run," Hutchins said.
postponed Unlike this past weekend,
inclement when the Wolverines worked
es had an their at-bats and made the Ohio
State pitching staff throw balls,
have the they weren't able to pressure the
the game, pitchers on Wednesday.
Whitney struck out five bat-
they were ters for the Broncos, including
the 600th of
her career,
on the way to
"Our kids a complete-
game shutout.
so1utely didn't The big-
gest reason for
show up." Whitney's suc-
cess was her
ability to con-
stantly get the
five years Wolverines to pop the ball up.
chigan - "I just give Whitney credit,"
e at home Hutchins said. "Our kids abso-
lutely didn't show up."
deserved," Michigan had a chance to
draw even in the bottom of the
ts looked seventh, but again, the offense
g a three- couldn't capitalize. After Sap-
weekend pingfield hit a chopper to short
hen they with two outs, senior centerfield-
ed 32 hits. er Bree Evans hit a bullet off the
e, as the pitcher and reached first to keep
just four Michigan's chances alive.
pitcher Hutchins decided to pinch-hit
of which sophomore Mandy Gardner, who
left fielder worked the count full before
fouling out to first for the final
ce to score out. Gardner was not the only
ter fresh- pinch hitter in the game for the
senga led Wolverines. Earlier in the game,
uble to the sophomore Taylor Hasselbach
pinch-hit and yielded the same
as senior result - a pop out.
nie Kirk- "For my two pinch-hitters to
was to lay come in and hit pop ups is even
to move worse," Hutchins said. "(Hassel-
ner Katie bach and Gardner) had the whole
t she was game to watch and all we asked
e Wolver- them to do is hit the ball on the
nd second ground."
two run- Hutchins made it clear that
ded to go Thursday's practice will drill
it attempt this concept into her players'
to move brains.
cond and "We're going to hit every-
thing on the ground," Hutchins
tely cost said. "Tomorrow will be a very
next three intense practice."

By MARISA WINTER
DailyStaffReporter
Integrating a dedication to
their sport with a dedication to
their faith, a group of student-
athletes at Michigan have found
a common bond through Ath-
letes in Action, an organization
found at Michigan and many
other campuses worldwide.
Founded in 1966 as a ministry
of Campus Crusade for Christ
International, this global orga-
nization centers on building a
spiritual community among ath-
letes. AIA meets every Wednes-
day evening in the training room
of Canham Natatorium.
Kinesiology junior Craig Roh,
a defensive end on the Michigan
football team, discussed the sup-
port he's found in AIA and how
his faith is the foundation for his
lifestyle as a disciplined athlete.
"AIA is a place where I've
found the support of other
Christian athletes - they helped
me through my walk of life and
through the tough times," Roh
said. "It's a great community to
share about what's going on in
your life. We all have problems,
but we accept God's grace and
don't have to hide things from
each other."
The Scottsdale, Ariz. native
also described his faith as "irre-
placeable."
"Every day onthe field I give it
all that I have within me, other-
wise it would be as though I was
throwing my gifts back in God's
face and saying that his gifts
aren't good enough," Roh said.
"That's the mentality that drives
me to improve every day. I see
football as a talent God has given
me, and so it's what he wants me
to do. My faith deconstructs my
fears so I can play with reckless
abandonment.
"I am a perfectionist by
nature, and I have a fear of fail-
ure that stunts my growth. I find
strength through my faith in
Jesus. Ican fail in certain things
because I'm a sinner, but I can
play with motivation that only
Gnda ~-~vicPG -"

Athletes in Action meets every Wednesday evening at Canham Natatorium.

Kinesiology senior Ben Cro-
nin, a volunteer student assis-
tant and former member of the
Michigan men's basketball team,
also credited AIA with offering
him a stable support group with
athletes of similar passions.
"My faith has been a big moti-
vation for me," Cronin said. "I
practice my sport in the same
way I study my Bible - to the
best ability and with a pure heart
with everything I have."
Cronin played for two years
under Michigan coach John
Beilein before a hip injury forced
him to discontinue his basket-
ball career.
"We're not always going to
win, but I've found my identity
in my relationship with God, not
my sport," Cronin said.
LSA senior Tim Bergsma, who
plays goalie on the Michigan
men's soccer team, lauded AIA's
ability to give a voice to Chris-
tian athletes everywhere, as well
as to help them grow and have a
lasting effect on the community.
"It's a cool avenue for finding
a community of people with sim-
ilar faith who understand the
rigors of sports as well, and it's
a chance to use the unique plat-
form of a college athlete to be
able to share my faith to people
outside of Michigan," Bergsma
said.
A T AA hnchilt n nrecenn~

among athletes in 85 countries
and on more than 100 campuses
in the United States. The pro-
gram at Michigan was estab-
lished in the mid-1970s.
Bruce Dishnow, an AIA staff
member at Michigan, detailed
several opportunities afforded
to athletes for outreach through
AIA. The group traveled to
Orlando over spring break last
year and then to Los Angeles
earlier this year.
Twenty-five students went to
Orlando for what they titled an
"Urban Immersion." The group
partnered with Here's Life
Intercity, an intercity ministry
in Orlando, to serve urban com-
munities on five different work
sites.
This spring, the group part-
nered with AIA at USC and
served at five different minis-
try sites, including Skid Row
and Nickerson's Gardens in Los
Angeles.
These were places where gang
activity and other challenges
within the community existed.
Their mission was to bring about
change in under-resourced com-
munities.
"We want to have a caring
community and safe environ-
ment for student-athletes to
explore - it has had a positive
influence on their lives, on and
nff te f ild" rnnom sad

"Athletes are in the public eye
and are role models for young
people. Although many athletes
are considered heroes to soci-
ety, we want people to see that
AIA athletes look up to Christ as
their hero."
.LSA senior Erik Braun, a
member of the Michigan men's
track and field team, emphasized
the impact Dishnow had on him
and many other athletes, and
how the AIA experience overall
has been a blessing.
"Before I came to AIA, Bruce
sought me out and invited me,"
Braun said. "He's been a mentor
for me for the last two years. The
spring break trip (to Los Ange-
les) was my first service trip, and
it gave us a chance to give back
and see work the Lord is doing in
California.
"I didn't start my walk of
faith until 2010, my sophomore
year, but now all that I do is for
God - I have an audience of one.
And it's not just something I just
think about, it's what I believe
for myself."
Bergsma and Cronin both
took part in the Los Angeles trip,
which included a week of help-
ing out at a community center for
children. During one afternoon,
the 7-foot Cronin made the mis-
take of lifting one kid up to dunk.
When he turned around, there
was a line of 20 kids patiently
waiting for their turn.
"I had to take few breaks,"
Cronin said, laughing.
Michigan hockey captain
Luke Glendening said he appre-
ciated that through AIA, he
gained a respect for people with
different beliefs.
"My advice is to find your
niche and find people who have
same interest as you but also
branch out," Glendening said.
"I have met people of other
faiths who have been an encour-
agement to me through their
strength and commitment.
"We can be encouraged by
people who are like-minded
but need to recognize and learn
from the commitment that oth-
erssae as e ell-"