Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Friday, March 25, 2016 — 7

Believe in Erik Bakich

I

n 2012, the Michigan 
baseball team was an 
afterthought.

The Wolverines finished 

with a 22-34 
record and 
their second 
straight 
10th-place 
finish in 
the Big Ten under coach Rich 
Maloney.

But in late May of that year, 

Maloney’s contract wasn’t 
extended, and the head coaching 
vacancy was left to be filled.

At the time, Erik Bakich was a 

young face who was the perfect 
fit to re-energize the oldest 
varsity sport at Michigan. Bakich 
started as a volunteer assistant 
and hitting coach at Clemson 
in 2002 — coaching a team that 
reached the College World Series 
later that season. From 2003 to 
2009, he worked as the hitting 
coach and recruiting coordinator 
at Vanderbilt. In every one 
of his seven seasons with the 
Commodores, he had a top-25 
recruiting class. He was then 
hired at Maryland for his first 
head coaching gig.

Though his record didn’t 

jump off the page, he secured 
the Terrapins their first ranked 
recruiting class in school history.

Wherever Bakich went, success 

seemed to follow. He established 
a reputation as one of the most 
prolific recruiters in college 
baseball, and it was this reputation 
that led him to Michigan.

“I was immediately drawn 

into his energy,” said graduate 
student outfielder Matt Ramsay, 
who transferred to Michigan 
during the summer of 2015. 
“When I first visited with him, 
I was like, ‘Does this guy ever 
stop? How am I supposed to keep 
up with his energy?’ ”

On Bakich’s first day on campus 

in 2012, his presence was felt 
immediately. At his introductory 
press conference, Bakich assured 
that Michigan baseball would 
be winning championships at a 
consistent rate.

It’s no easy task to take a 

team with a losing record into 
championship contention, but the 
Wolverines’ record has improved 

every year since Bakich became 
the skipper, and they are on pace 
to continue that trend once again 
in 2016.

Though it seems that Bakich 

is primarily focused on winning, 
many of the Wolverine players 
have stressed that Bakich’s main 
goal each year is to make each 
athlete the greatest teammate 
and student they can be.

“We have 

a saying, 
‘Champions 
behave like 
champions 
before they 
become 
champions,’ ” 
Bakich said. 
“Of course, 
everyone 
wants to win a 
championship 
at Michigan, but we don’t go 
into our training thinking about 
outcomes and statistics and titles. 
We talk about being the highest 
and best version of ourselves 
every day, knowing that those 
external things will take care of 
themselves later in the season.”

The athletes don’t just admire 

what Bakich has done for 

them, but also how he works to 
improve himself.

“He never stops talking about 

(getting better every day),” 
Ramsay said. “He never stops 
practicing it. You can see it when 
he’s out there on the field. He’s 
trying to get better as a coach. It’s 
one thing to say it to your players, 
but it’s another thing to practice it 
as a head coach.”

Added 

junior utility 
player Carmen 
Benedetti: 
“He’s 
implemented 
so many 
things into my 
game that has 
allowed me to 
slow the game 
down, enjoy it 
and realize that 

it’s just a game. I couldn’t ask for a 
better coach.”

The team’s hot start cannot be 

disregarded, however. Michigan 
headed into this season with the 
expectation of maintaining the 
Big Ten Tournament title and has 
already shown championship-
caliber play with victories over 
top-25 opponents California and 

Oklahoma State.

Michigan isn’t winning 

national championships just 
yet, but the team secured its 
first Big Ten title since 2008 
last season. Bakich has made 
baseball at Michigan relevant 
again. He has inspired a culture 
in the locker room that seeks to 
create talented athletes and well-
rounded characters. And like 
his time at Clemson, Vanderbilt 
and Maryland, the success has 
followed with time.

“I’m extremely excited about 

this team and the opportunities 
in front of us,” Bakich said.

It’s hard not to get excited. 

Though the 2016 season is just 
getting underway and the Big 
Ten title is up in the air, Michigan 
is right up there at the top of 
the standings. The Wolverines’ 
starting pitching ranks in the 
top-10 nationally in earned-run 
average, and the batting order has 
also shown flashes of brilliance.

If it wasn’t apparent when he 

was first hired, it should be very 
clear now: It’s time to believe in 
Erik Bakich.

Wolfe can be reached at 

eewolfe@umich.edu.

AMANDA ALLEN/Daily

Michigan coach Erik Bakich (second from right) has his team poised to take another big step forward in 2016.

ETHAN
WOLFE

On Baseball

“He never stops 

talking about 
(getting better 

every day).”

2016 Baseball Preview
Breaking down Michigan’s roster

By NATHANIEL CLARK 

Daily Sports Writer

While the Michigan baseball 

team lost some firepower from 
last year’s offense that won the 
Big Ten Tournament, there is still 
considerable talent on the roster. 
Below, the Daily breaks down the 
2016 Michigan squad.

Outfield

The departure of centerfielder 

Jackson 
Glines, 
who 
was 
a 

10th-round pick in June, leaves 
big shoes to fill from last year’s 
offense. 
Glines 
finished 
the 

2015 season with a .369 batting 
average, an on-base percentage of 
.440, five home runs, 83 hits and 
34 runs batted in — the latter two 
were both good for third best in 
the Big Ten.

But there is a returning starter 

from last year to fill the vacancy: 
senior center fielder Cody Bruder, 
who has taken up residence in 
the fifth spot in the Wolverines’ 
batting order. Bruder is currently 
hitting .353 with 24 base hits and 
15 RBIs. He possesses the third-
highest batting average on the 
team, the third-highest hit total 
and the second most RBIs.

Junior right fielder Johnny 

Slater has also seen significant 
playing time of late. Though he 
recorded nine multi-hit games in 
2015, and came up with several 
clutch at-bats during Michigan’s 
late-season run, he has been 
struggling at the plate so far this 
season. His batting average is 
sitting at .185 and he has mustered 
just 10 hits.

Beyond the returning starters, 

there are some newcomers to the 
outfield, most notably senior left 

fielder Matt Ramsay, who arrived 
in Ann Arbor this year as a transfer 
from Wofford College. Ramsay 
has been productive in the second 
spot, with a .294 batting average, 
20 hits and 14 runs scored.

Infield

Any 
assessment 
of 
the 

Wolverines’ infield must take 
into account the departure of first 
baseman Jacob Cronenworth to 
the Tampa Bay Rays. He started 
in each of Michigan’s 64 contests 
last year, when he posted a batting 
average of .338, hit 18 doubles and 
three triples, smacked six home 
runs, drove in 48 runs and was 
the Big Ten Tournament’s Most 
Valuable Player.

Junior first baseman Carmen 

Benedetti has been tasked with 
filling Cronenworth’s role. And 
Benedetti is ideally suited to 
do so, having hit .353 last year 
with a Big-Ten-leading 71 RBI 
and conference-best 25 doubles. 
While Benedetti’s 2016 batting 
average is only .298 at the 
moment, history suggests that 
number may climb during Big 
Ten play after hitting .398 over 
the conference season last year.

Another player who has been 

asked to fill big shoes is senior 
catcher Harrison Wenson, who 
is taking over for Kendall Patrick, 
Michigan’s home-run leader last 
season. Wenson has embraced 
the role so far, as he has posted 
a .386 batting average, hit three 
home runs, driven in 16 runs and 
manufactured 22 base hits. His 
stats earned him possession of the 
cleanup spot in the Wolverines’ 
batting order.

Sophomore Jake Bivens — 

who was moved from second 

base to third base this season 
— has been a force in the leadoff 
spot thus far for the Wolverines. 
He leads Michigan with a .389 
batting average, 28 hits, 16 RBI 
and a 1.062 OPS (the sum of 
on-base percentage and slugging 
percentage). His speed has also 
shown with four stolen bases so 
far, which is nearly half of his total 
of nine in 2015.

Designated Hitter

Sophomore Drew Lugbauer is 

Michigan’s starting designated 
hitter. Lugabuer’s hitting has 
improved greatly from last year, 
and he has already driven in four 
more runs than his 2015 total 
before the start of conference play.

Lugbauer was highly touted for 

his raw power when he came to 
Michigan, and he is showing that 
much more this season than he 
did last year.

Starting Pitchers

Sophomore left-hander Oliver 

Jaskie has been the strongest 
starter so far for the Wolverines. He 
is 3-1 in four starts while compiling 
a 1.69 earned-run average, striking 
out 21 and giving up 13 hits in 21.1 
innings. 
Jaskie’s 
performance 

earned him Big Ten Pitcher of the 
Week honors twice during non-
conference play on Feb. 22 and 
March 7. Jaskie’s strength comes 
from the fact that he is capable of 
pitching a solid fastball, changeup, 
curveball and slider.

Junior Brett Adcock came 

into 2016 as the pitcher with the 
most hype after being named 
to the College Sports Madness 
Preseason Big Ten First Team. 
While his record sits at 1-2, his 

stats tell a different story. Adcock 
has tallied a 2.89 ERA and 32 
strikeouts, 
holding 
opposing 

hitters to a .103 batting average. 
He struck out 12 against Hawaii 
on Mar. 11, but he did not earn the 
victory as the bullpen squandered 
a 4-1 lead in the ninth inning 
before Michigan won the game, 
5-4, in the 10th.

Senior left-hander Evan Hill 

has played a much bigger role 
on the team this year after being 
sidelined for the first two months 
of last season with an injury. Hill’s 
2016 record stands at 3-1, and 
his earned run average is 2.84 
through 19 innings.

Relievers

Sophomore Bryan Pall is 1-0 

as Michigan’s primary closer so 
far this year with two saves. In 
9.1 innings pitched, he has given 
up three earned runs and six 
hits while striking out 16. His 
lone blemish came in the form of 
a blown save on Mar. 11 against 
Hawaii, when he gave up three 
runs in the ninth inning.

Junior Keith Lehmann is a 

veteran presence delivering in 
Michigan’s bullpen and has yet to 
give up a run in 6.2 innings.

One newcomer has logged 

significant 
innings 
for 
the 

Wolverines: freshman William 
Tribucher. In 13 innings this year, 
he has compiled a 2.08 ERA, and 
struck out 17.

Unlike 2015, when Michigan was 

buoyed by a high-powered offense 
and wins and losses depended on 
the pitching performance, the 2016 
Wolverines are anchored by their 
pitching staff and their five losses 
are attributable to an up-and-
down offense.

Big Ten Preview: 
Michigan, MSU 
the frontrunners

In-state rivals off to 
strong starts; Ohio 

State, Nebraska 
not far behind

By SYLVANNA GROSS 

Daily Sports Writer

The 2016 Michigan baseball 

team has all the makings of a 
perfect storm. 

It’s just the fourth year under 

Michigan coach Erik Bakich and 
his staff, but it’s shaping up to be 
one of the most successful yet, 
after the best season start since 
2009 with five straight wins.

The 
2015 
Michigan 
team 

went to the NCAA Tournament 
for the first time since 2008. 
Though the Wolverines lost at the 
NCAA Regionals, this year could 
potentially see national play 
beyond that point. 

At the start of the 2016 

season, Michigan was picked 
by a committee of conference 
coaches as the favorite to win 
the Big Ten Championship. This 
prediction could play out well 
for the Wolverines, who were the 
only nationally ranked team in 
the conference. 

For those who are eager for 

a look at what lies ahead, the 
Daily breaks down the teams 
that will compete for the 
coveted Big Ten title.

Michigan State (15-3)

Michigan 
State 
— 
ranked 

sixth in the Big Ten preseason 
polling — has started to shed its 
historic underdog coat and make 
significant program strides. This 
year, the team was ranked in the 
top 25 for the first time since 1988 
by Baseball America. To start off 
the season, the Spartans had a hot 
start with a 14-game win streak, 
the best in program history. 

The Spartans are currently the 

only team in the country to rank 
in the top 10 in the country for 
both batting average (.333) and 
earned-run average (2.28), good 
for sixth and eighth, respectively. 

Despite averaging 7.1 runs 

per game and allowing just 16 
earned runs in 55 innings, the 
team managed to rebound off a 
losing streak that might be the 
difference in beating out the 
Wolverines for the top spot in the 
conference. Their first contest 
will be Friday, April 29.

Michigan State has the third- 

and fourth-best players in the 
conference in junior infielders 
Dan 
Durkin 
and 
Jordan 

Zimmerman, respectively. Durkin 
has a .421 batting average and, like 
Zimmerman, has started all 17 
games this season. Zimmerman 
boasts a .418 batting average and 
is in his first season with the 
Spartans after transferring from 
Mesa Community College. 

Michigan State did not earn a 

berth in the NCAA Tournament 
for the 2015 season, nor did it 
advance past the third round of 
the Big Ten Tournament. 

This year, the Spartans don’t 

look like they’ll let that happen 
again. 

Ohio State (12-6-1)

The Buckeyes are on a four-

game winning streak heading 
into conference play, led by senior 
infielder Nick Sergakis, who 
ranks fifth in Big Ten with a .419 
batting average. Sergakis will be a 
player to look out for when he’s on 
the basepaths as he’s scored in all 
19 games.

One player does not a great 

team make, as the Buckeyes didn’t 
even make it onto any preseason 
polls. The 2015 Ohio State team 
couldn’t make it out of the second 
round of Big Ten Tournament play 
and lost in the NCAA regionals.

The 2016 Ohio State team has 

one of the largest senior classes 
with a total of 10 players — the 
majority were starters or key 
reserves on the 2015 team. The 
experience and maturity on the 
team will definitely help the 
Buckeyes, but won’t guarantee 
them a strong season finish. 

The team is in the top five for 

many Big Ten offensive statistics, 
including first in home runs — 
21 in 19 games so far — and runs 
batted in.

Nebraska (13-7)

The Huskers finished the 2015 

season without an NCAA bid and 
just scraped out of the first round 
of Big Ten Tournament before 
losing quickly in the second. 

Nebraska hasn’t made any 

national polls, but might have 
an ace up its sleeve with left-
hander Ben Miller or left-hander 
Jake Meyers. The junior and 
sophomore, respectively, have 
led the Huskers on a four-game 
winning streak and don’t show 
signs of slowing down. Nebraska 
potentially could be a formidable 
opponent for Michigan.

JAMES COLLER/Daily

Michigan’s Evan Hill (top) and Michigan State’s Alex Troop (bottom) hope to 
pitch their red-hot teams to a Big Ten Championship at the end of this season.

AMANDA ALLEN/Daily

