12 -- The Michigan Daily - Monday, May 24, 1999 Poor hitting hurts Wolverines throughout postseason stint Y By Jon Zemke Daily Sports Writer Michigan's Tammy Mika had been in a bit of a slump. The centerfielder had only three hits in her last 16 at bats. Now, in the regional tournament that top-seeded Michigan was hosting, the Wolverines were about to be eliminated. Mika was facing perhaps the last at bat of her career. There was one out in the top of the seventh. Her team was down 1-0. With nobody on, Michigan needed a runner on base in order to stay alive. Unfazed, Mika dug into the right bat- ters box, stared down the Notre Dame pitcher who had shut down Michigan's offense all day and swung on a full count. She belted her first single in four games out of the infield. A sacrifice bunt by Melissa Taylor moved Mika into scor- ing position. Then the mighty Traci Conrad came to bat. She was the top of the batting order. The best chance Michigan had at batting in the winning run. She had a .391 batting average that was the all-time best in Michigan history. With more hits than anyone else in the Big Ten, Conrad seemed like the best chance to win with the game on the line. Three swings later, Conrad struck out. "The bottom line is we just didn't get it done:' Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins said. That had been Michigan's story all weekend. A runner was ready to score eight times in the last two games and Michigan's vaunted offense had been denied. The offense that had averaged more than five runs a game in the regu- lar season couldn't even score one run in their own Regional against the two low- est seeds. Of the 14 innings that they played they only managed a hit in six of them. Of those, only one inning saw the Wolverines with multiple hits. Pitching remained Michigan's strong point the last two weekends of the sea- son. The combination of Marie Barda and Jamie Gillies had allowed only eight runs in the last six games, including two shutouts. "I told them after the game the pitch- ing this weekend did its part and our offense didn't,' Hutchins said. But the hitting had been the key to Michigan's 33-game unbeaten streak, which defined their season. It was also the key to the Wolverines three-game losing streak, which ended their season. The latter forced Michigan to lose the Big Ten title game and eliminated the team from it's own regional tournament for the first time in five years, when thc NCAA Regional was started Not that the Wolverines didn't try to correct this problem. In the week of practicing before regionals, Hutchins had made hitting their primary aspect of practice. She stressed hitting the tail end of the ball instead of pulling the ball and fouling it off. Her batters were supposed to take cuts at the first pitch that looked good instead ofjust taking the first pitch The result this weekend was a lot of grounders and flyballs hit right to the fielders off the first couple of pitches. The offense faltered, which led to the fielding mishaps. It showed all weekend. The heart of Michigan's lineup, the first six batters, managed only three hits in 37 at bats. Conrad and Catherine Davie, two of Michigan's seniors and most proficient hitters ever, were held to one hit between them. And so went Michigan's season. The one that had started out slow and uncer- tain, the one that roared into the mid-sea- son breaking records and passing mile- stones, ended with a whimper. "I feel like we just ran out of gas these last two weeks;" Hutchins said. "It was- n't from lack of effort but it just wasn't our turn." -' .~mn.. - -- DHANI JONES/Daily Although Tammy Mika went two-for-three in her final game, the Michigan softball team couldn't snap its hitting funk to pull out a run. Michigan can't manage a run in NCAA Regional OUSTED with two away. Continued from Page 16 Finally it was senior Traci Conrad's " thought we were going to do it. I chance to save her team. Conrad leads came up to bat. Tune had hit well in the both the team and the Big Ten in career think we all thought we could do it. first game against Florida Atlantic but hits and runs, so hope was still high Ge Dinstruggled against Notre Dame. A foul among the Wolverines. - Tammy Mika UA1 Enf and md Se=In pop-up along the first base line would be "I thought we were going to do it, Michigan centerfielder Us and abread. Transfer s the first out. Mika said. "I think we all thought we e n ap e J Then, in what would be the last at bat could do it" n .ente- of her career, senior Tammy Mika But Sharron was ready. going to beat me with my better pitches." Michigan softball season with the team's 404 355 1412 stepped up to the plate having already hit Conrad hit a curve ball earlier in the Sharron said. second loss in the double-elimination or 770 465 8866 safely in the game. Mika made her last game, so the strategy was to catch her off And it was Sharron who won that tournament. We Ca mi, bcantactad viae46 ~lmai l ~edat adI msasnuad trip to the plate count singling to center- guard with the change-up. And after battle. Michigan's first loss came at the Our web address is field. Conrad swung and missed on the first Just like Casey in Mudville some hands of the Florida Atlantic. The Owls Next up was Melissa Taylor, whose one, the strategy was working. hundred years ago, the mighty Traci were successful in their first trip to the * I sacrifice bunt sent Mika to second base "If she was going to beat me, she was struck out. Thus ended the 1999 NCAA regionals, defeating the Wolverines, 2-0. Florida Atlantic's NinyaYbarra stat - A A A Achieve Your Mium cr by Focusing upon the Test's Key Points. Admissions exams are highly leveraged tests. Answering even a few more questions correctly 'can improve your ranking by many percentiles. At EXCEL, we focus upon the key distinctions that result in great scores. Learn to anticipate* the exam's thinking, manage your time more efficiently, & develop effective exam strategies. Aug. MCAT's next start: June 9th Special Individualized GRE Program now available MAT (CAT): Weekly starts 117 Sout University Test .Preparation 9610 $2 PINTS Cwg O"' 25 BEERS ON TAP ON DRAFT THIS MONTH YOUNG'SOATMEAL STOUT NEW CASTLE BROWN ALE BELL'S AMBER ALE DETROIT MACKINAC BLACK SAM ADAMS CHERRY WHEAT PAULANER HEFE- WEIZEN GOOSE ISLAND- HONKERS ALE JOHN COURAGE - AMBER SPATEN OPITMATOR & MANY OTHERS ed things off in the third inning, homW ing to left field and giving the Owls the early lead. Errors in the infield brought in another run for the Owls, making the game 2-0 in the top of the third. Michigais struggled the rest of the game as Florida Atlantic pitcher Nicole Myers would keep the Wolverines to only four hits and no runs. "I don't know how I was able to hold them off," Myers said. "Michigan has a very good hitting team. I knew I wou nt have a lot of strikeouts so I was ust hoping they would ground out or pop the ball up." They did. Keeping the joy out of Ann Arbor and the Michigan softball team out of Oklahoma. chsganda fresh! NO COVER -CHARGE 31 t MAYNARD 995.0 t (U of M CENTRAL CAMPUS) 21 &OVEF