Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 — 7A

Berenson in no rush to decide future

By KEVIN SANTO 

Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan hockey team’s 

season ended in Cincinnati 
on Saturday with a 5-2 loss to 
North Dakota in the regional 
final of the NCAA Tournament. 

At his first media availability 

since that loss, Michigan coach 
Red Berenson predicted which 
rising seniors he could see 
having breakout seasons in 
2016. And he discussed how the 
power play unit would adjust 
next year after losing its point 
man — sophomore defenseman 
Zach Werenski — to the NHL.

The focus on what lies ahead 

for the Wolverines made some 
wonder whether Berenson was 
leaning toward returning for 
another year with the program. 

He quickly dispelled that 

notion, though.

“(Talking about next year), 

that’s what I do,” Berenson said. 
“This week is a week of losing 
players and trying to fit together 
our group for next year. We’re 
talking about spring term and 
that’s what I have to do. I have 
to help plan what’s going on.

“Then, 
at 
some 
point, 

I’ll have meetings with my 
administration and we’ll talk 
about whether I’m going to be 
here or not. But we definitely 
have a plan (for next year). 
We’re not going to just walk 
away and take the keys with us.”

As for the timeframe for his 

decision, Berenson expects he 
will reach a consensus with 
Michigan 
Athletic 
Director 

Warde Manuel well before the 
end of June.

Berenson 
plans 
to 
meet 

with Manuel within the next 
few days to have an in-depth 
conversation about his future, 
before taking some time to 
make a final decision.

“I want to let the smoke clear 

a little bit from this season,” 

Berenson said. “I don’t want 
to make an emotional decision 
because 
I’m 
pissed 
off 
at 

somebody or something. I want 
to 
make 
a 

decision that’s 
good for the 
program.”

Berenson 

did 
admit 

that attrition 
could 
sway 

his 
decision, 

though.

He 
has 

already 
lost 

Werenski and 
junior 
defenseman 
Michael 

Downing to the Columbus Blue 
Jackets and Florida Panthers, 
respectively. And it’s unclear 
what freshman forward Kyle 
Connor will decide regarding 

his professional future with the 
Winnipeg Jets — who drafted 
him 17th overall in the NHL 
draft last summer.

But 
none 

among 
that 

group 
could 

swing 
the 

pendulum 
of 

Berenson’s 
decision 
to 

return 
to 

Michigan. 
Two 
players 

who 
could 

sway 
Berenson, 

though, are junior forwards 
Tyler Motte and JT Compher.

Compher 
captained 
the 

Wolverines this year, but could 
potentially leave Ann Arbor to 
join the Colorado Avalanche 

organization. Motte — who was 
second on the team in goals with 
32 — faces a similar decision 
with the Chicago Blackhawks.

But if the duo decides to 

return for their senior seasons, 
it could foreshadow Berenson’s 
future at Yost Ice Arena.

“I’m not going to lose a lot of 

sleep over it at this point, but 
I would feel better about our 
team moving forward (with 
JT and Tyler),” Berenson said. 
“They’re the leaders of this team 
and they would be the leaders of 
next year’s team. … Let’s face it, 
they’re the guys that are going 
to drive the bus.”

But 
those 
are 
individual 

decisions Motte and Compher 
must make for themselves.

As for Berenson, all we can do 

is wait.

JAMES COLLER/Daily

Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson will take his time before deciding whether to return as coach next season.

“I’m not going 
to lose sleep 
over it at this 

point.”

Blue Jackets sign 
D-man Werenski

By JUSTIN MEYER & 
JASON RUBINSTEIN 

Daily Sports Writers

With the talent the Michigan 

hockey team brings in each 
year, early NHL defections are 
inevitable. And this year is no 
different.

Tuesday morning, sophomore 

defenseman 
Zach 
Werenski 

agreed to a three-year entry 
level contract with the NHL’s 
Columbus 
Blue 
Jackets 
and 

signed 
an 
amateur 
tryout 

contract with the American 
Hockey 
League’s 
Lake 
Erie 

Monsters — the Blue Jacket’s 
minor league affiliate — for the 
remainder of the season. The 
Daily first reported Werenski 
had been in contract talks with 
the Blue Jackets organization on 
Monday night.

Werenski, 
the 
Big 
Ten 

Defenseman of the Year, was 
drafted eighth overall in the 
2015 NHL Draft. In a breakout 
sophomore season, he tallied 
11 goals and 24 assists during 
the season, and his 35 points 
ranked fourth on the team. He 
also anchored the Wolverines’ 
nation-leading 
power-play 

unit. Werenski came back to 
Michigan for his sophomore 
season after a strong freshman 
year, which he said was a 
difficult decision.

“I wanted to come back here 

to learn as a player, just grow 
my game in all three zones,” 
Werenski told the Daily earlier 
this year. “The main thing is 
learning and becoming a better 
player. I think I did a good job 
of that in the first half (of the 
season). I think that really 
showed at World Juniors — how 
good of a job Michigan has done 
developing their players.” 

Werenski played his best at the 

end of the season, drawing praise 
from Wolverines head coach Red 
Berenson.

“I think he played the best 

hockey of his two-year career 
at Michigan in these last couple 
months and showed Columbus 
that he was a real serious 
prospect. If they could sign him, 
they were going to sign him, and 
they did,” Berenson said. “He 
started to play like he could play. 
He loved the puck more, he got 
his shots through, he was more 
involved in the whole game 
physically, defensively. He broke 
up big plays. He really played like 
he was trying to take it to a new 
level.

“He needed to be reminded 

sometimes that he’s got the green 
light to go.”

Added Weresnki: “I kind of 

realized it after (this season’s) 
World Juniors. I don’t know 
why it didn’t register in college 
hockey for me earlier on.

“The coaches have so much 

faith in me. I just had to go out 
there and believe it.”

The 18-year-old reported to 

Lake Erie on Tuesday, and is set to 
face off against senior Michigan 
forward Justin Selman — who 
signed with the Chicago Wolves 
— on Friday. Werenski said he 
has not had any discussion about 
the timing of his move to the Blue 
Jacket’s roster, but that it would 
depend on his play.

“There’s a lot of unknowns 

and things I’ve never been 
exposed to in the pro lifestyle,” 
Werenski said. “But I think going 
to Michigan, and going to college 
anywhere, really prepares you 
for the challenges ahead.

“Michigan 
does 
a 
really 

good job of making you a better 
person.”

ICE HOCKEY

Aggressive offense key 
in Michigan’s 9-7 win

Slater leads 
Wolverines’ 

offensive charge in 

home debut

By ETHAN WOLFE 

Daily Sports Writer

In the bottom of the first inning 

of the Michigan baseball team’s 
Tuesday game against Central 
Michigan, Jake Bivens smacked 
a line drive to left center field. As 
the junior third baseman turned 
the corner around first base, his 
run turned into a slow jog on his 
way to a stand-up double.

Bivens’ leadoff hit set the stage 

for the rest of the game, which 
saw the 20th-ranked Wolverines’ 
lineup have little trouble getting 
on base, powering Michigan to a 
9-7 win over the Chippewas.

Bivens’ 
hit 
helped 
the 

Wolverines (17-5) take the early 
1-0 lead, as he scored after two 
consecutive groundouts pushed 
him home.

Junior right fielder Johnny 

Slater, who made his first home 
start of the season, made a 
powerful impression when he 
crushed the ball for a two-run 
double off the left center field 
wall in the second inning.

“It felt good,” said Slater. “My 

swing is starting to feel better 
and it’s getting better every day.”

Added Michigan coach Erik 

Bakich: “He’s been working hard. 
He had some tough luck earlier in 
the season, but nobody has lost 
any confidence in his ability. It 
was good to see him drive a ball 
to the fence, get a couple RBIs 
and get on the bases. He can 
change the game with his speed.”

The offense continued to pour 

on runs in the second inning. 
Slater stole third base standing 
up and Bivens grounded into a 
fielder’s choice to drive him in. 
Bivens followed suit, stealing 
second 
base 
and 
eventually 

crossing home from a single by 

fifth-year senior left fielder Matt 
Ramsay.

Overall, six Wolverine batters 

recorded RBIs on Tuesday. But 
more notably, they stole a season-
high six bases.

“We saw that our opponent 

had given up a lot of stolen bases, 
so we thought that would be 
something to push and take some 
chances,” Bakich said. “We talk 
a lot about getting extra bases 
and getting into scoring position. 
Our guys did a good job of getting 
those opportunities.”

After encountering trouble 

from 
Central 
Michigan 
(1-2 

Mid-American, 5-20 overall) in 
the seventh inning that resulted 
in a tied score of 6-6, Michigan 
responded immediately.

Ramsay walked and junior 

first baseman Carmen Benedetti 
singled to start the frame. They 
executed a double steal with no 

throw from the catcher. With both 
runners in scoring position, junior 
catcher Harrison Wenson hit a 
sacrifice fly and scored Ramsay to 
recapture Michigan’s lead.

The play after, the Wolverines 

again showcased their speed, as 
Benedetti scored on a wild pitch 
to extend their lead, 8-6.

“We 
have 
a 
team 
that 

understands that you’re going to 
have to a take a punch and you’re 
going to have to get back up,” 
Bakich said. “Multiple times now, 
we’ve had to find a way (to win). 
It’s a sign of a team that’s tough 
and resilient.”

Unlike most of the team’s 

previous games, it was not 
Michigan’s pitching that carried 
the team. Rather, the Wolverines 
swung consistently and had 
their best day of the season so 
far on the basepaths. And it paid 
dividends.

Wolverines top Chippewas

By SYLVANNA GROSS 

Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan baseball team 

shuffled its lineup on Tuesday 
and let junior Johnny Slater hit 
eighth 
in 

the rotation, 
and 
the 

move 
turned out to be beneficial for the 
Wolverines. 

Slater, in his first appearance 

at Ray Fisher stadium this season, 
knocked in two runs with a double 
to left-center field in the bottom of 
the second inning. 

“It felt good,” Slater said. “I’ve 

been working on my swing, and 
it’s starting to feel better. We don’t 
worry too much on who we’re 
playing, we just focus on us.”

Slater’s 
double 
allowed 

sophomore 
designated 
hitter 

Drew 
Lugbauer 
and 
senior 

centerfielder Cody Bruder to make 
it home safely. Then, the junior 
right fielder scored as well, and the 
inning finished out with a run by 
Jake Bivens, leaving the score 5-0. 

And 
the 
Wolverines 
never 

looked back, riding Slater’s strong 
home debut to defeat Central 
Michigan on Tuesday, 9-7.

Junior pitcher Keith Lehmann 

contributed to Michigan’s hot 
start after throwing a quick first 
two innings. It was the first time 
he’s started at home, but that didn’t 
phase him.

“Regardless of the role, I don’t 

look at it as starting is bigger 
than coming out of the bullpen,” 
Lehmann said. “It’s the same 
thing and you prepare the same 
way. ” 

The 
only 
hiccup 
in 
his 

performance was a wild pitch that 
hit Chippewa second baseman 
Jason Sullivan in the cheek. 
Sullivan quickly went down and 
it took a couple minutes before 
he was able to stand up and walk 
off he field. Sullivan’s classmate 
Jarrod Watkins pinch ran for 
Sullivan to first. 

“That was not what I wanted to 

do,” Lehmann said. “I don’t know 
what happened. It looked like 
(Sullivan) didn’t see it. I clearly 

wasn’t trying to do that, so I went 
up and apologized. But that’s 
baseball, it happens.” 

Michigan coach Erik Bakich, 

following 
the 
hit, 
took 
out 

Lehmann — the first of six pitching 
substitutions. 

According to Lehmann, that’s 

the beauty of the Wolverine 
pitching staff. Every athlete is 
able to come out of the bullpen 
and be effective on the mound. 
It helps that Michigan is strong 
offensively, too. 

“It’s fantastic,” Lehmann said. 

“The team itself, offensively, 
this year is a very good offensive 
team. No matter who you are 
as a pitcher, if you have a good 
hitting team, it makes your job a 
lot easier.” 

In the top of the third inning, 

Central Michigan scored its first 
runs 
when 
sophomore 
Zach 

McKinstry doubled to left field and 
batted in two runs. 

Michigan (16-5) has played the 

Chippewas (5-20) every year since 
1991, compiling an overall record 
of 39-28 and the Wolverines have 
won the last six consecutive 
games. Despite a bind in the 
seventh inning, this contest was no 
different.

Michigan was tied 6-6 with 

Central Michigan in the bottom 
of the seventh. But after two 
stolen bases, a run on a wild pitch 
and a single RBI, the Wolverines 
scored three runs to assure the 
Chippewas’ defeat. 

Junior first baseman Carmen 

Benedetti and fifth-year senior left 
fielder Matt Ramsay stole second 
and third, respectively. Following 
the play, junior catcher Harrison 
Wenson flew out to right field, 
allowing Ramsay to make a run. 
Benedetti soon scored on a wild 
pitch to make it 8-6. 

Wenson, who is the cleanup 

hitter, went 0-3 at bat, but still 
managed to keep his batting 
average at .400. The slump comes 
after an impressive weekend, 
but according to Bakich, “That’s 
baseball.”

“We have a team that knows 

how to find a way and respond,” 
Bakich said. “We know you’re 
going to get knocked down and 
you’re going to have to get back up, 
which is what we’ve done.” 

CMU
MICHIGAN 

7
9

EVAN AARON/Daily

The Michigan baseball team depended on its aggressive offense in a 9-7 win over Central Michigan on Tuesday afternoon at Ray Fisher Stadium.

