10 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 - 7A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Wednesday, April 10, 2013 - 7A
Six straight
for Michigan
Fifth-year senior offensive tackle Taylor Lewan spurned the NFL Draft to return to Michigan. Trey Burke, point guard for the basketball team, faces a similar decision.
Lewan can relate to Burke
By SHANNON LYNCH
Daily Sports Writer
Recently, the Wolverines have
been pumping out wins and
championships in all corners of
their athletic department - soft-
ball, swimming and diving, gym-
nastics and basketball, just to
name a few.
Tuesday night, the Michigan
baseball team kept pace. The
Wolverines (4-2 Big Ten, 17-14
overall)
battled MICHIGAN 4
No. 18 NOTRE DAME 1
Notre
Dame in South Bend and earned
a 4-1 victory, extending their
winning streak to six. Michigan
hasn't had this many victories in
succession since 2010.
"We're just trying to contrib-
ute in a positive way," said Michi-
gan coach Erik Bakich. "We're
just happy to be a part of the big-
ger picture because there's not a
better time to be associated with
Michigan athletics than right
now."
Sophomore right-hander
James Bourque earned the win
for Michigan, striking out four
in 5.1 innings. Fellow sophomore
right-hander Matt Ogden also
struck out four and picked up the
save, allowing only one hit in 3.2
frames.
"We were pitching to contact,"
Ogden said. "We had aggressive
hitters who swing right up to bat,
and we just let them get them-
selves out pretty much."
Increasingly, Bakich has been
able to rely on the pitching staff,
a change from years past.
"Our pitchers have alot of con-
fidence right now," Bakich said.
"They've really done a nice job
buying into pitching with quick
tempo and forcing contact. Let-
ting our defense work."
Pitching to contact wasn't
the only thing this team came
to South Bend prepared to do. A
number of well-timed hits also
gave Michigan the edge over
Notre Dame.
Michigan catcher Cole Mar-
tin got the offense running in
the third with a double, then
By LIZ VUKELICH
Daily Sports Editor
The conclusion of the basket-
ball season means the eyes of the
Michigan athletic community are
on sophomore point guard Trey
Burke and if he'll decide to leave
Michigan and enter the NBA
Draft.
Taylor Lewan knows that feel-
ing all too well - it's been three
months since
the Jan. 9 press NOTEBOOK
conference
when the fifth-year senior tackle
announced his decision to stay
with the Michigan football pro-
gram one more year instead of
entering the NFL Draft.
Lewan doesn't envy Burke's
decision at all, but now that all the
attention is off his status at Michi-
gan, he's focusing on things a little
bigger than him.
"I (stayed) for my team," Lewan
said. "Now that that's over, my
focus is Team 134 and it's not
about (how) I stayed. If I stayed
and we go 3-9 then that doesn't
matter. It's notabout me, it'll never
be about me."
Lewan's newest priority? Nur-
turing a youthful offensive line in
preparation for Saturday's spring
game and embracing his new lead-
ership role.
"I've tried to take it to a whole
new level," Lewan said. "My big
focus the last couple years has
been the offensive line, and I've
taken it to being the whole team
now. It's cool to see guys that are
starting to follow."
Lewan, though, has been reluc-
tant to praise the line too much
based off what he's seen this
spring. The unit is still struggling
with the minute details, such as
hand placement, and needs to
become more aware.
It appears redshirt freshman
guard Kyle Kalis has been mak-
ing enough progress this spring to
probably lock in the starting job,
and he has Lewan's full approval.
"It's cool to see the transi-
tion from just one season doing a
scout team to the spring and how
much more they've retained just
in those few months," Lewan said.
"If everybody focuses on their
assignment, does their job, that's
how you win games. Everything's
a one-on-one battle."
SPRING AWAKENING: Satur-
day's scrimmage in Michigan Sta-
dium signifies the end of spring
practice and the end of the Wol-
verines' first marking period, so to
speak.
The players spoke of some per-
sonal goals they hope to accom-
plish by Saturday. But some goals
are a little broader than others -
in addition to his own objectives
for the spring, part of senior cor-
nerback Courtney Avery's goals
includes mentoring the younger
defensive backs.
The Wolverines are blessed
with enough depth at secondary
to keep a healthy rotation dur-
ing practices, but with freshmen
constituting about a quarter of the
defensive backs, there's still a little
bit of a learning curve.
That's where Avery, and his fel-
low upperclassmen, come in.
"After you take your reps and
you're on the sideline, you watch
your position," Avery said. "That
way you can get your mental rest,
and you can help coach them. The
coaches on the field aren'tgoing to
be able to catch every little thing."
COUNTING ON CLARK: It
might only be spring ball, but
Lewan is already anticipating
postseason accolades for his team-
mates. On Tuesday, he expressed
little doubt that junior defensive
end Frank Clark will make the
All-Big Ten team, and that's based
only on the times he's gone up
against Clark in the limited num-
ber of spring practices.
Senior defensive tackle Jibreel
Black agreed and admitted he's
happy to have Clark on his side of
the line of scrimmage.
"Frank's been running the ball
the best I've seen (since) the first
play of his freshman year," Black
said. "I can see the whole D-line
being All-Big Ten talent."
NOTE: Angelique Chengelis of
The Detroit News reported Tues-
day that the spring game will be a
situational scrimmage.
Junior right fielder Michael O'Neill
had an RBI on two hits in South Bend.
headed to third base on a sac-
rifice bunt and scored on a wild
pitch. The Wolverines added a
pair of runs in the fourth when
freshman third baseman Jacob
Cronenworth scored off a double
from junior right fielder Michael
O'Neill. He then followed
Cronenworth home on a double
from sophomore designated hit-
ter Kevin White.
Bourque held off the Fight-
ing Irish until the bottom of the
sixth, allowing one run before
Bakich called in Ogden, who
struck outtwo and quickly ended
the inning. After loading the
baseswith no outs inthe seventh,
Michigan responded with a run
of its own.
O'Neill, who is batting .353,
was one of four Wolverine bat-
ters to pick up two hits in the
game. O'Neill and White both
had one RBI and a run each in
four at-bats.
This Michigan team, like so
many others, is currently on a
roll. The winning has been con-
tagious.
"I believe we have momentum
on our side," Ogden said. "It's
a little unexplainable, so we're
going to roll with it, keep doing
what we do, keep the good mojo
going, and look forward to the
next game."
Red-hot Wolverines use eight-run first inning to top Broncos
By ERIN LENNON left-hander needed just 81 pitches alla worked two walks to load the right field for her second hit of the Susalla earned her second start in Nicole Sappingfield.
Daily Sports Writer through five innings to secure her bases for the ninth batter in the game. The single put the Wolver- as many games, while Blanchard "We want to get people in as
second shutout and 11th win of the lineup, junior center fielder Lind- ines up 8-0 and knocked Shem- - who is the usual starter at first much as we can," Hutchins said.
For the second time this week, season. say Doyle. Doyle knocked in two berger out of the game. - got her second start of the sea- "Susalla keeps getting better, and
the No. 12 Michigan softball team Michigan sent 12 batters to the runs with a single up the middle to Senior second baseman Ashley son behind the plate in place of that is why I'm so pleased with
scored plate in the bottom of the first put Michigan up 4-0. Lane loaded the bases once more sophomore catcher Lauren Sweet. her. She keeps improving even
eight runs W. MICHIGAN 0 inning, stringing together seven "We had to keep playing our for Michigan, but a strikeout from "I've made a few adjustments to though she does get erratic play-
in the first MICHIGAN 8, hits and four walks from.Western game," Hutchins said. "We have to " freshman left fielder Sierra Law- my swing. I've been tryingto focus ing time. Her start is a great credit
inning in Michigan pitcher Becca Shem- keep building on what you're good rence ended the inning and left the more on seeing the ball and hitting to her. All those kids have worked
Tuesday's victory over Western berger. The Wolverines' patience at no matter who the opponent is. runner stranded. with my backside," Susalla said. hard so I'm really excited to see
Michigan. paid off - they scored five of their We had an opportunity to swing The Broncos threatened with "Keeping those things in mind has them get better at it."
While the Wolverines (9-0 eight runs with two outs. Fol- our bat, and we swung well in the the bases loaded and no outs in definitely improved my hitting." 'The win extended Michigan's
Big Ten, 32-7 overall) were held lowing a triple from senior third first." the top of the second, but Wagner Early-game scoring allowed winning streak to 14. For the
scoreless in each of the next four baseman Amy Knapp, sophomore Junior catcher Caitlin paired two strikeouts and a force Hutchins to insert freshman Bran- Wolverines, patience and balance
innings, the early lead was enough pitcher Sara Driesenga, who was Blanchard fought off 11 pitches out at home to work out of the jam di Virgil and senior co-captain in the batter's box, paired with
for sophomore pitcher Haylie the designated player, and fresh- in her second at-bat of the frame without yielding a run. After an Jaclyn Crummey into the outfield strong pitching in the circle has
Wagner to earn an 8-0 win. The man first baseman Kelsey Sus- before sending a line drive into outstanding weekend at the plate, for Doyle and senior co-captain kept them perfect at Alumni Field.