The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Thursday, April 10, 2014 - 7A The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Thursday, April 10, 2014 - 7A Hot or cold,'M' gets the 'W' Despite individual struggles, Michigan rides coaching, culture to success By JUSTIN MEYER 7 Daily Sports Writers Wolverines mold i'dentity in spring Senior first baseman Caitlin Blanchard remembers the shock of transitioning from high school softball to her first Michigan practice the fall of her freshman year. The tradition, the culture and the intensity all helped her make what she described as an exponential leap from the fall to the spring of that year. This year, the turf renovation of Alumni Field forced the fifth- ranked Wolverines to miss some u of that fall practice regimen," and Michigan's freshmen have struggled at times so far this season. "We couldn't do a lot with kids coming in early because Senior firs we were at Huron High School, program and they could barely get there," with. said coach Carol Hutchins. Firsti "We didn't have a locker room. strugglin The culture is in this building. Player o We had a lapse with that, and entered1 now we're reestablishing it." Freshman "We haveC right-hander Megan Betsa culture of was the story of the success ...co early season, dealing with working har confidence issues despite a repertoire of weapons in the circle. - and sh The other freshmen,' as I woul including second baseman Abby she's goir Ramirez and third baseman ever day. Lindsay Montemarano, have Betsa battled all year to step up, at lion's de the plate. But as good as the relieving Wolverines are, the freshmen Drieseng are hardly the only ones dealing slipping with slumps this season. powerho Everyone has an opinion one batte about how to be consistent: It's before ex a mental game, it's all about registeri technique, the key is to be loose Driese at the plate - or maybe it's to be favorite, on edge in the field. spot intl To pick out a universal secret own stru for success from the noise is Betsa's c nearly impossible. All the advice sag enter does is confirm that softball is The d most certainly a game of streaks a first-in - hot and cold. Indiana The natural ups and downs debut an of the season make Michigan's day pitc consistency this year all the coaches, more remarkable. The 16-game no distr winning streak and the 11 desperat mercy-rule wins in the last her swag 14 games have come amid the The ni Michigan goes 5-1 in spring schedule, freshmen impress By BRAD WHIPPLE Daily Sports Writer It was the 68th minute in the Elite Eight when Virginia delivered the winning strike against the Michigan women's soccer team. It was the goal that ended the Wolverines' run in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, and it was also the goal that ended the collegiate career of seven seniors, all of whom gave their team a force to rally behind. Though the questions remained as to how Michigan would contend next season without players like forward Nkem Ezurike, the Wolverines' recent spring season success showed glimpses of a new identity that is forming without their seniors. which could be dedicated to skill training. Now, the team meets four to five times a week for full practices. Ryan has even tried to bring the senior class back to help the younger athletes, but he ran into an issue in January. When the seven seniors declared for the National Women's Soccer League Draft, they were labeled as professional players, even if they didn't get selected. Per NCAA guidelines, 'professional players' are restricted to stopping by a team's practices once per month. But even if the seniors can't be there as much as they'd like, the Wolverines still found spring success in their absence. And Michigan isn't even at full capacity, with nine freshmen who have yet to arrive on campus. "I'm just excited that we have the kids that are coming in who do have a lot of talent joining what has turned out to be a very, JAMES COLLER/Daily t baseman Caitlin Blanchard has struggled lately, but her Michigan teammates have picked up the slack easily. in the country deals it was Betsa who was g. The Gatorade f the Year in Georgia the season with high expectations, none higher than her a coach's. "Betsa has improved the most at f this point in the season," Hutchins said."Shewas just really inconsistent e's not as consistent yet ld like. But I like where rg, and I like her better was tossed into the en in her first game, junior righty Sara a .with the game away against national use Florida. Betsa hit er and walked another :iting the game without ng an out. nga, the preseason to take over the first he rotation, has had her iggles this season, and onfidence continued to ing Big Ten play. rought culminated in ining yanking against in Betsa's home id, ultimately, an off- hing session with no no teammates and actions. It seemed a e attempt to finally find ger. ext day, Betsa threw a Coincidentally, Betsa's return to form came at the same time Michigan added another permanent staple to its already deep batting order. Senior designated hitter Taylor Hasselbach, a player who spent three "The years in a limited role 'slump' and rarely cracked the to aff starting lineup, was on fire. At you first it seemed like just a - hot streak, especially when Hasselbach cooled off against a very good Ohio State pitcher last Saturday. But the next day, Hasselbach put those doubts to rest when she jacked three home runs for eight RBI. Since entering the starting lineup March 15, her batting average is .484. "I can tell you one thing that we have in this program ... is culture," Hutchins said. "We have a culture of success, we have a culture of working hard, we have a culture of kids coming in early to hit. That's championship culture, and it means you work harder than everyone else and you work through the hard times." That culture, Hutchins said, starts with the upperclassmen who work tirelessly to be at their best every day. The perfect example is Hasselbach, who struggled for three years before finding a spot in the starting lineup her senior season. has been Blanchard's turn to struggle. The starting first baseman holds down the most important position in the Wolverines' lineup - hitting behind star sophomore shortstop Sierra Romero, who opposing word teams often try to pitch ... starts around - and is unfamiliar ect how with prolonged i do." slumps in her career. "She seems like she's got a lot on her mind," Hutchins said. "She doesn't look comfortable, kids go through that, she'll get it back. Sometimes you just kind of have to let it run its course - it's like the flu." The former walk-on has batted at least .350 since her sophomore year and is known as a clutch hitter by her coaches. "That's something that happens," Blanchard said. "If you, as a baseball or softball player, know that you are in a slump, and you use the word 'slump,' it starts to affect how you do long term." But Michigan has dealt with cold hitters plenty of times this season already and it hasn't slowed the team down a bit. Blanchard will do everything she can to get her plate presence and her swing back even though recent history suggests the Wolverines will keep winning regardless. To be a championship- caliber squad in a streaky sport like softball, the team has to transcend the player. Michigan has met that goal with a combination of talent and winning culture established by hardworking veterans like Blanchard and Hasselbach. Even the elder statesmen on the team can't avoid the slumps, though. They'll say things about being prepared mentally, echo their coach's 'one-pitch' softball mantra and talk about doing their part for the team, but what they really mean is that slumps don't last forever. So freshman or senior, they'll keep swinging, pitching and attacking the opponent. Detroit, Western Michigan, Ohio State, UCLA - it doesn't matter. Alumni Field renovations interrupting fall practice, key freshmen struggling early - that doesn't matter either. Sometimes all the Wolverines can do individually is believe that turning the corner to being a better player and an even better team is just one pitch away. "These kids very cohesive are reallygood, and talented but they were ,w e have kids group of playing behind players," some very good seniors," coming in who RyTheaid. said Michigan do have a lot Wolverines coach Greg have made Ryan. "(In the of talent." deep runsinto spring season), the NCAA there was a lot Tournament of teaching of in two how we were straight years going to play together, and the - the Sweet 16 in 2012 and the low-stress environment' gave Elite Eight in 2013 - and Ryan them time to gain confidence in is optimistic that his team can themselves, both individually do great things this year. and as a team. But, especially this early in "That was a critical element the year, he said there are no for these guys." guarantees. Michigan scored 17 goals, a According to Ryan, the talent spring best, and allowed only is there and a run is possible, but one en route to a 5-1 record. one thing needs to be present: Its only loss came at the hands determination and grit, the of Notre Dame, a team the merits of last year's senior class. Wolverines previously defeated "I think that those intangible in the Sweet 16. qualities go beyond talent," The spring season has he said. "They take you to the allowed Ryan to give reserves next round, whereas if you the opportunity to compete. don't have that, you may have The player who has stood out the talent but you're probably the most is freshman forward not going to last as long in the Nicky Waldeck, who took over NCAA Tournament." the lone forward spot that Ezurike occupied last and is making the most of it. BY THE NUMBERS "Nicky is scoring hat tricks Michigan coach Greg Ryan and two goals per game on a regular basis," Ryan said. "It's not accidental - she's really, really talented." Wins with the Michigan women s soccer Typically, freshman forward team, including18 in 2013. Madisson Lewis would play up front in the center, but she has missed the entire spring season due to broken bones in her foot. 45 But the injury gave Waldeck the Wins with the US Women's National opportunity to play and build Teamfrom 2005-2007. the confidence that she may not have gained otherwise. In addition to the spring games, Michigan has continued its training regimen that began Career goalsfor forward Nkem Ezurike, after Winter Break - Ryan who excelled under Ryan. thinks this team is in the best shape of any he's seen in the spring. After initial fitness 21 testing, the first month was Years as a collegiate coachwith anall limited to eight hours of non- time record of 248-111-38. competitive practice, two of LUNA ANNA ARCHEYDaily Taylor Hasselbach spent three years riding the bench, but her hot bat has been welcomed during her senior season. OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH LACEY HOLSWORTH, HER FAMILY AND THE MICHIGAN STATE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTED HER. CONTRIBUTE TO CANCER RESEARCH AT DONATE.CANCER.ORG ERINKIRKLAND/Daily Michigan coach Greg Ryan guided the Wolverines to the Elite Eight last fall.