Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Friday, April 17, 2015 — 7

‘M’ looks to cement legacy

By CINDY YU 

Daily Sports Writer

The No. 6 Michigan women’s 

gymnastics team has one final 
item to check off its bucket list: 
to qualify for the NCAA Super 
Six. To accomplish this feat, the 
Wolverines must have a top-
three finish in the first semifinal 
session on Friday to advance to 
Saturday’s 
coveted 
team 
competition.

Michigan 

(9-0 Big Ten, 
25-3 overall) 
has already 
set program 
records 
in 

total meets 
with scores of 197.000 and 
higher, as well as consecutive 
competitions 
that 
meet 
the 

aforementioned 
scoring 

threshold. It is on pace to set 
records for the highest single-
season 
scoring 
average 
in 

the team and balance beam 
categories with scores of 197.154 
and 49.283, respectively.

Additionally, the Wolverines 

have counted zero falls in 
competition. 
They 
are 
also 

the only team in the nation 
to score at least a 49.000 in 
every 
rotation 
this 
season. 

Michigan clinched the Big Ten 
Championships with a score of 
197.825, the second-highest in 
program history.

While 
these 

accomplishments 
are 

impressive, 
Michigan 
must 

maintain its consistency and 
confidence as it heads to the 
NCAA Championships Friday 
through Sunday inside the 
Forth 
Worth 
Convention 

Center in Texas. Scores will not 
carry over, and the Wolverines 
will have a clean slate.

“Now is the time to enjoy 

and reap the benefits of all the 
hard work that we’ve put into 
everything we’ve done this 
year,” said Michigan coach Bev 
Plocki. “Our most successful 
times are when we’re the most 
relaxed and really just having 
fun performing.”

In the first semifinal session, 

Michigan will face No. 2 Florida, 
No. 3 Utah, No. 7 UCLA, No. 10 
Georgia and No. 11 Stanford.

The 
showdown 
will 
be 

a rematch of sorts, as the 
Wolverines have faced half of the 
competition before. The Bruins 
outscored 
the 
Wolverines, 

197.500-197.000, at the NCAA 
Regionals, 
while 
the 
Utes 

bested them before the sport’s 
largest crowd ever in a dual 
meet, 198.250-197.675. Michigan 
defeated Georgia earlier this 
season, 196.600-195.600.

“I think it’ll be really fun 

to rematch against the teams 
we’ve 
competed 
against, 

especially the ones we lost to,” 
said senior Brooke Parker. “It 
gives us more drive to go out 
there and beat them.”

Scheduling meets against top 

teams from other conferences 
such as the SEC and the Pac-
12 is part of Plocki’s strategy. 
By putting her team in high-
pressure situations throughout 
the season, it not only challenges 
the gymnasts but also prepares 
them for high-caliber meets 
such as nationals.

At the same time, the team 

is trying to not let the level 
of 
competition 
become 
a 

distraction.

“There’s not an offense and 

a defense, so we’re not focused 
on the teams that are in our 
session,” Plocki said. “We’re 
focused on us.”

One key characteristic that 

has helped this squad succeed all 
season long is its determination. 
After graduating six seniors 
and replacing nearly half of its 
routines in the lineup, 2015 was 
expected to be a rebuilding year 
for Michigan.

Though the Wolverines may 

lack depth, they make up for it 
with a strong core group of eight 
gymnasts that have consistently 
competed 
throughout 
the 

season.

“They have a very high level 

of faith and trust in each other,” 
Plocki said. “I think one of 
the keys to our ability to be as 
consistent overall has been that 
when there’s been a mistake, 

nobody’s panicked.”

In previous years, that had 

not always been the case. At 
last year’s NCAA Semifinals, 
the Wolverines were unable 
to recover from a fall that 
resulted in their worst beam 
performance of the season.

Several 
gymnasts 
have 

stepped up to contribute to this 
effort. 
Parker, 
junior 
Briley 

Casanova and junior Lindsay 
Williams combined for a total 
of 87 routines this season. Last 
season, that total was just 25 
routines.

Senior 
Sachi 
Sugiyama, 

currently ranked eighth in the 
all-around and recently named 
a regular-season All-American, 
was selected as one of the six 
national finalists for the 2015 
AAI Award, which is given to 
the nation’s top senior collegiate 
gymnast.

Sophomore Nicole Artz and 

freshman Brianna Brown have 
also received regular-season 
All-American 
honors. 
Artz 

is on pace to surpass former 
Olympian Elise Ray for the 
program 
record 
of 
highest 

single-season scoring average 
in both the all-around and the 
balance beam. Brown is the 
Big Ten Co-Freshman of the 
Year and has contributed on all 
four events in every meet this 
season.

The team has the opportunity 

to make history by becoming 
the first in Michigan history to 
win a national team title.

At the conclusion of the 

last practice in the Donald R. 
Shepherd training center, the 
gymnasts chanted, “Go blue, 
beat everybody.”

“I know everyone wants to do 

that, but I really think we can 
do it this year,” Casanova said. 
“This is the greatest group of 
talent that we’ve had in a while, 
so I’m really excited to be a part 
of it.”

To 
accomplish 
this 
feat, 

the Wolverines will have to 
first qualify for the Super Six 
competition. While none of 
them have competed in one 
before, this team has proven 
week after week that it belongs.

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

NCAA 
Championships

When: Friday-
Sunday

Where: Fort 
Worth, Texas

Wolverines prepare for 
Purdue, hope to end rut

By ISAIAH ZEAVIN-MOSS

Daily Sports Writer

After winning nine of 12 

games, including a pair of series 
wins 
against 
Maryland 
and 

Indiana, the Michigan baseball 
team has suddenly found itself in 
a rut.

In 
the 

Wolverines’ 
two 
most 

recent 
midweek 
contests, 
their 
once-

consistent 
offensive 
production 
stagnated, 
compiling 
just four total 
runs in losses 
to Michigan State and Eastern 
Michigan — two bitter in-state 
rivals who, on paper, appear 
inferior to Michigan.

It’s 
evident 
that 
the 

Wolverines’ problems lie with 
batting, and the bounceback 
toward a winning path starts 
there.

“We’ve definitely pitched well 

enough to win,” said Michigan 
coach Erik Bakich. “We’ve got to 
get back to having more of a line 
drive approach and generating 
two-out, clutch hits. We haven’t 
taken 
advantage 
of 
scoring 

opportunities.”

According 
to 
Bakich, 
the 

recent 
offensive 
slump 
can 

be attributed to other teams 
changing their approach from 
the mound.

“(Opposing 
teams) 
aren’t 

giving us as many fastballs,” 
Bakich said. “But that’s fine, 
because 
we’ve 
got 
great 

hitters. And good hitters make 
adjustments at-bat to at-bat, 
great hitters make adjustments 
pitch to pitch, and we’ve got to 
do a better job with making those 
adjustments.”

But 
this 
weekend, 
the 

Wolverines (6-6 Big Ten, 21-16 
overall) get a chance to once 
again find their winning ways 

with a series against Purdue 
(1-8, 12-24).

The Boilermakers have won 

just three of their last 16 games. 
In the losses, Purdue was 
defeated by more than four runs 
per game and scored more than 
three runs only once.

Leading the way for Purdue 

is shortstop Kyle Wood, who is 
third in the Big Ten with a .366 
batting average and is tied for 
third in the conference with five 
home runs.

Outside 
of 
Wood, 
the 

Boilermakers don’t present much 
of a threat. They rank second-to-
last in team batting average and 
sit within the bottom three of all 
major pitching categories. As for 
every Purdue pitcher who has 
made a start this season, only one 
has an earned-run average below 
3.00.

But Bakich is not going into 

this weekend’s series especially 
confident 
about 
pulling 
out 

a 
victory, 
the 
Boilermakers 

unsuccessful 
campaign 

notwithstanding.

“It has nothing to do with the 

opponent. You put the focus on 
yourself and playing the game 
to the best of your ability,” 
Bakich said. “Purdue may not 
statistically stand out, but we’re 
certainly not going to overlook 

the importance of Friday night.”

On the mound for Michigan 

will be the regular weekend 
rotation: 
junior 
right-hander 

Jacob Cronenworth, freshman 
right-hander Ryan Nutof and 
sophomore 
left-hander 
Brett 

Adcock.

This weekend’s series marks 

the beginning of the second half 
of Big Ten play for Michigan. 
Currently, the Wolverines are 
sixth in the conference, leaving 
plenty of work to be done for a 
team that still has conference 
championship aspirations.

Bakich is confident in his 

team’s ability to bounce back 
from what has thus far been a 
disappointing and frustrating 
week and to move forward with 
confidence and success.

“We had a setback Tuesday 

and 
Wednesday, 
there’s 
no 

question about that,” Bakich 
said. “But we had one of the best 
training sessions of the year (on 
Thursday night), and I feel really 
good. They’re going to be very 
motivated internally to come 
back this weekend to play their 
best baseball.”

With the final stretch of the 

season around the corner, it’s 
even more vital for Michigan 
that 
Bakich’s 
encouraging 

prediction is correct.

Purdue at 
Michigan

Matchup: 
Purdue 12-24; 
Michigan 21-16

When: Friday-
Sunday

Where: Ray 
Fisher Stadium

JAMES COLLER/Daily

Jacob Cronenworth will take the mound for Michigan this weekend.

Robinson finally ready to play

By DANIEL FELDMAN 

Daily Sports Editor

Duncan Robinson knew the 

transition would be difficult.

After 
transferring 
from 

Williams College to Michigan 
in late August, the sophomore 
guard had to mentally and 
physically prepare for life at the 
Division I level.

He helped lead Williams 

to the NCAA Division III 
championship 
game 
his 

freshman year — averaging 
17.1 points and 6.5 rebounds 
per game — but NCAA transfer 
rules 
forced 
the 
6-foot-8 

swingman to sit out a season for 
the Wolverines.

“Sitting out is an adjustment,” 

Robinson said. “I knew coming 
into the year, obviously, I 
wasn’t going to be able to play, 
so I had to mentally prepare 
myself for that. … It has been 
an adjustment, but this year has 
been really helpful for me.”

Robinson wasn’t the only 

player on Michigan’s roster to 
sit out a season due to a non-
injury related reason. Redshirt 
freshman forward Mark Donnal 
sat out the 2013-14 season to 
help improve his strength and 
conditioning.

“He said, ‘It has its benefits, 

buts it’s also really hard,’ ” 
Robinson said. “He kind of 
paved the way for that.”

Freshman 
forward 
D.J. 

Wilson sat out almost all of 
the 2014-15 season as well. 
Robinson said it was good to 
have another player who should 
see significant playing time next 
year sitting alongside him.

In order to best prepare 

himself 
for 
next 
season, 

Robinson 
spent 
this 
year 

working 
with 
Michigan 

strength 
and 
conditioning 

coach John Sanderson. The 
pair will hope to accomplish 
many 
of 
Robinson’s 
goals 

when they work together at 

Camp Sanderson — the coach’s 
legendary, annual conditioning 
camp — during the spring and 
summer in Ann Arbor.

Robinson said Sanderson set 

many goals for him, which he 
will continue to work toward 
before the fall.

On top of purely gaining 

strength, Robinson served as 
a vital cog on the scout team 
this year. With the ability to 
play the ‘2,’ ‘3’ and ‘4’ positions, 
Robinson was able to model 
multiple opposing players.

Though he primarily played 

the ‘3’ at Williams, Robinson 
will likely get the opportunity 
to play at the two other spots 
on the floor for the Wolverines 
next year.

“It kind of depends on this 

summer (and) how much gains 
I can make strength-wise,” 
Robinson said. “I’ll know a lot 
more in the fall.”

An additional factor that will 

play into Robinson’s positioning 
next year is whether junior 

guard Caris LeVert returns for 
his senior year.

Like Robinson, LeVert has 

the versatility to play three 
different positions — the ‘1,’ ‘2’ 
and ‘3’ — but with his status still 
up in the air, all Michigan coach 
John Beilein can do is speculate 
about next season.

“Obviously, if he’s with us, 

that’s a really solid piece,” 
Beilein said. “(It raises the 
question of) where do we play 
him because he can play three 
different positions. So, those 
are all factors. There are so 
many factors. I know it’s late 
and everyone wants to have 
answers.

“Nobody wants it more than 

me. You’ve just got to embrace 
the process and do the best we 
can.”

Until LeVert’s situation is 

resolved, Robinson will just 
have to continue doing what 
he was doing throughout the 
last year: learn the offense, get 
stronger and continue to break 

shooting records in practice, 
though he has already broken 
Nik Stauskas’ 3-point shooting 
record.

While Robinson has been 

involved in team camaraderie 
throughout the year, he’ll have 
an even bigger opportunity 
to bond with his teammates 
and 
hone 
his 
skills 
this 

summer. The entire freshman 
class of Ricky Doyle, Aubrey 
Dawkins, Kameron Chatman, 
Muhammad-Ali 
Abdur-

Rahkman, Wilson and Donnal 
will join him this summer at 
Camp Sanderson.

Robinson likes how many 

players will be taking part in 
an optional offseason program. 
With nearly everyone returning 
to next year’s squad, Robinson 
can’t wait for the new season to 
begin.

“That 
right 
there 
shows 

how invested everyone is in 
the program,” he said. “I think 
Coach Beilein is excited, and I 
know we’re all really excited.”

TERESA MATHEW/Daily

Duncan Robinson will look to make an impact for the Wolverines next season after spending last year on the bench.

Michigan to host 
underdog Purdue

By KEVIN SANTO

Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan softball team 

isn’t invincible. It has lost six 
games this season, including two 
at home to unranked Kent State 
and Iowa.

Though fans 

are 
already 

chalking 
up 

three wins in 
this weekend’s 
series 
against 

Indiana, 
the 

Wolverines 
(11-2 Big Ten, 
38-6 
Overall) 

won’t be taking 
the competition 
lightly.

Michigan is coming off a domi-

nant 10-0 win against Michigan 
State, and sophomore left fielder 
Kelly Christner hopes the Wol-
verines carry a relaxed mentality 
into the weekend’s matchup.

“Honestly, (we want to keep) 

having fun,” Christner said. “Our 
captains pulled us aside before the 
game and they were like, ‘I know 
lately we just haven’t been having 
as much fun.’ ”

The Hoosiers (5-7, 14-28) could 

quickly kill the buzz, as they pos-
sess some threats at the plate that 
could deliver and put Michigan on 
upset alert.

Outfielders Shannon Cawley 

and Rebecca Blitz both boast 
.338 batting averages in 41 and 
42 games, respectively. Cawley 
is second on the team in home 
runs with nine, behind catcher 
Kelsey Dotson, who has tallied 
10 homers of her own. She has 
accounted for 35 runs batted in 
while accumulating a .330 bat-
ting average.

But Indiana’s dominant slug-

gers will be faced with two for-
midable opponents in the circle: 

sophomore right-hander Megan 
Betsa and senior left-hander Hay-
lie Wagner.

Betsa is fresh off a five-inning 

no-hitter against Michigan State 
in which she struck out six bat-
ters. In the ace’s last three outings, 
she has not allowed a run and has 
racked up 29 strikeouts through 
19 innings.

The right-hander acknowl-

edged that the midweek Big Ten 
matchup served as good prepara-
tion for the upcoming series.

“(The midweek game) gets 

us loosened up for this coming 
weekend,” Betsa said Wednesday 
after the win. “It’s nice to get out 
of the same old practice routine 
to come up here and play a good 
team.”

As for the Hoosiers, they’re 

likely to lean on right-hander Lora 
Olson in the circle. Olson has been 
laboring for Indiana, pitching in 
30 games while recording a 6.11 
earned-run average, and she will 
need to improve on her perfor-
mance so far to be a difference 
maker against Michigan.

Olson will likely have to face a 

Wolverine starting lineup that has 
just three batters hitting below 
.300. And though junior second 
baseman Sierra Romero is the her-
alded threat in the batting order, 
boasting a .490 batting average, 
Christner’s performances as of 
late have thrust her into the role 
as Michigan’s Goliath. 

In the past 12 games, Christner 

has hit 10 home runs.

As the Wolverines prepare to 

host Indiana at Alumni Field this 
weekend, Michigan coach Carol 
Hutchins is sticking to the usual 
game plan. To her, it doesn’t mat-
ter who’s wearing the other uni-
form.

“I can tell you this about 

(the Hoosiers),” Hutchins said. 
“They’re in our way.”

SOFTBALL

Indiana at 
Michigan

Matchup: 
Indiana 14-28; 
Michigan 38-6

When: Friday-
Sunday

Where: 
Alumni Field

