11 Thursday, May 31, 2018 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com SPORTS Lavert Hill cames back to 100 percent DETROIT — It’s not often that a Michigan football coach questions one of his players publicly. But that was the method Michael Zordich used when junior Lavert Hill missed at least eight practices with a hip and leg injury earlier this spring. The secondary coach said Hill needs “learn to play with some nicks” in mid- April, marking the second consecutive offseason where ailments have kept the cornerback off the field. But Hill didn’t need the message for motivation. “I don’t get none of that. It just goes through one ear and out the other,” Hill said Sunday afternoon. “I don’t really know. I just focus on my game.” In any case, Hill says he’s now fully healthy after participating in the final few practices of the spring. “I’m good. I’m 100 percent right now,” Hill said. “It just came over time, keep exercising, doing stuff, what the trainers told me to do. It worked out pretty fine. “It just felt like I never left. Just being 100 percent feels good. When I’m 100 percent, I can do anything.” That was evident for Hill last season, when he made 25 tackles, seven pass breakups and two interceptions in 13 starts. But as one of Michigan’s nine returning starters on defense, he realizes there’s plenty of room to grow. Hill said he’s specifically working on jamming wide receivers at the line of scrimmage, along with perfecting route reading — both physical intricacies of his trade. In the past year, however, he’s noticed his biggest improvement is on the mental side. “I’m better as far as the mental part of the game,” Hill said. “Just slowing things down, studying film, getting to know things better, and just pacing myself and keeping it slowly in my head.” Hill, along with Michigan sophomore Ambry Thomas, even got a taste of what could lie ahead if those improvements continue. The pair visited Jourdan Lewis – the former Michigan All- American and current Dallas Cowboys corner — to train in Dallas last weekend. And even when Lewis’ attention shifted to attractions of the downtown area, football took priority for Hill and Thomas, catching Lewis’ attention. “They always want to work,” Lewis said. “It’s refreshing to see guys who just want to be a part of something great. They want to work, and everything is about football. “It was amazing (watching them). They were way better than what I did. Just the strides they’ve been taking are so far away from where we were at their age. It’s going to come to fruition when the game slows down and they get the mental part down.” Lewis, Hill and Thomas have known each other for years from playing youth football together in Detroit. Sunday was a throwback to those days, as Lewis, along with Hill’s brother and former Michigan standout, Delano, hosted a free WR vs. DB skills camp at Detroit PAL Headquarters. It was one of many trips for Lewis back to his home state this offseason. In March, he returned for Michigan’s Pro Day and got to watch the current team practice. “I noticed the schedule is different, Lewis said. “(The players are) getting more free time. It feels like (coach Jim Harbaugh) understands these kids know what to do. They know what’s at risk. They want to win. “I believe they’re national contenders. They have all the pieces, they have all the coaches, they have the guys at every position to get done what they want to get done. It’s just about coming together now, just executing out there on the field on Saturdays.” MARK CALCAGNO Daily Sports Editor AMELIA CACCHIONE/DAILY Junior Lavert Hill returns from injury feeling 100% and with a new mentor - former Michigan All-American Jourdan Lewis BASEBALL Michigan ends season with loss to Ohio State As senior third baseman Brock Keener sat down for his press conference for the last time as a Wolverine, his eyes were red with the tears that only come after a season- ending defeat. The Michigan baseball team (15-8 Big Ten, 33-21 overall) fell to Ohio State (14-10 Big Ten, 36-21 overall) 5-3, and Keener was faced with the hard realization that he had just played his last game in a maize and blue uniform. Likely falling short of a bid to the NCAA Touranment, the team exited the Big Ten Tournament earlier than needed. In many ways, Keener’s toughness and resilience serves as a perfect embodiment of the team itself. Early in the season, Keener broke the thumb on his glove hand—a troubling injury for any baseball player, but Keener is a catcher. Any physical ailments to a catcher’s appendages, and their ability to do their job greatly diminishes. But Keener stuck it out and fought for his role on the Michigan lineup. After all, this was his senior season. Keener’s injury showed in his play behind home plate. Many passed balls snuck past him, and the Wolverines saw their fair share of wild pitches. But none of that deterred Michigan coach Erik Bakich. Keener caught for as long as he was physically able and Bakich indulged his senior, seeing as he consistently gave the Wolverines their best chance to win. “Tough, competitive kid,” Bakich said on Keener. “Good lesson for a lot of those younger guys on our team for them to see what that grit and competitiveness looks like.” Heading into the Big Ten Tournament, Keener’s thumb reached the point of no return, and he simply was not able to catch anymore. Wanting his bat and grit in the lineup, Bakich shocked Michigan followers and played Keener at third base. Keener played as valiantly as anyone could ask of the senior, making web gem plays on defense and cranking clutch hit after clutch hit. On Friday’s match, with the Wolverines trailing 5-1, Keener stepped to the plate with runners on second and third and two outs. With the clutch gene seemingly coded into his physiological makeup, the catcher turned third baseman smacked a two- RBI single right up the middle. In one swing of the bat, Keener gave his team exactly what it needed and kept the game competitive. “I guess (I) try not to view it as a big AB because the guys in front of me worked hard to get on, and all these games were nail biters,” Keener said. “It’s tough, and I try to do whatever I can to help the team win.” Now all Keener can do is sit and reflect on his time at Michigan and his legacy. There’s no doubt that toughness is the first word people will associate with the catcher with a broken thumb. “For me, this season, has taught me, really through my whole college career up until this season is resilience and to truly love something, you keep giving it your all,” Keener said. “For me personally, this was my journey to Michigan and my time at Michigan. This season was the same thing, it doesn’t always start out how you want it. I’m blessed to be a part of this team and blessed to be a Michigan Wolverine, that’s for sure.” Added junior center fielder Jonathan Engelmann: “Brock here is a guy who’s overcome everything that I can possibly imagine. You play games for guys like that. Just for example in this tournament when he played third base, it was like, ‘Who is this guy who’s making web gem plays left and right.’ He’s always overcoming, and he puts the team first. In college, you’re playing with guys just like that, and it’s inspiring to say the least.” Barring some sort of divine intervention, the Wolverines will fall short of making an NCAA Regional. To put it simply, Michigan did not beat enough good teams. However, the Wolverines boast one of the youngest cores in the Big Ten and won’t be down for long. This time next year may be a different story, and it will have all started with the foundation laid by the juniors and seniors who will leave Ann Arbor next year for the workforce or the MLB Draft. So come Monday during the NCAA Selection Show, the Michigan baseball team will gather together one last time. If or when its name doesn’t get called, Bakich wants the freshmen to remember the feeling. “We may not see our name on the screen on Monday,” Bakich said, “but I want them to feel that as well and especially for those younger guys because that will be the last time they ever feel that.” JACOB KOPNICK Summer Managing Sports Editor “When I’m 100 percent, I can do anything. ”