Monday, May 12, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
15
SOFTBALL
From page 13
Nemitz (21-3) have held the nation's
best combined earned runs average
all season (0.70). They attack hitters
and keep them off-balance.
Even though Taylor and Nemitz
are underclassmen, hitters and
coaches can't help but take notice of
their composure on the mound. With
the game on the line, they can shut
down teams one batter at a time.
And the Wolverines couldn't ask
for better leadership.
Senior co-captains Samantha
BASEBALL
From page 13
and helped pull Michigan out of
a jam in the sixth inning.
Junior pitcher Mike Powers
also shined from the mound in
the series.
In the first game of Saturday's
doubleheader, Powers pitched
five innings in relief, holding
Minnesota scoreless when the
game was on the line going into
extra-innings.
"He got better as the game
went on, which is pretty special
because a lot of guys get rattled
with adversity," Maloney said.
The Wolverines have faced
adversity all season, especially
when they struggled out the gate
to an 8-6 record.
But Michigan bounced back,
and now owns another Big Ten
regular-season title.
When Maloney met with the
Minnesota coaches after the
game, assistant coach Rob For-
nasiere told him, "Your team has
great poise and confidence."
Findlay and Alessandra Giampaolo
have led Michigan on and off the
field.Theirvocalpresenceondefense
and in the dugout is hard to match.
Not a single pitch leaves the hands of
Nemitz or Taylor without Findlay's
words of encouragement from sec-
ond base.
Besides leading the team in bat-
ting average and on-base percentage,
Findlayis the Michigan all-time lead-
er in home runs (62) and RBI (217),
and Giampaolo has shown a knack
for consistent play, hitting safely in
35 of the last 39 games, including one
of Michigan's four hits in Thursday's
loss.
But most important, they know
what it takes to win a National
Championship. They're available to
remind their young teammates that
every at-bat is notgoing to come easy
and every pitch is not going to come
through.
Their experience is invaluable to
winning. They saw what it was like
to be the first team east of the Mis-
sissippi River to win a National Title
and are ready to lead Michigan to
another.
The Wolverines are determined
to show the country that they can
compete with the West Coast power-
houses and not justput up a fight, but
come out on top.
They're hungry for post-season
success, and Thursday's loss was a
wake-up call.
The Spartans (9-13, 27-29 overall)
saw their season end Friday in their
13-4 semi-final loss to Iowa. Michi-
gan won't be facing such mediocre
teams inthe near future.
The road to Oklahoma City will
be filled with the nation's best. The
Wolverines have proven themselves
against tough competition. After out-
scoring ranked opponents by a com-
bined 43-15 margin, this team has
shown the talent, power and dedica-
tion to make itnto Oklahoma City.
TRACK
From page 13
the week before and with the
Big Ten Championships looming
ahead, it was difficult for Harmsen
to have a goal duringthe event. But
LaPlante was happy with his per-
formance.
But the Wolverines have gradual-
ly improved their finish since 2005.
And with the 4x100-meter relay
running on all cylinders, Michigan
is primed to contend for its first title
under Wolverine coach Ron War-
hurst, who took the helm in 2000.
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Sneak Peek
Open Rehearsal
Friday May 16th, 8 PM
Arts in Motion Dance Studio
2841 Boardwalk, Ann Arbor 48104
Admission by Donation - Punchand Nibbles follow
People www.peopledancing.org
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