The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Sports
Wednesday, February 8, 2017 — 7A
Michigan must move on
Entering the 2017 season, the
Michigan baseball team has a
daunting task ahead of it: the
Wolverines must figure out how
to move forward after losing
players to both the MLB Draft and
graduation.
Roster
turnover
proves
particularly difficult in sports like
baseball, where college athletic
careers of core players are often
cut short due to the MLB draft.
Michigan is no exception as it faces
the lofty obstacle of replenishing
its roster after several significant
departures.
The Wolverines lost three key
talents to the 2016 MLB Draft –
junior pitcher Brett Adcock, junior
first baseman Carmen Benedetti
and senior pitcher Evan Hill. In
addition to the draftees, Michigan
graduated four seniors – including
2016
batting
average
leader
outfielder Cody Bruder, stolen base
leader outfielder Matt Ramsay and
team captain catcher Dominic
Jamett.
Led by the eventual draftees
and now graduated seniors, the
Wolverines
found
moderate
success in 2016, finishing with a Big
Ten record of 13-10 and an overall
record of 35-19. Their consistent
play earned them the fifth seed at
the Big Ten tournament, where
they were eliminated by Ohio State
in the first round.
Losing significant starters may
be detrimental to the production of
both the offense and the pitching
staff
this
season.
However,
Michigan is used to this sort
of turnover. In 2015, Michigan
had three players drafted and
graduated seven seniors. Michigan
coach Erik Bakich recognizes that
constant rebuilding is just a part of
the sport.
“[The MLB Draft] is the nature
of the beast in quality programs,”
Bakich said. “You try to build the
best program that you can build.
One of the impacts of that is the
players have opportunities to move
onto professional baseball.”
Even with some players gone,
junior infielder Jake Bivens is
confident that Michigan can fill
these voids.
“We lost some key contributors,”
Bivens said. “Definitely guys have
to step up. But we have a great
group that can step right into
those roles and fill those spots
immediately.”
While the production of those
players and their positions in
the lineup can be replaced, the
elements that don’t show up in the
box score — experience, chemistry
and locker room leadership — are
harder to replicate.
The Wolverines must overcome
losing the experience of seven
veterans
and
the
leadership
of a trusted captain in Jamett.
Continuing
these
intangibles
will be necessary for Michigan to
continue its success and elevate to
the next level.
Drew Lugbauer isn’t worried,
though. The junior infielder feels
the closeness of the current roster
will carry the team.
“[The team’s chemistry] is
probably the best since I’ve been
here,” Lugbauer said. “Everyone’s
really tight. We all get along with
each other. It’s a good locker room.”
Junior pitcher Oliver Jaskie
added: “There’s not one guy on
this team that I wouldn’t call a best
friend or a brother.”
In order for the team to succeed
this
season,
the
Wolverines’
chemistry and new leadership
will prove vital. Michigan will
look for leadership from senior
catcher Harrison Wenson and
senior pitcher Jackson Lamb, both
of whom were selected in the 2016
MLB draft, but elected to stay at
Michigan for their senior seasons.
Despite losing seven players
total,
the
Wolverines
return
12
upperclassmen.
With
the
returning players’ experience and
talent, Michigan expects a strong
season.
“There’s high expectations,”
Jaskie said. “But we’re ready for
it. We’re just focused on going out
there and playing as hard as we
can.”
Penalty kill fails ‘M’
Ohio State’s first power-play
goal came from forward Tanner
Laczynski, but the Michigan
hockey team still had a two-goal
lead. Not much, but enough to
keep the crowd at Yost Ice Arena
from panicking on Friday night.
Two
goals
from
the
Wolverines
later,
Michigan
entered the third period sitting
on a 5-1 lead. But the 12th-ranked
Buckeyes still had 1:21 remaining
of
a
second-period
power
play, and six seconds into the
third, forward Nick Schilkey
capitalized.
Within the next few seconds,
they scored again, and later in
the period once more to put the
game within tying distance.
Although it wasn’t enough to
secure an impressive comeback
and win the game, it was enough
to scare the Wolverine fan base.
On Saturday, though, Ohio
State managed to do exactly
what it needed to, scraping past
Michigan, 6-5.
Out of the Buckeyes’ 10 goals
this past weekend, seven of
them came during power plays.
While Ohio State is notable for
its power play — after the series,
it’s ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten
— Michigan’s penalty kill wasn’t
shaping up into what it needed to
be. In Saturday’s game, it could
have made all the difference.
“I’m giving the other team’s
power play their due,” said
Michigan coach Red Berenson.
“They’re a good power play, but
they’re not that good. They’re
not a 50 percent power play. We
shouldn’t be giving up four goals
on seven chances or three on
six. That’s what we did over the
weekend. That’s on us.”
Earlier
in
the
season,
Michigan
was
ranked
10th
in the penalty kill. But after
their
recent
performances,
the Wolverines have dropped
to the bottom of the Big Ten.
The penalty kill almost cost
Michigan the game on Friday —
and it did on Saturday.
For the Wolverines, it isn’t just
the penalty kill that’s coming up
short. There are compounding
issues that lead to such high-
scoring games. The number
of penalties Michigan took on
Saturday was too many to give to
a team with such an established
power play.
“If our forecheck is doing
well, right away that helps us
out,” said freshman goaltender
Hayden
Lavigne.
“If
our
forecheck isn’t doing that great
but we’re shutting them down
real quick when they get into
the zone then once again, it’s
fine. But it was kind of one of
those things where we weren’t
doing a good job forechecking
the whole time, we didn’t really
track back hard. We just kind
of let them set up into their
structure easily.”
The number of penalties and
the execution of the penalty kill
weren’t good signs for Michigan.
Both factors contributed to the
close nature of the weekend’s
games despite arguably two of
its best offensive games this
season.
But the issues aren’t just
stemming from the execution of
the penalty kill, either.
“First and foremost, I think
it starts with the faceoff,” said
freshman forward Jake Slaker.
“Including myself, I think the
centermen haven’t been the best
in the defensive zone in faceoffs
during the penalty kill. That
right away loses possession,
and they get an easy start to the
power play, so that’s definitely a
frustrating thing I think we can
improve on.
“It’s
one
thing
leads
to
another. Guy taking a penalty,
centerman loses the faceoff, the
guys not executing on the ice. It
definitely builds up.”
There’s
no
doubt
the
Wolverines stepped up their
offensive game this past weekend
against Ohio State. With junior
forward Tony Calderone — who
is leading in goals with 10 — and
senior forward Alex Kile and
junior forward Cutler Martin
out of both games, the tables
easily could have been turned.
But a win on Saturday could
have resulted in Michigan’s first
sweep of the season — something
that won’t come anytime soon if
Hutchins confident in underclassmen to step up
After 32 seasons as the coach
of the Michigan softball team,
Carol Hutchins knows the trials
and tribulations that come with
being an underclassman in college
softball — especially for those who
are asked to contribute early in
their careers.
Gone are the days of second
baseman Sierra Romero, outfielder
Sierra Lawrence and the rest of
one of the most accomplished
senior classes in school history.
And the onus to fill that void may
have to fall on the shoulders of the
underclassmen on the roster.
“The game doesn’t know if
you’re a freshman or a senior,”
Hutchins said. “When you get the
opportunity to be out there, you
need to be ready to go, and not ‘Oh,
I’m a freshman.’ To push everyone
every day, period — that’s what we
want our freshmen to do.”
The Wolverines lost three of the
top four hitters in their lineup from
last season — Romero, Lawrence
and outfielder Kelsey Susalla —
all to graduation. Between them,
Michigan is losing 41 home runs,
179 RBI and 195 runs scored. The
trio accounted for 42 percent of the
total runs scored by last season’s
prolific offense, which finished
second in the country in offense at
7.90 runs per game.
Granted, it’s unfair to expect
any three individuals to step in
and match that type of production,
especially for the untested players
who Hutchins expects to be
thrown into the fire early.
Sophomore Faith Canfield, who
Hutchins dubbed “the leading
candidate” to play second base,
will likely have the unenviable task
of replacing Romero. Freshmen
under Hutchins tend to play
sparingly, but last season Canfield
was an exception to the norm,
carving out a role as a utility player.
She appeared in 44 out of 59 games,
managing a .268 batting average
and scoring 22 runs. Those are
hardly eye-popping numbers by
traditional standards, but certainly
commendable for a freshman on a
senior-laden team.
Lawrence and Susalla will be
equally difficult to replace in their
corner outfield spots. Perhaps
nobody knows that better than
senior outfielder Kelly Christner,
who spent the last two seasons
manning the outfield with the duo.
“Between
me,
Sierra
and
Kelsey, we kind of knew how each
other worked,” Christner said.
“We kind of vibed really well. We
worked together really well for two
straight years, so it is hard to work
with different people.”
But as a senior leader, Christner
knows it is incumbent on her to try
and emulate that chemistry, even
if it takes the form of a different
identity.
She
recognizes
the
inherent challenge of working with
— and leading — new players.
“I think (the challenge is) more
just letting the girls know that are
going to be playing now how we
work out there, and really focusing
on communication between the
three of us,” Christner said. “I
think this fall we’ve worked really
well together, and I’m excited to
get out there.”
One of those new outfielders
will
almost
undoubtedly
be
sophomore Natalie Peters, who
Hutchins spoke glowingly of in her
season-opening media day.
Despite little experience, Peters
— whose game is predicated
on contact and speed — will be
counted on toward the top of the
order. In just 16 at-bats last season,
Peters managed a .313 batting
average, with all five of her hits
being singles. In an expanded role,
Peters will be counted on heavily to
set the table at the top part of the
order.
“She came back a new woman
from freshman to sophomore
year,” Hutchins said. “And she had
some good experience last year, but
she’s been a very consistent player
for us since she got back in the fall.”
The other outfield spot seems
less certain, but it, too, will likely be
manned by a younger player. Only
one other outfielder on the roster is
older than a sophomore.
But while Hutchins knows
she’ll need production from some
unproven players, that dependence
hardly seems to concern her.
“We don’t know what’s going
to happen with the unseasoned
players, but we need some of the
unseasoned players to step up,”
Hutchins said. “The pleasant part
of the job is somebody does step up
usually.”
And if history is any indication,
that unknown boost could be
expected to come from one of the
sophomores.
Under
Hutchins,
the
freshman-to-sophomore
transition traditionally comes with
the biggest statistical leap.
Christner’s
production
ballooned during her sophomore
season: increasing her average by
94 points, hitting 18 more home
runs and knocking in 50 more runs
than the year prior. Blanco slugged
312 points better during her
sophomore season. Even Romero
saw her average increase 112 points
from her freshman to sophomore
campaign. And the list could go on.
With the heart of the order gone
from last season, the pressure will
undoubtedly be on the entire team
to step up its production to try to
make up for those losses. Yet for
the Wolverines, the better question
may not be if someone will step up,
but rather who.
MARINA ROSS/Daily
Sophomore utility player Faith Canfield is expected to face the unenviable task of replacing Sierra Romero at second.
LANEY BYLER
Daily Sports Editor
MAX MARCOVITCH
Daily Sports Writer
Wolverines set for first game as ranked team
The No. 21 Michigan women’s
basketball team has enjoyed
nothing more than playing at
home this season. Following a
72-70, comeback victory over
Iowa, the Wolverines are now
12-0 at Crisler Center.
But all teams must play on
the road sometimes. Michigan,
who is 5-4 in true road games
this season, will travel to West
Lafayette to take on Purdue
on
Wednesday
night.
The
Boilermakers, winners of three
of their last four games, will
present a formidable challenge
for the Wolverines (8-2 Big Ten,
19-5 overall).
Despite being ranked 95th in
the Ratings Percentage Index,
Purdue (6-4, 15-9) boasts the
Big Ten’s best scoring defense,
allowing just 58.0 points per
game, which is 39th nationally.
The Boilermakers rank fourth
in the conference in 3-point
defense,
with
opponents
making just 38 percent of their
shots from beyond the arc.
“Purdue was a team that had
a slow start, had some young
kids,” said Michigan coach Kim
Barnes Arico on WTKA. “But
they are playing extremely well
as of late. They are a team that’s
coming on strong in our league.
It’s going to be a tough matchup
for us.”
Statistically
though,
Michigan presents a defensive
unit that is almost as strong.
The Wolverines have held their
opponents to 59.3 points per
game and 38.2 percent 3-point
shooting — second and fifth
in the Big Ten, respectively.
Sophomore
center
Hallie
Thome has also contributed 48
blocks to the defensive effort
this season.
Due to the prowess of both
defenses,
a
relatively
low-
scoring contest may be in the
cards in West Lafayette.
Michigan
does
hold
a
significant
advantage
over
Purdue
with
its
offense,
though. The Wolverines rank
third in the conference and 14th
nationally in scoring offense,
averaging 79.7 points per game.
Michigan’s biggest offensive
strength is its 3-point shooting,
as the Wolverines are second
only to Connecticut nationally,
making 40.7 percent of their
3-pointers.
The
Boilermakers,
meanwhile, rank 10th in the
Big Ten in scoring offense,
as
they
are
averaging
just
66.9 points. This
gap in offensive
firepower
may
very
well
be
Michigan’s
key to victory
Wednesday.
The
Wolverines’
offensive
success is due
in
large
part
to the familiar trio of Thome,
junior guard Katelynn Flaherty
and newcomer freshman guard
Kysre Gondrezick, who are all
scoring at least 14 points per
game. Gondrezick is coming off
her best week yet, combining
for 42 points, 10 rebounds and
10 assists in two contests.
“To be a freshman and
to
make
the
impacts
that
(Gondrezick)
has
on
an
experienced team, I think just
speaks volumes to the type of
player that she is.” Barnes Arico
said.
But
Michigan
has
also
benefitted from
production
off
the bench as of
late. Sophomore
guard
Nicole
Munger scored
seven
points,
including
the
game-
winning
field
goal,
against
the
Hawkeyes
on
Sunday.
If
Munger
can
continue to perform like she did
Sunday, it will provide a major
boost to the Wolverines.
“Nicole
was
incredible,”
Barnes Arico said. “She was
all over the place. She provides
such a spark for us. She’s been
battling an injury all year
long, so we’re really aware of
how many minutes she’s been
playing, and we’re trying to be
smart about it.”
Though Michigan will be
the favorite against Purdue,
there is another factor the
Wolverines will have to deal
with — Wednesday will mark
the first time in any of the
current players’ careers that
they will play as a ranked team.
Michigan was last ranked the
week of Jan. 21, 2013.
“I talked to our kids a little
bit yesterday after the game,”
Barnes Arico said. “I said,
‘Hey, now we’re the team that
everyone puts a circle around.’
We’re a ranked team. They’re
going to have an opportunity
to beat a ranked opponent. So
that’s different and it’s not a
position we’ve been in before.
We need to make sure that we
continue to improve and really
focus on one game at a time.”
This Wolverine squad has not
been like past ones, though, and
they will look to continue that
trend in West Lafayette.
ICE HOCKEY
BASEBALL
NATHANIEL CLARK
Daily Sports Writer
EMMA RICHTER/Daily
Sophomore guard Nicole Munger scored the game-winning basket against Iowa to help Michigan enter the AP top 25.
“ ‘Now we’re
the team that
everyone puts a
circle around’ ”
HUNTER SHARF
For the Daily