By NATHANIEL CLARK

Daily Sports Writer

With the Michigan baseball 

team’s seven wins in its last eight 
games — including series victo-
ries over No. 18 Maryland and 
Indiana — it 
may be tempt-
ing 
to 
start 

looking ahead 
to events like 
the 
Big 
Ten 

Tournament 
and a possible 
NCAA Tourna-
ment berth.

But as Mich-

igan coach Erik 
Bakich routine-
ly points out, 
those 
events 

are still a long 
way off. Right 
now, the Wol-
verines (4-5 Big 
Ten, 19-13 overall) are squarely 
focused on their upcoming week-
end series at Penn State.

“We 
haven’t 
accomplished 

anything 
yet,” 
Bakich 
said. 

“We still have our backs firmly 
pressed against the wall.”

The Nittany Lions’ record (1-4, 

9-18) suggests that they are not 
a major threat to Michigan. But 
Penn State still does have a few 
weapons in its arsenal. Outfielder 
Aaron Novak boasts a .371 batting 
average with four home runs, and 
pitcher Nick Distasio possesses a 
3.58 ERA.

For 
Michigan, 
little-known 

sophomore 
outfielder 
Johnny 

Slater who emerged as Tuesday’s 
hero. After batting just .172 last 
season, he launched two home 
runs — the first of his collegiate 
career — and drove in six Tuesday, 
which matched his 2014 RBI total.

And it’s not just power hit-

ting where the Wolverines excel. 
Junior infielder Jacob Cronen-
worth holds the runner-up posi-
tion in the Big Ten in walks with 
22 and in runs scored with 34.

“We’re one of those offenses 

where it’s tough to get through 
all nine hitters,” Bakich said. “We 
have nine guys that are produc-
tive.”

Michigan’s injuries are heal-

ing, too. Junior infielder Travis 
Maezes and junior left-handed 
pitcher Evan Hill are back and are 
contributing to the Wolverines’ 

cause. Maezes has 10 hits in 21 
at-bats with six runs scored since 
his return to the lineup on April 
1. Hill, meanwhile, started Tues-
day’s game and surrendered one 
run on two hits in two innings.

“The first month (of rehab) was 

an absolute grind,” Hill said. “I 
wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”

However, sophomore right-

hander Keith Lehmann remains 
sidelined with an injury, along 
with fellow sophomore right-
hander Jackson Lamb. Neither of 
them have seen action in a game 
in about a month.

Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Friday, April 10, 2015 — 9

‘M’ hosts Ohio State

By BRANDON CARNEY

Daily Sports Writer

Within the confines of the 

Michigan men’s lacrosse team’s 
locker room, a clock has been 
ticking, 
counting 
down to the 
moment 
that 

the Wolverines 
hope will be 
remembered 
in the record 
books.

Sunday, 

when 
the 

time 
expires, 

Michigan 
(1-1 

Big Ten, 5-5 
overall) 
will 

host 
No. 
12 

Ohio State (2-0, 9-3) at Michigan 
Stadium in hopes of earning its 
first win against its archrival 
in the season’s most highly 
anticipated matchup.

In 
the 
previous 
three 

battles, 
the 
Buckeyes 
have 

dominated the Wolverines, going 
undefeated and winning each 
game decisively. But this team 
has taken tremendous strides 
maturing since the two teams 
last met, and Michigan should 
feel more confident heading into 
Sunday’s game than in previous 
meetings.

After earning the program’s 

first Big Ten win against Rutgers, 
Michigan is hoping it can carry 
over the momentum, especially 
on the offensive end. After 
struggling for much of the season, 
the Wolverines solved some of 
the scoring issues they have had 
in a 10-goal performance against 
the Scarlet Knights.

“We 
were 
very 
good 
in 

transition 
against 
Rutgers, 

and that was a big part of our 
success,” said Michigan coach 
John Paul. “We’ve figured out 
that if our offense is struggling a 

little bit, the transition’s been an 
important piece for us.”

That tactic may not prove to 

be as effective, though, against 
a physical Ohio State defense. 
The Buckeyes rank ninth in 
the country in goals allowed, 
surrendering 7.83 per game, and 
have given up 10 or more goals 
just three times this season.

Michigan has had no problem 

creating scoring opportunities 
in recent weeks, but it hasn’t 
been efficient in capitalizing on 
them. The return of sophomore 
attacker Ian King was a big boost 
for a struggling Wolverine offense 
against Rutgers, but Michigan’s 
attack will need to finish whatever 
chances it gets to overcome the 
stingy Buckeye defense.

“There were opportunities on 

the table that we either didn’t 
see or didn’t execute, and we’ve 
got to be better at executing,” 
Paul said. “Having (King) back 
helps, but we’re not going to win 
games because he’s back. We 
need everybody to continue to 
learn and improve from when we 
couldn’t capitalize the last few 
games.”

On 
the 
opposite 
sideline, 

another King will also be lurking, 
looking to poach goals. Ohio 
State senior attacker Jesse King 
(no relation) currently leads 
the conference with 39 points 
and is coming off a five-goal 
performance 
against 
Johns 

Hopkins.

“(Ohio 
State) 
works 
very 

hard to get the ball to their best 
players, Jesse King certainly, in 
advantageous positions,” Paul 
said. “They do a lot of things you 
have to prepare for, and that’s 
what we’ve been doing this week 
— preparing to slow down the 
areas of the game they’re so good 
at.”

The Buckeyes score a majority 

of their goals early during 
offensive 
possessions, 
which 

has proved to be a risky strategy 
that yields inconsistent results. 
Though Ohio State scored 15 
goals against Johns Hopkins last 
Sunday, the Buckeyes were shut 
out against Notre Dame, a feat 
accomplished just six times in 
Division I since 2007.

Scoring struggles have been 

especially prevalent on the road 
for Ohio State, where it has 
endured all three of its losses. 
With the Buckeyes matching 
up 
with 
a 
much-improved 

Wolverine defense, goals could 
be at a premium if Ohio State 
can’t find King in the right spots.

Facing a ranked opponent 

will be a challenge for Michigan. 
The Wolverines are 0-19 all-time 
against top-20 teams, a streak 
that has ominously hung over the 
program since its inception.

Michigan’s 
seniors 
view 

Sunday’s 
matchup 
as 
an 

opportunity to break recent 
trends and leave a permanent 
mark on the young, up-and-
coming program. The veteran 
group has stayed committed 
to the program through all the 
losses and believes the time has 
come to validate the hard work 
they have put into building from 
the ground up.

While the seniors have been 

leading and sharing anecdotes 
with the rest of team all week, 
Paul knows when game time 
comes, it won’t take much to get 
his team motivated for an already 
emotional rivalry game.

“It’s funny, because as much 

as you have guys stepping up 
and talking about how much this 
game means, the reality is when 
you’re at Michigan vs. Ohio State, 
you don’t need that,” Paul said. 
“You know this is a big game, 
and all of the other pomp and 
circumstance and fluff you don’t 
need. It’s part of who we are here 
a Michigan. When we play Ohio 
State, we gotta be ready to go.”

MEN’S LACROSSE

Ohio State 
at Michigan

Matchup: 
Ohio State 9-3; 
Michigan 5-5

When: Sunday 
2 P.M.

Where: 
Michigan 
Stadium

TV/Radio: 
ESPNU

BASEBALL
Michigan heads back on 
road against Penn State

Michigan at 
Penn State

Matchup: 
Michigan 
19-13; Penn 
State 9-18

When: Friday 
5 P.M., 
Saturday 2 
P.M., Sunday 
1 P.M.

Where: 
Medlar Field

TV/Radio: 
Friday on BTN

