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.