Page 12 -The Michigan Daily-Friday, May 22, 1987 Blue beats Boilermakers, 4-2, captures By GREG MOLZON Winning the Big Ten playoffs almost has become a yearly tradition for the Michigan baseball team underhead coach Bud Middaugh. This year, not even inexperience, a first round loss, rain, or fired-up Boilermakers could keep the Wolverines from winning their sixth conference championship in Middaugh's eight years in Ann Arbor. After being rained out on Monday, the Wolverines won the conference tournament on Tuesday at Ray Fisher Stadium to gain an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. A ninth inning, two-run single by Greg McMurtry broke open a 2-2 deadlock and gave the Wolverines a 4-2 win over Purdue. Mike Iganasiak started the game and pitched six strong innings, giving up only three hits and striking out ten. But an Arci Cianfrocco home run in the sixth put the Boilermakers up, 2-1. MCMURTRY was able to tie the game in the seventh with an RBI single before the game was delayed for 79 minutes by rain. When play finally resumed, McMurtry hit the Big Ten title game-winning single and senior reliever Greg Everson retired the Boilermakers in the bottom of the ninth to put an end to Purdue's hopes of winning the Big Ten for the first time since 1909. Everson was named the most valuable player of the tournament for his clutch relief pitching, which produced two wins and one save. The Wolverines lost their first game in the Big Ten playoffs last Friday to Iowa, 9-4. This sent them into the losers bracket, where they had to win four straight games in three days to win the championship. Michigan started its comeback with a wild 9-8 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. Bill St. Peter hit a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth to save the Wolverines from elimination. On Sunday, Chris Lutz pitched a complete game as Michigan avenged its opening game loss by downing the Hawkeyes, 7-1. The Wolverines then beat Purdue, 5-2, behind a strong pitching performance by Jim Abbott and the hitting of Phil Price. uuwy rnot D UHNrMMUN Wolverine shortstop Steve Finken turns a doubleplay against Purdue on Sunday. Michigan beat Purdue in the final game of the Big Ten tournament on Tuesday. txl) cVL No A i lox SOL Tubby's Sub * Shops ;C11 ' 613 E. WILLIAM STREET (at State Street) 662-3737 Liberty T N. University ° E. William U-M Campus NS. University P ARTY SUBS Selectfrom among our many varieties of A unique way to surprise your guests Hot & Cold sandwichesfeaturing steak, at your next party or outing ham, salami and burger. FREE! FREE! from Tubby's from Tubby's Buy any Whole or Half f Buy any Whole or Half SUBMARINE SANDWICH SUBMARINE SANDWICH & LARGE DRINK & LARGE DRINK Get an I Get an IDENTICAL SANDWICH I IDENTICAL SANDWICH (of equal or lesser value) I (of equal or lesser value) FREE FREE Valid at Tubby's of A' only. Valid at Tubby's of A' only. Not valid with other discount offers.I Not valid with other discount offers. Party Subs excluded.I Party Subs excluded. Rush Delivery BY JEFF RUSH Sparky's psych job... ...wears on young minds Detroit's 10-8 come-from-ahead defeat against Texas on Tuesday illustrates perfectly why it is time the Tigers replace ninth-year manager Sparky Anderson. Leading the way in the loss were sophomore slumpers Darnell Coles and Eric King, two participants in Sparky's ongoing psychology experiment. Coles committed three errors, giving him the dubious distinction of accomplishing in one game what has taken every other Tiger but one the whole season. Coles' total of 15 errors gives him six more than any other player in the majors. King, meanwhile, served up the winning home run, dropping his record to 2-3 and pushing his ERA to 4.01. So why blame Sparky? Easy - promising young Tigers turning into other teams' projects has become far too commonplace. Anderson's inability to turn minor league stars into major league stars has forced Detroit to depend on aging veterans, many of whom are past their peak. The future of this team isn't Larry Herndon, Chet Lemon, Darrell Evans and Terry Harper. The future was Howard Johnson, Glenn Wilson, Chris Pittaro, Mike Laga, Nelson Simmons, and Barbaro Garbey. Sparky's mind games ended each of their Tiger careers. In each case, Sparky built expectations too high, and when the players didn't live up to those expectations, their confidence was shattered. So it is with Coles and King. After a fine season last year, Coles was envisioned as Detroit's third baseman for the next ten years. Some throwing problems started Sparky thinking about playing Coles at first. Coles' confidence in his arm has been shot. The way Sparky's decisions have Coles' head spinning, it's no wonder he can't throw accurately to first. King has been forced to spend time both as a starter and a reliever this spring, something which usually makes pitchers ineffective at both. King has been far more effective as a reliever - why not use him exclusively out of the bullpen? Rookies Matt Nokes, Billy Bean, Mike Henneman, and Nate Snell have been pleasant surprises thus far for the Tigers, but Sparky the psychologist hasn't had them on his bench long enough to mess up their minds. Sparky has proven he can win with teams that were filled with stars who should have won. Sparky also has proven that he can't build teams from the bottom up. The Tigers need someone who can.