After playing 19 of its first 20 games on the road, the Michigan baseball team is set to begin a six-game homestand this week.
The Wolverines will host Ball State at 2 p.m. today and Western Michigan at 3 p.m. tomorrow before starting a four-game weekend series with Penn State on Friday.
Michigan enjoys an 11-0 all-time series advantage against Ball State.
Ball State's loss on the last day of the 1996 season dropped the Cardinals from third to fifth in the Mid-American Conference, keeping them out of the league playoffs. Ball State did manage 32 wins last season, however, third most in school history.
But with all eight position players who started last season for the Cardinals returning for the 1997 campaign - including four seniors - Ball State is in good position to finish near the top of the MAC this season.
Ball State's top offensive threat is senior first baseman Ed Farris, the 1996 MAC player of the year.
Farris had 15 home runs last season and has already cranked out seven this season. He set a school record with three in one game against Fairleigh-Dickinson on March 8.
"It's hard to top a season when you were selected as your league's most valuable player," Ball State coach Rich Maloney said.
"But I honestly think Eddie is better now than he was last year. He's swinging the bat as good as I've ever seen."
Maloney took over the reins of the Ball State program last season - inheriting a team that went 15-41 in 1995 - and guided the Cardinals to a 32-20 mark last season, the largest turnaround in school history.
"Last season was a good year," Maloney said. "This program needed to experience winning, and we did that. We just came up a bit short at the end of the season, but that could turn into a positive."
This year Maloney has put an emphasis on running. Ball State has stolen 50 bases in 56 attempts, after stealing only 36 bases in all of '96. Six Cardinals have four or more steals, but the chief thief is centerfielder Justin Love.
Love hasn't been caught in 17 attempts, and his speed is also invaluable on defense.
"Justin could establish himself as one of the premier players in our league this season," Maloney said. "He can really go get the ball.
"He saved us a boat load of runs last season."
Michigan (2-2 Big Ten, 11-9 overall) only has one player with four steals (Bobby Scales), but that hasn't stopped the Wolverines from scoring runs.
Michigan had scored at least six runs in 17 straight games before being held to three this past Sunday in a 3-2 victory over Purdue.
Four Wolverines currently sport averages above .400: Derek Besco (.434), Jason Alcaraz (.433), Brian Bush (.415) and Scales (.403).
With the offensive output fairly consistent, Michigan's success of late has been determined by pitching, which has been erratic at times. The Wolverines have a team ERA of 7.24.
Sophomore Brian Berryman (1-1) is the probable starter against Ball State.
Berryman's fellow sophomore, J.J. Putz, was named Big Ten pitcher of the week for his performance in a 7-2 win over Purdue on Saturday.
Putz pitched a complete game, allowing only five hits and striking out a career high 12. It was the most opponents fanned by a Wolverine in a conference game since Ross Powell struck out 12 against Ohio State in 1988.
In two career starts against the Boilermakers, Putz is 2-0, with two complete games, one shutout, 23 strikeouts and a 0.64 ERA.
Michigan's series with Penn State over the weekend will follow the new Big Ten format.
Instead of playing doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday, there will be nine-inning single games on Friday and Sunday, sandwiched around a doubleheader (two seven-inning games) Saturday.
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
Mike Cervenak and the baseball team will slide into Fisher Stadium this week for a lengthy homestand.