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