SPORTS
The Michigan Daily Tuesday, May 22, 1984
Page 16
Batsmen beat NU for title
By ROB POLLARD
It took them one game longer than
they had hoped, but the Michigan
Wolverines wrapped up yet another Big
Ten baseball title Sunday in Min-
neapolis.
The Maize and Blue came back to
beat Northwestern, 8-3, after dropping
Sunday's first game to the Wildcats by
a count of 6-2.
HEROES IN the victory included pit-
chers Casey Close and Scott
Kamieniecki, shortstop Barry Larkin
and tournament MVP Kurt Zimmer-
man.
Larkin and Zimmerman each hit two-
run homers, while Close kept the Wild-
cats at bay until Kamieniecki could
come on to slam the door.
"The key to the game was the middle
innings when we were struggling," said
Kamieniecki. "Casey held them to two
runs until we came back in the fifth."
In that fifth inning, pinch-hitter Dan
Disher got things started with a one-out
single to right off Northwestern ace.Bob
Miller. Larkin then connected for his
third homer of the year.
"I HIT AN inside fastball," said
Larkin describing his homer. "It was
a pitch I had been getting jammed on
all week. Coach told-me to go up there
and look for it."
After Larkin's blast, Ken Hayward
singled and leftfielder Kurt Zimmer-
man drove a Miller pitch far over the
right field wall giving the Wolverines a
5-2 lead.
Close gave up an unearned run in the
sixth, and yielded to Kamieniecki in the
seventh with the score 5-3-and two men
on base. Kamieniecki needed only two
pitches to get an inning-ending double
play.
MIDDAUGH WAS pleased with
Close's outing, but was concerned with
Michigan's pitching depth.
"Our pitching is thin. We are for-
tunate that we got the two good games
out of Kamieniecki and (Gary) Wayne.
Neither of our third and fourth starters
(Bill Shuta and Dave Karasinski),
threw very well."
Middaugh is considering starting
Close and possibly reliever Ken
Hayward in the upcoming Mideast
regional. Both were impressive in Min-
neapolis.
"When you get into these tournamen-
ts it comes down to pitching," said
Middaugh. "Casey looks like I could
give him the ball and Hayward may end
up in a situation where he would start a
game we had to win, and then I could
bring Kamieniecki in."
Wolverine pitchers gave up only 13
runs in four tournament games.
Another performance like that might
just lead the Wolverines a trip to the
College World Series in Omaha.
DOUG McMAHON/Daily
Big Ten Most Valuable Player Barry Larkin shows some of his defensive
skills in action earlier this season. Friday, Larkin and the rest of the
Michigan baseball team will compete in the NCAA Mideast regional at
Mount Pleasant.
Middaugh bafled by site
By ROB POLLARD highest bid got to host the regional. figure anywhere close to our bid," said
At the conclusion of the season, when Middaugh feels this may not be the the Michigan mentor. "It's supposed to
Michigan baseball coach Bud Mid- case. be a financial situation. I know what
daugh decides to go on vacation, it's "I'd be willing to bet that there's no we bid. If they give me the figures and
unlikely he'll choose Mt. Pleasant as way that they could come up with a it's (Central Michigan's bid)
the spot. reasonablyclose to the rest of the bids
The NCAA Mideast region selection then I'll go along with it.
committee chose Mt. Pleasant as the "IT'S ABSOLUTELY ridiculous that
site for the Mideast regional. Middaugh they can bypass the Big Ten conference
was somewhat less than elated with the w when we can show financially that we
choice. can make more money for the NCAA
"THEY'VE GOT two hotels in the than any Mid-American Conference
whole town and they're running a tour- team could. I think it's something that
nament. Where do the parents stay? ought to be looked into."
Where do your fans stay? In Mt. Middaugh is more upset with the
Pleasant - nowhere. There's nowhere, lack of lodging facilities in Mt. Pleasant
there's nothing, there's absolutely than he is about not having the home
zilch." field. He feels Ann Arbor is a better site
An influencing factor on the commit-
tee's decision to select Mt. Pleasant because of its abundance of hotels, and
may have been the presence of Dave because there's more to do in between
Keilitz as the chairman for the commit- days of the tournament.
tee. Keilitz also happens to be the "(A site) has to provide some type of
baseball coach at Central Michigan. service to make it a first class tour-
Keilitz is retiring at the end of the nament, which it is," said Middaugh
season to become the athletic director whose Wolverines will be making their
at CMU. He is also resigning as chair- third regional appearance in four
man of the committee. It's possible that years. "You have only eight regionals
the committee gave the tournament to in the U.S. You don't put them ina place
CMU asa favor for Keilitz. where you can't attend them."
"I DON'T blame them for wanting Of the four teams to compete at Mt.
the tournament, but I want to know why Pleasant - CMU, Michigan, Indiana
they chose the site early. They could State and Temple, the 'Wolverines
have waited, they didn't know who was figure to bring the most fans to Mt.
going to win this tournament." Pleasant. However, as of today the
Each of the schools that had a chance three hotels in the area are booked solid.
to play in the Mideast regional put in a One of these "hotels" has only nine
bid for the tournament. Since the pur- rooms.
pose of these regionals is to make Nine rooms is about enough to house
money for the NCAA, it would make Middaugh Middaugh's pitchers and catchers, if he
sense if the school which submitted the ... needs more rooms chooses to segregate by position.