W fS ""ER WOODS For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Michigan men's golf II team wil compete in the NCAAWOdesdoy me etMl.ay 1 1997 3 "We're going out to win" Battery rolls along By Mark Snyder Daily Sports Editor Seniors Kelly Holmes and Jen Smith - the battery for the Michigan softball team - have played so many games together over the last four seasons they are bordering on psychic connection. * So it is hardly surprising that they were having similar thoughts during the 31-minute rain delay of Sunday's NCAA Region 6 championship game at Alumni Field. 'This could be my last game,' pitcher Holmes thought, as she waited out the delay against C e n t r a I Michigan. "Do I really want to cond with 1wo losses?" The two seniors were at the crossroads of their careers After three seasons of rais- ing the stan- dards of the softball program, they were facing their first elimination game of this post-season. "As a senior, I didn't want my last home game to be a loss," Smith, the catcher, said after the game. "There was no way I wanted to lose." Mother Nature gave the pair a chance to ponder the situation. Michigan held the advantage, 1-0, in the second game of the day when the heavens opened and fans fled the com- fort of the lightning-friendly metal bleachers for the safety of shelter. At that point, Central hid as well. The delay halted the momentum the Chippewas gained following their vic- tory in the first game of the day. In that See BATTERY, Page 14 'M' spills Chips; World Series starts tomorrow By BJ. LurIu Daily Sports Writer Central Michigan, Central Michigan, Central Michigan. By beating the Chippewas in the final game of the regional softball tournament this weekend, the Michigan softball team can finally say goodbye to their foes from Mt. Pleasant and hello to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. Kelly Holmes picked up her 1Ith shutout of the season and third of the tournament, and Cathy Davie slapped a tX4e-n double in the seventh inning as the Wolverines (55-14-I) defeated Central, 4-0 - the third meeting of the two days in two days. By winning the first game Sunday afternoon, 3-1, in extra innings, Central (41-22) forced the final game to decide the Region 6 champion. Michigan got off to a strong start in the tournament Friday afternoon against Cleveland State. The Vikings were led by 24- game winner Amy Kyler. The game remained scoreless through the first six and a half innings. In the bottom of the seventh, des- ignated player Tammy Mika led off with a double. Then fresh- man Pam Kosanke ended the game with an RBI single. "Wed been telling our hitters all game, 'Get on top of the ball, get on top of the ball,"' Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. "Fortunately, we had one of the people listen to us up at the plate, and she just got a good piece of the ball." Saturday, the Wolverines faced Central, which hairbeaten Michigan Stalg on Friday by a score of 1-0. Amy Vedrode led off for the Chippewas and singled. She would be the only baserunner for Central all game, as Holmes retired the next 21 batters. EVN PERIi/Spec iatothe The Michigan softball team's senior battery of pitcher Kelly Holmes and catcher Jennifer Smith were all smiles after guiding their team to its third straight berth in the Women's College World Series. Oklahoma Cty, OK CScedule taorfst two days, alltimes CestralOyight Tins Thursday, May 22 Friday, May 23 Game 1: Arizona vs. Massachusetts, noon Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Game 2: Fresno State vs. UCLA, 2:30 p.m. Winner Game 2, 6 p.m. Game 3: Iowa vs. Michigan, 6 p.m. Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Game 4: Washington vs. South Carolina, 8:30 p.m. Winner Game 4, 8:30 p.m. Notable: a Arizona is the defending champion. a Michigan has never won a game at the WCWS. . Michigan is making its third consecutive WCWS .The championship game is Monday at 1 p.m. or See REGIONAL, Page 14 615 Et Liberty ' 668-9329 DRAFTS Porter. t'-..-" Baseball falls in Big Ten tourney I By Sharat Raju *Daily Sports Editor The Michigan baseball team has had just about all it can stand of the Scarlet and Gray. Last weekend, the Wolverines (36-22) lost twice to Ohio State (42-16) in the Big Ten playoffs, finishing in second place at Ray Fisher Stadium. During the previous weekend - the final regular-season series - Michigan took two of four games from Ohio State to win the Big Ten title. That's six games against each other in 13 days - an aver- age of one game every other day. The difference was that this weekend, the roles were reversed. "It didn't even seem like we went home," Ohio State centerfielder and tournament MVP Mike Lockwood said. "Revenge was in the back of our minds." In Saturday's championship game, the Wolverines faced the Buckeyes for the second time in the tournament, having lost to them Friday. Michigan needed a victory to force an additional deciding game on Sunday. The fourth inning may have been the most costly one for the Wolverines dur- ing the game - and consequently the tournament and season. In the top of the fourth, with the score knotted at one run apiece, the Wolverines had the bases loaded with only one out. Michigan had a chance to blow the game wide open. Michigan catcher Mick Kalahar - the previous weekend's hero - popped out to the shortstop, followed by captain Kirk Beermann's short fly to first. Zero runs scored. Three left on base. "It was big because we certainly would have gotten back into the ball- game," Michigan coach Geoff Zahn said. "it seems like the last couple days we haven't been able to cash in with guys on base." 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