Page 6-,The Michigan Daily- Sports Monday- March 25,1991
Blue softball team
finishes in top six
'M' Sluggers split
series with Eastern
by Jason Bank
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan Softball team
played in its version of "March
Madness" over the weekend at the
Bud Light National Invitational
Softball Tournament at Sunnyvale,
California. The Wolverines (11-7)
were one of only six ballclubs left
in the 20-team tournament when
rain halted play on Saturday.
Pitching was the difference in
almost every game the Wolverines
played in over the weekend. Frosh
Julie Clarkson had a strong week-
end, pitching 11 and a third innings
of no-hit ball while compiling a 1-1
record (3-2 for the season).
On Thursday, Julie Clarkson and
Andrea Nelson combined to hurl a
no-hitter in a 3-0 defeat of No. 18
New Mexico. Sophomore Karla
Kunnen and junior Heather Lyke
paced the Wolverines with clutch
hits in the fifth.
After winning their opener on
Thursday against No. 18 New
Mexico 3-0, the Wolverines
dropped a 3-0 contest to Missouri
on Friday. Michigan was stymied by
the Tigers' Karen Snelgrove and
Rachelle Johnson, who combined
for the shutout.
Michigan's loss was a result of a
lack of timely hitting. In the fifth
inning, the Wolverines had runners
on second and third with one out,
but failed to garner any runs. In the
sixth, they left a runner on third as
sbnior Julie Cooper and sophomore
Kari Kunnen both popped out to the
third base.
Good defense was also absent in
the Missouri game, as Michigan
committed three errors. Senior
Andrea Nelson (3-2) took the loss.
Friday night, Michigan bounced
back in yet another pitching duel by
defeating San Jose State in its own
back yard, 2-1. Wolverine senior
shortstop Bonnie Tholl broke a 1-1
tie in the fifth with a clutch two-
out single to center, which scored
frosh Tina Martin.
Kelly Forbis threw for six in-
nings and picked up the victory,
while Andrea Nelson notched her
second save of the weekend (four for
the season).
The Wolverines opened play in
the championship, double-elimina-
tion round Friday night with a
heartbreaking, 1-0 loss to eighth-
ranked Iowa.
In the bottom of the eighth,
Iowa won the game when Pam
Palmore singled to left, advanced to
second on a ground out, stole third,
and then scored when Kim Davis
singled deep into the hole at short
for the winning run.
Only one loss away from a trip
back to Ann Arbor, the Wolverines
responded with a 7-0 thrashing of
Nebraska in the team's best perfor-
mance of the weekend. Michigan
was tied 1-1 with Arizona State
when rain postponed play on
Saturday night.
by David Schechter
Daily Baseball Reporter
The Wolverines (10-6) split
Saturday's doubleheader with
Eastern Michigan (12-1), winning
the first game, 3-2, and losing the
second, 2-1.
As the second game began, the
wind started to blow strait in from
center field. And it never stopped.
The harsh winds dictated the slow
pace of the game. "This is not an of-
fensive day... This is Ray L. Fisher
stadium and you hit into the wind
here," Freehan said.
Both Eastern and the Wolverines
scored one run in the first inning.
But with a little help from the
wind, the pitching from both sides
silenced opposing bats as neither
team could produce another during
the regulation seven innings of play.
The game was pushed into extra in-
nings to force a decision.
Russell Brock held the mound
for Michigan the entire game. His
mastery of Eastern's batters unrav-
eled in the eighth inning. Eastern's
catcher Jim Kraut, who had struck
out twice previously, hit a ball into
left field over Bubba Wyngarden' s
head for a double. "Wynagarden
turned the wrongdway to catch the
ball," Freehan said..
Then after striking out one bat-
ter and intentionally walking an-
other, Brock balked, advancing both
runners to second and third. Relief
pitcher Steve Waite of Eastern then
bunted to send in what would be the
winning run from third.
Waite then iced the win from the
mound where he ended the inning,
and Michigan's chance of winning,
with some hard pitching. He struck
out one and forced two others to be
thrown out.
Freehan was still pleased with
Brock's performance on the mound.
"Russell Brock pitched a very good
game," he said.
Although no errors appeared oR
the scoreboard for the WolverinA
in the second game, that didn't mean
anything to Freehan. "Just becau6
there are no errors on the board
doesn't mean we didn't make any er
rors," Freehan said.
"Does a balk show up on the
board? Does a runner not advancing
at the right time show up on the
board? They still count toward
winning and losing, and if you're
gonna be a good baseball team, you
just can't afford to do those
things," he added.
Michigan employed an aggres-
sive base stealing attack against
Eastern. The Wolverines attempted
to steal four times, but the strategy
did not pay off as all four were
caught.
The first game of the series was*
characterized by powerful pitching
from both teams, and missed oppor=
tunity for Eastern. On the mound
for Michigan was staff ace Jason
Pfaff who pitched the entire sevefl
inning game, giving up six hits and
two walks.
"Jason Pfaff was not strongi
his last outing but was very strong
today," Michigan coach BUI*f
Freehan said. Pfaff faced Easterp'
Jim Martin who also pitched the ew
tire game, allowing eight hits ap4
one walk.
Eastern had an opportunity ;to
take control of the first game with
the bases loaded in the sixth inning
They were only able to knock in ono°
run as they stranded two runners. o
Freehan insisted that he is not
the type of coach to make a speech*
after such a lackluster day. "I'm
from a background where you don't
give speeches after every game, or.
before every game, because I played:
162 games a year," Freehan said.
Timmerman's eleven game hits
ting streak came to end Saturday, as
he failed to get a hit in three at bats
Michigan lefthander Jason Pfaff lets one fly against Eastern Michigar
Saturday. The Wolverines split a doubleheader with the Hurons.
Michigan won the opener, 3-2, but lost the finale, 2-1.
Cagers hold
by Rod Loewenthal The
wily Basketball Writer Player a
The Michigan women's basket-
ball program held their version of
the Grammy's at the Center of
Champions last evening and it was
senior guard Carol Szczechowski
who took center stage under the
spotlight.
Running off with two out of the
four major awards given Sunday
night, Szczechowski was honored
for her role as team captain and as
the veteran influence on a young
team experiencing a painful rebuild-
ing year following last year's
,NCAA tournament appearance.
Although the team finished the
season 11-17 overall and 4-14 in the
Big Ten, Coach Bud VanDeWege
Still found many positives to em-
phasize at last night's banquet. He
cited the work ethic of the team as
never waning through a long and
tortuous season, the individual and
;eam improvement, and the loyal
support of family members at home
pnd away games.
. Before the introduction of the
four major awards VanDeWege pre-
,sented awards for the team's own
free throw tournament held before
the season for charity. Garnering the
Prick Award given for scoring the
least amount of free throws during
4he contest was team manager
Cheryl Stevens.
A TTTEN TION
post-season
Outstanding Defensive }
award went to forward Char
. The junior was chosen over
)cking threat and All-Big
onorable mention Trish%
v. The coaches credited
with not only producing of-
ly during the second-half of
;on but also for guarding the
opposing scorers.
Outstanding Hustler Award
Szczechowski as did the
aluable Player Award. The
iosen Most Valuable Player
was nearly unanimous ac-
to VanDeWege who consid-
second-team All-Big Ten
s one of the premier players
he Maize and Blue. "She is a'
hlete with a great attitude'
al competitor," VanDeWege
banquet
Young linksters are sets
for the spring season
"Of course there are goods and
bads to everything in life and some
people only accentuate the nega-
tives," Szczechowski said later.
"But I've had four of the best years
of my life here because I've focused .
on the positives." .7
On the lighter side, "I want to..." .:
thank my mom," Szczechowski said. W; f
"For standing up for me when that
women at Ohio State called me a JOSE JUAREZfoaiy
horse, and dad for keeping mom un- Michigan captain Carol Szczechowski cuts up court in a game early this
derCashn in on the Most year. She was named as the Wolverines' MVP on Sunday.
Improved Player Award were LaTara Jones and Nikki Beaudry, as provement throughout the season
VanDeWege and his coaching staff and sophomore Beaudry was chosen
decided to make it a co-award. First- because of the progress she had made
(Z A fTE A TiA Tyear Jones was selected for her im- from last season to this season.
by Adam Lutz
Daily Sports Writer
With the sun shinning bright in
Ann Arbor this past week, the
men's varsity golf coach, Jim
Carras, could finally send his team
onto the University course to begin
their daily practices.
Entering his 9th season as the
head coach, Carras beams with ex-
ceitement as he discusses his current
expectations. "My feeling is that
we have the foundation to being and
becoming a very competitive team."
Last season, the team was incon-
sistent, displaying promise by fin-
ishing in the top half of four of the
eleven tournaments, but finishing
miserably in several others.
However, this season rings with the
sense of encouragement. Carras's en-
thusiasm stems from the fact that
this year's team consists of players
full of immense potential and all
with eligibility of junior or
younger status.
Carras plans to use this season as
a stepping stone, with two goals in
mind for each tournament. "Our No.
1 goal is to shoot a combined 300
with the top four scores, which will
help us to achieve our second goal,
finishing in the top half of every
tournament."
Starting next season, Carras will
be offering scholarships to athletes
for the first time since he arrived.
With the change, he hopes to recruit
talent, which should help Michigan
climb the competition ladder.
In deciding who will make each
tournament trip, Carras holds a two
round competition in practice
While only five of the 12 man squad
competes in each tournament, theO
weekly intersquad competition
helps to keep the players at their
best.
The weekend of March 15-18, the
team travelled to the South Florida
Invitational. The five participants
included Dean Kobane, Bob
Henighan, Carl Condon, James
Carson, and Denny Sikkila.
Without the ability to practice
outdoors prior to the tournament,
the team finished 12th out of a 17
team field with a combined top four
scores for each round of 306, 306,
and 305. Kobane led the team in the
first two rounds posting a 74, whil''
Siklia finished with the same score
on the final day.
"I was extremely encourage4
following the tournament, consid-
ering we had never practiced of
regular basis," Carras said.
The teams' schedule contains
eight more tournaments, including
the Big Ten Championship and the
NCAA Central Regionals, which
Michigan is one of forty teams.
This upcoming weekend, tI$
team will travel to Lexington td
compete in the Johnny Owenr
Invitational, which is sponsored by
the University of Kentucky. The 2 *
team tournament includes six of the
Big Ten teams and will provide an
opportunity to give the team a sense
of what level it can expect to play
at against top competition.
The travel team for the tourna-
ment has yet to be announced, pend-
ing the individual performances this
week in practice.
STUDENTS!!!
Rackham Student Government
elections are held March 26 & 27
Be sure to VOTE and elect your
representatives.
Rackham Student Government Elections are held concurrently
with MSA elections. If you are a Rackham graduate student,
ask your poll worker for the "Rackham" ballot.
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