Baseball edges Western, 7-5

Sometimes it seemed like the first win would never come.

Michigan pitcher Brian Steinbach, who became the team's ace after going 9-4 last year, finally won his first game of the season yesterday, 7-5, over Western Michigan.

Opponents on teams much tougher than the Broncos hit Steinbach (1-4) extremely hard in his first four outings.

But once he threw the opening pitch yesterday, Steinbach had no trouble. Steinbach gave up only five hits in his six innings, never allowing more than one hit per inning.

He gave up only one earned run, a solo homer to Western Michigan cleanup hitter Derek Ottevaere.

FILE PHOTO Matty Herr didn't pitch yesterday, because he was in Boston getting ready for the final four. But the Wolverines managed, as they bucked Western Michigan 7-5.

"That's the old Steiney we know," Michigan catcher Mick Kalahar said. "He's keeping the fastball low and getting them out with his changeup."

The Wolverines (1-3 Big Ten, 8-12-1 overall) wasted no time giving their pitcher run support, scoring one in the first inning, four in the third and two in the fourth to build a 7-2 lead. Michigan had 13 hits yesterday, but it wasn't the beef of the order that did the damage. Derek and Bryan Besco - the fourth and fifth hitters - went a combined 0-for-10.

Instead, Michigan's tablesetters produced the runs. The first three hitters - Scott Tousa, Jason Alcaraz and Mike Cervenak - reached base 10 times against Western Michigan. Tousa and Alcaraz scored two runs apiece.

"Tousa's been doing the job all year," Michigan coach Geoff Zahn said. "Alcaraz is gonna hit, Cervenak is gonna hit. But the Bescos are struggling right now. The other guys are going to have pick them up until (the Bescos) start swinging the bats."

After Steinbach left the game, the Broncos put on their rally caps, stringing six hits together in the eighth and ninth innings. Western Michigan scored three times in the eighth and later sent the go-ahead run to the plate with two men on base in the ninth.

"I was a little nervous, the way the season had gone," Steinbach said. "But I was confident (we) would get the job done."

04-01-98