As most students eagerly anticipate a summer break away from classes, the Michigan baseball team is also looking forward to a break - a break from games.
The Wolverines will play Notre Dame at 7 p.m. tonight in Grand Rapids at Old Kent Park, and because of final exams, they originally didn't have another game scheduled until May 1 against Eastern Michigan. Michigan has added an April 27 home doubleheader with Siena Heights, but will still do more practicing than playing over the next two weeks. And that is something Michigan coach Geoff Zahn is grateful for.
"We've got some pitchers banged up; we'd like to get them back," Zahn said. "We haven't been swinging the bats very well, and we've had some lapses defensively.
"So this period when we are not playing could not have come at a better time, because it will give us a chance to practice and work on things."
Practice time is rare during the conference season for the Wolverines. They play Big Ten games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and usually play nonconference opponents on Tuesday and Wednesday. Zahn gives the players one day off each week, which leaves only one day for practice.
"For us to get the number of games in we have to play two mid-week games," Zahn said. "And we have to give the kids a day off, and that all adds up to no practice time. When guys go in slumps, they don't have a chance to work out of it.
"Now we have a chance to work and practice and get reorganized."
The Wolverines' pitching staff is happy not only for the chance to practice, but the chance to heal. Freshman Bryce Ralston has pitched just three innings all season, and sophomores Luke Bonner and J.J. Putz have missed most of the month of April with injuries.
Saturday, the Michigan staff was depleted by one more when sophomore Pete Martay felt something pop in his elbow while warming up for his start against Indiana. Zahn said that although the injury has not been fully diagnosed, it appears serious, and Martay may miss the remainder of the season.
"Four guys that we counted on to pitch a lot for us aren't pitching," Zahn said. "Some guys have to bring their level up and start contributing more."
One of the pitchers who should start seeing more action is senior Marlon Wright, who is scheduled to start for Michigan (12-6 Big Ten, 23-17 overall) tonight against Notre Dame (10-4 Big East, 29-13 overall). Last year the Fighting Irish upended Michigan, 8-2.
Notre Dame is a team on a roll. The Irish have won their last seven games, 14 of their last 15, and 20 of their last 22. Last weekend, they swept a three-game series from conference foe Villanova by scores of 4-3, 14-3, and 10-8.
Notre Dame boasts two players with batting averages above .400. Senior Mike Amrhein is hitting a healthy .430, has eight doubles, 10 home runs and leads the team with 57 RBI. Sophomore Jeff Wagner has a .401 average, 17 doubles and a team-best 12 home runs.
"I told our kids, if you come to Michigan, and you can't get up for Notre Dame, or Ohio State, or Michigan State, then you had no business coming here," Zahn said "It's a great rivalry. I don't care what the sport is. It should be a lot of fun, because it will be pretty intense."
Michigan will get a chance to face its other two rivals in the weeks to come. The Wolverines have a four-game series with Michigan State the first weekend in May. On May 2 and 4, the Wolverines and Spartans will play at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing. The two teams will play a doubleheader on May 3 at Fisher Stadium. Last year, Michigan defeated Michigan State, 5-4, in the first baseball game ever played at Oldsmobile Park.
The following weekend (May 9-11), the Wolverines will host Ohio State for a four-game set that ends the regular season.
If the standings remain they way they are now, the final weekend of the season would be a head-to-head showdown for the Big Ten title. Michigan is currently in first place at 12-6, and Ohio State is second with a record of 13-7. Minnesota also has a good shot at the conference crown, owning an 8-5 conference mark.
"We are in first place," Zahn said. "If we do what we need to do, we don't have to worry about what anyone else does.
"Our destiny is still in our own control."