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May 25, 1984 - Image 16

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Text
Publication:
Michigan Daily, 1984-05-25

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SPORTS
Friday, May 25, 1984

The Michigan-Daily

Page 16

'M' out to topple Temple

By ROB POLLARD
There has been quite a fuss over the
selection of Mt. Pleasant as the site for
the NCAA Mideast regional. But when
the first pitch is thrown today, all the
controversy will be forgotten and the
Michigan Wolverines will begin their
quest for their third regional cham-
pionship in five years.
Michigan, ranked 18th by Collegiate
Baseball magazine, meets Temple at
12:30 p.m. today in the opening game of
the tournament. At 4:30 host Central
Michigan takes on Indiana State. Scott
Kamieniecki (6-3)'takes the mound for
the Maize and Blue against Bill Mendek
(10-2).
THE DOUBLE-elimination continues
with two games each on Saturday and
Sunday. If a seventh game is needed it
will be played on Monday.
Michigan needed a seventh game in
the Big Ten tournament to defeat Nor-
thwestern. Temple also needed a seven-
th game to win the Atlantic-10 tour-
""" "*_

Wolverines and Owls
open Mideast regional

that (against Northwestern)."
CLOSE WENT into the Big Ten tour-
nament with an ERA of 8.29 and
didn't figure to see much action. But
starters Bill Shuta and Dave Karasin-
ski were ineffective. So Close was
called upon to hold Northwestern at hav

The Owls lost the opening game of the
tournament, 5-2 in 13 innings to Penn
State. They then rebounded to beat.
West Virginia, Penn State and Rhode
Island twice.
ONE TRADEMARK of this Temple
team, which has a record of 33-12, is
youth. "We're young. We have 10
Bud Middaugh named Big Ten
coach of the year. See story,
page 15.
freshmen and 11 sophomores on our
team," said Temple head coach Skip
Wilson. "The veterans have really
helped the young kids come along.",
Wilson is in his 25th year as the head
Owl. In that time he has compiled a 552-
260 record.
Last year Temple competed in the
East regional where it lost its first two
games to Harvard and eventual region
champ Maine. Wilson took the Owls to
the College World Series in 1972 and
1977. He considers the 1972 team that
finished third in the nation to be his best
team ever, and believes this year's
squad hasra few similarities to the 1872
team.
"WE ARE very comparable pitching-
wise to the '72 team. We are not as good
defensively but we have better hitters.
We have a lot of versatility on this
team."
Temple's pitching is anchored by
Mendek, a senior lefthander who has a
1.13 ERA, and 118 strikeouts in 88 in-
nings.
"He's a complete pitcher," said
Wilson. "He won't overpower you - he
won't throw 85 miles per hour, but he's
the best pitcher I've ever had here and
I've had some that have pitched in the

big leagues." while the Wolverines rallied.
IF MENDEK lives up to his coach's "I figured I might have to come in
billing then the fans in Mt. Pleasant are sometime because we had a couple of
in for a pitching duel. guys going for us who hadn't pitched a
Michigan starter Scott Kamieniecki lot (Dave Karasinski and Bill Shuta)," said
has been on the warpath lately, picking Close. "Nine innings is a long time to go
up a win and a save in the Big Ten tour- when you haven't done it for a while."
nament while allowing only one run in If Close is effective this weekend it
11% innings. will give Middaugh four reliable pitche-
Kamieniecki feels his success against rs. Kamieniecki, Wayne and relief ace
Northwestern was due to his ability to Ken Hayward can all be counted on to
get ahead of the hitters. get hitters out. However after these
"I KNEW the key was getting ahead four, Michigan's best move would be to
of them. (After a while) they began to move the fences back.
chase the first or second pitch. That BOTH MIDDAUGH and Wilson agree
helps a lot." that pitching is the most important area
The Wolverines will need more pit- in post-season play.
ching than just the usual excellent per- "When you get into these tournamen-
formance from Kamieniecki. Lefty ts it comes down to pitching," said the
Gary Wayne and righthander Casey Michigan mentor.
Close will probably be the starters in "I think pitching and defense win
the Wolverines second and third games. ballgames for you," added the Temple
Both have been inconsistent this year, skipper.
but came through last weekend. All Michigan games will be broadcast
"All Casey needed to do was to go out on WAAM (1600 AM).
in a key situation and be able to handle
it," said coach Bud Middaugh. "He did

r
f
d
t
e
a
t

Kamieniecki
... ahead of the hitters

Mideast regional preview

By ROB POLLARD
The following is a brief overview
of Michigan's three opponents in
the Mideast regional:
TEMPLE
The Owls finished first in the Atlantic
10 and then won the conference tour-
nament.
The team's strengths are speed and
starting pitching. The Owls stole 77 bases
in 45 games. They rely more on the hit
and run than the longball. They hit only
34 homers this year.
Leading hitters are catcher John
Marzano (.438, 12 homers, 55 RBI), lef-
tfielder Jeff Manto (.386, 5 homers, 32
RBI) and centerfielder Cliff Carter who
hit .353 and had 13 triples to lead the
conference.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
The champs of the Mid-American
Conference are making their fifth
regional appearance.

Leading hitters are sophomore first
baseman Doug Fisher (.363, 13 homers
44 RBI), and Junior centerfielder Greg
Lotzar, who leads the team with a .450
batting average.
The top mound men are lefty Jay
Phillion (6-2; 4.04) and righthanded
relief specialist Bob Cavanaugh (6-1;
2.81). Central also has the added advan-
tage of being the home team.
INDIANA STATE
The Sycamores appear to be the
weakest team in the tournament. They
finished third in the Missouri Valley
Conference, but won the conference
tournament by beating Wichita State.
Freshman leftfielder/designated hit-
ter Tony Collins (.357, 16 homers, 60
RBI) is the main man in the ISU lineup.
While Junior catcher Rod Zeratsky is
hitting .345.
In last year's Mideast tournament at
Ann Arbor the Sycamores went down in
two straight.

Associated Press
No place like home
Philadelphia Phillies' Ozzie Virgil collides with Los Angeles Dodgers' catcher
Mike Scioscia on a play at the plate during the second inning of last night's
game in Philadelphia. Virgil was safe on the play.

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