The Michigan men's track team rocked the competition at its own Phil Diamond Invitational. Page 15. S? ORTS May 10, 1999 Cervenak breaks 'M' all-time hits record Game-wininig homer is his 268th career hit By Chris Grandstaff Daily Sports Editor His teammates call him "Piggy," because of his tendency to get dirty on the diamond, but the nickname also fits his down to earth, all out style of play - a style of play that has made co-captain Mike Cervenak one of the most productive hitters in Michigan baseball history. On Sunday Cervenak swatted Hoosier pitcher Brad Edwards' 2-2 offering over the left field wall for his 268th career hit- passing Ken Hayword to become Michigan's all- time career hits leader. The home run, which turned out to be the game winner, could not have come at a better time for the Wolverines or for Cervenak. Cervenak, who had tied Hayword for the all-time lead last Sunday, had been unable to record a hit in three straight games. But with the score tied 3-3 in the fourth inning Cervenak found his swing and provided the spark the Wolverines need. The hit was extra special for Cervenak, given that his entire family was on hand to see him play because of Mother's Day. "I'd been hitting the ball hard all week, but people were making good catches," Cervenak said. "I'm almost glad I did- n't do it at Ball State or Eastern because it was nice to do it here today at home in front of my whole family." Michigan coach Geoff Zahn put it all in perspective. "This record is great for him;" Zahn said. "It really shows the type of work ethic he's had. He's made himself a great hit- ter, and is a good example of how hard work can pay off. He's just a great young man, and the fact that his teammates voted him captain attests to that. He's been a real pleasure to coach" Blue takes twofrom Indiana; series concludes today at Fish By Chris Grandstaff Daily Sports Editor With fourth-place Indiana invading "The Fish" for a weekend series, the Michigan baseball team needed a strong midweek performance against the Mid- American Conference to maintain the momentum they had gained in last weekend's sweep of Michigan State. What they got was a bruised ego and pair of one-run losses on the road to Ball State, 6-5, and Eastern Michigan, 10-9. Not exactly the best way to head into the Indiana series, where just one game separated the third place Wolverines from the Hoosiers. But the Wolverines (14-9 Big Ten, 27- 23 overall) won two out of three games this weekend against Indiana (12-1 1, 34- 14), and have a chance for more when the series concludes this afternoon. The Wolverines took immediate charge of the series on Saturday with a convincing 7-1 victory, despite less than perfect conditions, which led to a two hour rain delay. Both teams scored a run in the first inning before Mother Nature sent them to the locker room. Once play resumed, the teams remained tied at one, until the fourth- inning, when red-hot David Parrish opened up the scoring floodgate for the Wolverines. The Michigan catcher launched his seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot, which gave the Wolverines a lead they would never relinquish. On the mound Saturday, Michigan received a solid pitching performance from senior righthander J. J. Putz (4-3). The Wolverine hurler pitched eight innings, allowing only one run and strik- ing out seven. Michigan continued its winning ways in the opener of Sunday's Mother's Day double header. Wolverine pitcher Bryce Ralston improved his season record t an impressive 7-1, while he and hi teammates cruised to a 7-3 victory. Co-captain Mike Cervenak delivered the game winner, breaking a fourth inning 3-3 tie with his fourth home run of the season. It was Cervenak's 268th career hit, which puts him atop the Wolverines all-time career hits list. Cervenak's shot seemed to give the rest of his teammates a jump-start as the Wolverines would tack on three more runs in the inning, and held the Hoosier See BASEBALL, Page DANA LINNANE/Da y Michigan co-captain Mike Cervenak belted a fourth-inning home run to establish a new career hits record at Michigan while winning the game for the Wolverines. mcgr.i Softball sweeps Indiana; eyes tourney B tmichiy dail B Stephanie Offen Dly Sports Editor scoreless for the final four innings and the Wolverines were able to shell out six ETEN The Michigan softball team ended its more hits to capture the 8-3 win. TOURNAMENT Big Ten season much like it began. The first game of Sunday's double- 1 9 So b l pyo schedule muoluni Fiold in Ann Arbor.4 The Wolverines started conference header was also not reflective of London..............g0$577|play in the middle of a 33 game unbeat- Michigan's dominant ways. Consistent Fia 14 4 PartI.................$565 Athens................$891, Amsterdam..........$637 Brussels. $713 Att fares are round-trip. Tax not included. Some restrictions apply. (800) 777-0112 STA TRAVEL WEVE BEENTERE wOW YOUR lCE.-IE WW.a tt e O.C en streak and ended it with a sweep of Indiana this weekend. Michigan entered the three-game series already having locked up a first seed and the opportunity to host the Big Ten tournament. The Wolverines started off the weekend looking like the team that had dominated the conference all season, but ended it with a list of things to work on for the upcoming week. The Wolverines came out forthe sec- ond game of yesterday's doubleheader and the last game of the regular season in rare form. The first inning ended with Michigan on top 2-0, but the Wolverines seemed to fall apart in the second. Michigan allowed three runs on three errors to fall behind 3-2 to the Hoosiers. "We just made some mental mistakes along the way," Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. "I tell them that there are no excuses. We need to be better then that this upcoming week" And the team was actually better than that for the rest of the game. Freshman Kate Eiland held the Hoosiers hitting by Indiana put the Hoosiers into a tie with the Wolverines after four innitgs. - But Michigan answered with consis- tent hitting of their own. Senior Catherine Davie recorded the 60th dou- ble of her career in her second-to-last regular season game, tying the Big Ten career doubles record. This followed Davic's record-setting performance in game one, when she and Traci Conrad tied former pitcher Sara Griffin's career doubles record for Michigan. "Conrad and I have been joking around about it because we have been so close:' Davie said. "But it is a great honor to break a record of a great player like Sara (Griffin)." But it was younger members of the team, freshman Stefanie Volpe and sophomore Rebecca Tune, who gave Michigan two runs in the top of the fifth to clinch a 5-4 victory. Unlike Sunday, the league-leading Wolverines were in their best form on Saturdav. Junior Melissa Gentile started pa-: No. 4 Mi. St. VS. No. 5 Iowa 11:00 Game (1): No. 2 Minn. vs. No. 3 Penn St. 1a30 Same 121: .No .M ichigan vs. Play-in 4:00 Saturdas, Ma 15 Game (3): (1) winner vs. (2) winner10:00 Game 141:(11 loser vs. 121 loses 12:35 Gaoe 15):13) losvs.141 winter 3:00 championship: (5) winnervs.(3) winner the game off with a three run home run - just the beginning of the hit parade for Michigan. Rain delayed Saturday's game in t* bottom of the third in the middle of another hitting streak for the Wolverines. Michigan had five straight hits before the two-hour delay and came back with two more after the rain subsided. The third inning put the Wolverines up 11-2. Both teams went scoreless through the fifth, putting the mercy rule into effect. The three wins conclud Michigan's season on an upswing route to hosting the Big Ten champi- onships on Friday. Prior to this weekend, the Wolverines had ensured a first-seed in the two-game elimination tournament.