Who are the eight former
Wolverines now playing in
the World League of
American Football?
(For the answer,
turn to the bottom of page 2)

Inside Sports Monday
'M' Sports Calendar 2
Athlete of the Week 2
Baseball Top 25 2
Track 2
Gill Again 3
Women's Tennis Supplement 4
Men's Tennis Supplement 5
Men's Golf 6
Softball 6
Men's Volleyball 7
Crew 8
Gymnastics 8
Men's Swimming 8

_


The Michigan'Daily - Sports Monday

April 8, 1991



Hitters salvage


i

Michigan's Julie Cooper and Bonnie Tholl go after a fly ball during Saturday's play in the NSK/ Wolverine Invitational. The Wolverines defeated
Northern Illinois, 1-0, in the championship game to take the title.

'M' softball rises to tourname

by Ryan Herrington
Daily Sports Writer

In a softball tournament
which could arguably be renamed
a "slamfest" rather than an
Invitational, it was a pitching
duel between Michigan and
Northern Illinois in the
championship game of the
NSK/Wolverine Invitational
which marked the best game of
the weekend.
The Wolverines prevailed, 1-0,
over the Huskies, capturing first
place in the tournament. Stacey

Hines drove in Julie Cooper with
the only run of the game on a one-
out single in the sixth.
Michigan's Kelly Forbis and
Julie Clarkson shutout an offense
which had scored 27 runs in its
three previous games versus
DePaul, Ohio and Michigan.
The victory was not without
its close moments. Northern
Illinois had runners in scoring
position in the first, second, third,
sixth and seventh innings, but
were unable to bring anyone
home.

"We shut them down,"
Michigan coach Carol Hutchins
said. "They are one of the best hit-
ting teams we have faced all
season. The difference between
yesterday and today was the fact
that our pitching did an excellent
job of shutting down their
hitters."
The Wolverines (2-2 in the Big
Ten, 18-10 overall) began the
tournament Saturday morning
with a convincing 8-0 victory over
Ohio. Cooper led the 12-hit

nt victory
offensive attack for Michigan by
going 3-for-3 with a double and
two runs scored. Forbis went the
five-inning distance, posting her
sixth win of the season.
"We hit the ball real hard
(Saturday)," Hutchins said.
"Cooper really came together to-
day and played outstanding."
In a preview of the
championship game, Michigan
took on Northern Illinois
Saturday afternoon. The

one victory out
of four at Iowa
by Josh Dubow
Daily Baseball Writer
The Michigan baseball team averted a sweep of its four-game series at
Iowa this weekend, when the Wolverines eked out a one-run victory in
Sunday's finale.
Ironically, while the fourth spot in the pitching rotation has plagued
manager Bill Freehan all season, the fourth starter - Eric Heintschel -
proved to be the Wolverine's (3-5 in the Big Ten, 15-13-1 overall) most ef-
fective starter on the weekend. Heintschel pitched well in his five-inning
stint in the second half of Sunday's doubleheader, yielding four runs on six
hits.
Todd Marion replaced Heintschel in the sixth with Michigan leading
the Hawkeyes (3-1, 13-11-1), 6-4, but surrendered his first two earned runs
of the season.
The Wolverines
struck back in the sev-
enth, when Steve
Buerkel led off the
final inning with a
walk. Tim Flannelly
followed with a rare
sacrifice bunt, which
Iowa pitcher Hank
Sprinkle mishandled
to set up a noout,
first and second situa-
tion for cleanup hit-
ter Dan Ruff.
Ruff also laid
down a bunt, advanc-
ing the runners to sec-
ond and third. Andy
Fairman drove home
the winning run on a
hard grounder to sec-
ond that scored
Buerkel.
After allowing a
leadoff single, Mar-
ion bore down and re-
tired the final three
batters of the game ~*
for his third victory.
The hitting stars_ '
for Michigan on the JOSEJUARE7/Daily
day were Buerkel, Michigan southpaw Brian Feldman pitching last
Flannelly and Fair- week against DetroitMercy
man. Buerkel had twowekaantDro-M cy
hits and scored four runs; Flannelly hit his third home run on the season
and added three RBI; Fairman also had three ribbies, and added a single and
double.
In Saturday's opener the Wolverines jumped out to an early 6-0 lead
against Hawkeye starter Brett Backlund. Buerkel hit a three-run triple in
the third and scored on a Flannelly single, while Fairman and Dave Everly
added solo homers in the fourth. Iowa struck for two runs in the bottom of
the fourth and four in the fifth off of Wolverine starter Jason Pfaff.
Iowa broke the deadlock in the last of the seventh when Jay Polson hit a
grounder through first baseman Andy Fairman's legs to score Mike
Bradley with the winning run.
Marion took the loss for Michigan, his first of the season.
In Saturday's second game the Wolverines again lost a one-run decision
as Russell Brock lost a complete-game decision, 6-5. The only blowout of
the series came in Sunday's opener, when Iowa coasted to an easy 8-1 vic-
tory, against Michigan starter Dennis Konuszewski.


See SOFTBALL, Page 61




Men netters hammer

Purdue, Illinois

by Albert Lin
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan men's tennis team
returned to action this weekend
with a vengeance. The squad showed
no signs of its four-week, layoff,
pounding Purdue and Illinois into
submission, 8-1 and 9-0, respec-
tively.
First singles player David Kass
led the way for Michigan (4-0 in the
Big Ten, 9-2 overall) yesterday
against Purdue (1-3, 7-6), pummel-
ing the Boilermakers' top player,
Brian Ritz, 6-0, 6-1. In the process,
Kass, who is the sixth-ranked colle-
gian in the country, upped his record
to 18-5.
Michigan's No. 5 seed Mitch
Rubenstein also won by that same 6-
0, 6-1 score, triumphing over
Purdue's Andy Berlinski.
The Wolverines' remaining sin-

gles players all won with little dif-
ficulty. Fourth seed John Karzen,
who beat Mike Gucciardo, 6-4, 4-6,
6-3, was the only one who needed
the full three sets for his victory.
No. 2 Danny Brakus . defeated
Scott Micus, 6-4, 6-4; third seed
Scott Cuppett had little problem
with Dan Poole, 6-2, 6-4; and sixth-
seeded John Lingon overtook Billy
Crooks by a 6-4,7-5 score.
In doubles, Michigan's top team
of Kass and Brakus destroyed Micus
and Poole, 6-4, 6-1; the second team
of Karzen and Eric Grand topped
Crooks and Gucciardo, 6-4, 5-7, 6-0.
The Wolverines' third team of
Rubenstein and Cuppett suffered
Michigan's only loss of the day.
Purdue's Berlinski teamed with
Paul Wagner to hand Rubenstein
and Cuppett a 6-2, 6-4 defeat.

"(Berlinski and Wagner) should
be winning those matches because
they're probably the most experi-
enced team playing, having a senior
and a junior playing No. 3," Purdue
head coach Ed Dickson said.
By contrast, this weekend
marked the first time Rubenstein
and Cuppett had ever competed to-
gether. Michigan coach Brian Eisner
switched Rubenstein into frosh
John Lingon's position on the No. 3
doubles team, although Cuppett and
Lingon had won their first Big Ten
match against Wisconsin.
The Rubenstein/Cuppett duo
also had trouble Saturday against
Illinois (1-3, 8-8). The Fighting
Illini's No. 3 team of Mike Eberly
and Ryan Clark took the pair to
three sets, eventually succumbing,

6-7, 6-2, 7-6. It was the only match
Michigan did not sweep on the day.
Kass defeated Mark Krajewski,
6-4, 6-3, to start the Wolverines on
the right track. The remaining
Wolverine singles players also de-
feated their Illinois opponents in
two sets.
Brakus and Rubenstein had par-
ticularly easy afternoons. Brakus,
the second seed, hammered Clark, 6-
0, 6-3, while Rubenstein lost one
less game, winning, 6-0, 6-2, over
Adrian DeVore.
This weekend's weather allowed
matches to be moved to outdoor fa-
cilities for the first time this sea-
son. Although the Wolverines had
only practiced outside since
Wednesday, they obviously had no
problems adjusting.


Women's tennis squad

TANKER'S TALES OF

sweeps
by Caryn Seidman
Daily Sports Writer
Practice makes perfe
many arduous hours of
Michigan women's t
played close to perfect
weekend.
The Wolverines too
Friday and defeated
makers, 9-0. Illinois,
beneath Michigan in t
was the Wolverines'
Saturday as the Wolve
Illini away in similar fa
"Everyone played
and worked very hard t
for us to win our m
badly," team captain
said.
Third-year player F
was one team member
exceptionally well. A
into the lineup as the t
singles player and won
matches against Purdue
Adam replaced Amy
* went home this weeken

Illinois, Purdue
n dent Kim Pratt shouldered some of
that responsibility as she took both
ect and after her matches. Pratt beat her Purdue
practice, the opponent, 6-0, and her Fighting
tennis team Illini opponent, 6-1.
matches this Michigan has always been very
strong in its singles play, but since
k on Purdue last year, the Wolverines have con-
the Boiler- sistently struggled in doubles. This
ranked right weekend, it appeared as if that prob-
he Big Ten, lem was under control, as they went
next victim 5-1 in their doubles matches.
rines put the "Our doubles is so improved and
shion, 7-2. I am so happy about it," Berg said.
really well "People are really working hard on
his weekend closing in on the net and playing ag-
iatches this gressively and it shows."
Stacy Berg A strong wind made it difficult
for players to evaluate their per-
reddy Adam formance and feel good about their
who played play. Yet, team members kept very
dam stepped positive attitudes.
eam's No. 5 With the Big Ten Tournament
both of her three weeks away, the Wolverines
and Illinois. feel that there is not much they can
Malik who work on to improve right now.
d because of "We are definitely on the right

The Michigan Daily asked,
Michigan senior captain and world
record holder Mike Barrowman to
keep a journal during the NCAA
Men's Swimming and Diving
Championships March 28-30. The
following is a compilation of
Barrowman's experiences and
thoughts at the meet as transcribed
by Daily Sports Writer Ken Sugiura.
Due to constraints of space, some of
the journal was omitted.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27
Coach Jon Urbanchek took the
team down to the pool this
morning. It's the first time many of
the swimmers have seen the
University of Texas' pool. Needless
to say they were quite impressed. I
consider it to be one of the fastest
pools in the world (I should, it was
the place where I broke my first
American record and made the
Olympic team).
Leaving Ann Arbor in the
middle of the week really hurt us.

Mike Barrowman tells of

his weekend at the

NCAAs

conference. Coach Eddie Reese of & beans, and brownies for desser
defending champion Texas and one That's not bad for just answering
of his swimmers, USC coach Peter few simple questions - Who w
Dayland, Urbanchek and myself win the competition? How did it
were lucky enough to be invited to feel coming off a world
this lunch fit for a king (fajitas, rice championship and trying to train

t).
a
ill

L TITLE
again for NCAAs?
I called a team meeting tonight
to get the freshmen calmed down.
This is the first major championship
for some of the guys, and I know the
pressure of the first time out. I
decided to talk about individual
performances only and not put team
pressure on the guys, even though I
want a final four finish as much as
anyone.
However, they all decided to set
team goals worthy of a team from
Michigan. So far this year, Michigan
has not placed a team in the top five,
and we want to change that badly.
The other problem is that Michigan
is without a national champion. We
have a chance in Eric Wunderlich,
Eric Namesnik and myself. One of
us must win. Michigan needs a
national champ to keep the streak
alive.
Personally, I must worry about
my condition level. I put my life
into the fall training for the World
Championships and promised
myself a little bit of a mental break
,hi xxiit.rT ,nn,;nn- totran

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