Softball vs. Michigan State Today, 3 p.m. Varsity Diamond The Michigan Daily TSPORTS Tuesday, April 16,1991 Baseball at Central Michigan Today, 3 p.m. Mount Pleasant Page 9 Spartans in towny Michigan splits ugly twinbill with Illinois to face M' softball by Ken Davidoff Daily Sports Writer The Michigan softball team wanted to play its doubleheader against Western Michigan yester- day. It really did. It even made the one hour and 45 minute bus ride to Kalamazoo. But Michigan coach Carol Hutchins and her team have not had the best of luck lately. After dropping four games to Iowa last weekend, the Wolverines (2-6 in the Big Ten, 18-14 overall) were looking to bounce back against the Broncos. However, as they arrived in the famed quad-syllabic town, the skies opened, and a thunderous downpour washed away any thoughts of playing the games. The Wolverines won't have to wait long to try again, though. They host Michigan State today in a doubleheader. The Spartans (1-7 in the Big Ten, 8-22 overall) are also coming off a rough weekend in which they lost three of four to Ohio State. "We can't afford many losses if we are to maintain our regional ranking," Hutchins said. "And Berenson fills holes with big recruits by Jeni Durst Daily Hockey Writer Michigan State will be out to get us." The Spartans are led by first baseman Denise Barrios, who tops the squad with a .276 batting av- erageand 13 runs batted in. Martha Wendt is the leading pitcher with a 2.51 earned run av- erage, although her 5-12 record re- flects her team's overall lack of support. Wendt has also driven in 10 runs. Catcher Julie Cooper's .313 batting average leads Michigan and rates fourth best in the Big Ten. Outfielder Patti Benedict also is among the league best; her 13 RBIs rank sixth. Pitchers Julie Clarkson, Kelly Forbis, and Andrea Nelson all have ERAs of 2.03 or lower. Hutchins stresses that her team must return to the basics. "We've got to get back to the fundamentals - trust, striving to be excellent - that we concen- trated on in the beginning of the year. I think this past weekend we were focusing on Iowa instead of focusing on our game." Tim o mas <1 . . . . . . . . ...... e. 0 Golt er 6 I X"-k k XX X efnemanS. 9 D etar............ A.. Snli :: :. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . . . . .. .. . .. .. . M... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . . . .. . . .. . .. . :. .; ngr. +