The Michigan Daily - Friday, May 20, 1988 - Page 11 Wolverines 'strongarm' rest of Big Ten opponents m ing the right to host this weekend's Drvesplayoffs. In the end, it was the pitching that won these hnors Ds " 'ite"the" °wBY MICHAEL SA LINSKY was the pitchers, who had to hold atnint h itr n'8- thatlea asMiciga cold nlyaddattention to the hitters in '88 - Going into this past weekend's that lead as Michigan could only add Finken's new Michigan stolen base } four game series with Indiana, the one more run for the game. Wolverines had to win three games Sophomore Mike Grimes, the r d i Pri treadeoshMmkr to secure the Big Ten regular season unsung hero of the staff, held the Gillette's two home runs in one in- title, without having to worry about Hoosiers to three runs in five m- Wing - it was the pitching that won how other teams did. nings before getting relief help from the big games, picking up the slack ROBIN LOZNAK/Doily But they were going against an Chris Lutz. Grimes raised his record from a batting order that had lost Outfielder Greg McMurtry, shown here stealing second base, Indiana team with an awesome .361 to 7-1, and ended up the team leader Price to a hand injury. did everything for the Wolverines yesterday by collecting four batting average for the season that in ERA. hits and driving in five of six Michigan runs. had scored 89 runs in its last eight Sunday brought two more strong And despite the pitching staff's _ _ conference games. performances by Michigan hurlers, rough times and the fact that Michi- But these Hoosiers also had a Ignasiak yielded two first inning gan's ERA for the season was up p g me," said McMurtry, who's been pitching staff with a 6.55 ERA in runs but 'Iggy' held on to win a 8-3 from 3.19 in '87 to 3.40 this year, it P la y o f s trying to "stay back" on balls rather Big Ten games. Expect a slugfest. decision. was the pitching that came through than lunging for them. "I'm feeling Hope the Wolverines batters can In the series finale, Powell, in his when needed. Michigan's ERA, the good...It's about time." outslug Indiana. Right, coach Bud second brilliant performance since best in the conference, was nearly Abbott helps "I'm so happy for him Middaughe returning from injury, gave up only the same as last season's, while A. bb'(Mchelpsy), s appyM forhim.M"H au Wrong. four hits in 6 1/3 innings to capture ERAs were up in general. revenge been working so hard." "I just hope our pitchers can bear a 5-3 decision. Lutz, whose place in Abbott. McMurtry. Wasn't there down," said head coach Bud Mid- the starting rotation has been taken In Bloomington, it was the clas- previous losses one more key element? Aah, the daugh before the series. by Powell, got his second save of sic confrontation, the league's best rain, the rain. Oh yeah, pitching, Middaugh's the series. hitting against the league's best to Ohio State The game was played in inter- specialty, and the strong suit of So Michigan became the Big pitching. Pitching won. Michigan mittent drizzle, but in the bottom of many Wolverines teams. But there Ten's regular season champs, earn- won. Continued from Page 1 the sixth it started to rain harder and have been problems this season. Unlike Abbott's recent outings, by the bottom of the eighth it was Jim Abbott, despite his advance the Michigan offense was able to pouring, billing, was not unbeatable. Mike make up for those mistakes. The This made the Ohio State ninth Ignasiak walked 48 batters in 72 in- Wolverines tagged Ohio State ace all the more exciting as the Buck- nings. Injuries hurt the depth much The Student's Restaurant inthrst to innwinbs, an three eyes, down by three, loaded the bases of the season, and most recently, We specialize in serving traditional American breakfasts with three straight walks off Powell Ross Powell broke a bone in his We als serve the fsllswing: more in their last two times up. * Hamburgers " Cold Sandwiches And the main reason was Mc- bfore Powell and Locker combined non-pitching hand that put him out Fallafel " Mexican Dishes Murtry. The sophomore centerfielder for the final two outs. of action. . Hoagies " Humus season with a .210 bat- The win avenges a series between But aah, Indiana - ooh, that " Fried chicken " Babaghnooj finished she sthe two teams two weekends ago pitching. Michigan hurlers held Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ting average. Expected to be a slow when Ohio State came to Ann Arbor Indiana to only 14 runs in winning 808 S. State St. 662-2028 starter because of Spring football' and took three of four from Michi- three out of four and clinching the between Hill & Packard for pick-up McMurtry didn't come out of his gntte slump late in the season as he did in gan' tiThe opener, on Saturday, was '87. "We owed them," sald McMurtry. Tihegn' opne lons dstrday strn "Things just broke down me- "We thumped 'em good, but not as Mihan n lo e n W E W O RK AS chanically," said McMurtry. "I was good as we wanted to." performance by Abbott. In a virtual swinging under the ball the whole In the opening game of the tour- behind early, giving up three runs in LATE AS YOU DO year. nament, Michigan State beat Mm- the second, but bore down as the Last week, McMurtry gave signs nesota 10-5 and will face Michigan Wolverines tied the game, before of coming out of his doldrums and today at 3:30. Ohio State will meet losing in extra innings, 5-4. yesterday, he exploded. Minnesota at noon. The double In the second game, Michigan's As the second batter up for elimination tournament continues sluggers emerged briefly. Homers Michigan, McMurtry went the tomorrow, and Sunday if necessary. from Bill St. Peter, a three-run shot, opposite way with a 1-1 fastball, Matchups depend orr the outcome of and Steve Finken, a solo job, gave launching it over the left field fence tomorrow's contests. Michigan a 4-0 lead after one. But it - and giving Michigan a lead it would never relinquish. In the sec- ond, McMurtry singled in Jim second for the Wolverines' third run. GARD N But McMurtry's biggest hit came GWhenever you need clear a ies in the seventh. With Michigan up 3- Rpe nn ea, When oneed er, quality ope, 1, the bases loaded and none out, Specializing in Szechuanlunan &PekngCuine coe to Kinks's. We're open early, open McMurtry bounced one over the CARRY OUT and DELIVERY pitcher, and past a drawn-in infield When you're working late, it's good to know for two more RBIs. DINING AND COCKTAILS you're not working alone. When Schwarber came back to strike out the side and the Buckeyes Mon - Thurs 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. tagged Abbott for two solo shots in Open 7 days Fri. 11:30 a.m.- 11:00 p.m. in KO s the next inning, those two runs sud- a week Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. CetolsGetpoldnyloe eylre u. 1:0pm 1:0pm } denly boomed very large. Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. etcpsretepe McMurtry added another single OPEN24 HOURS OPEN 7 DAYS OPEN 24 HOURS and RBI in the eighth, finishing 4- 3035 Washtelaw, Ann Arbor 540 E. Liberty Michigan Union 1220 S. University for-5 with all five Michigan RBIs. 971-0970 761-4539 662-1222 747-9070 "Things just started happening for I i l t t t l