On the road - again

Wolverines head to Minnesota tomorrow

There is an old adage that states that good pitching beats good hitting. While this may often hold true, the Michigan and Minnesota softball teams don't seem to find a problem delivering key hits.

The second-ranked Wolverines (8-0 Big Ten, 31-3 overall) head to Minneapolis to face the 16th-ranked Golden Gophers (7-1, 33-8) in a crucial series tomorrow that will decide the Big Ten leader.

"Every time we walk on the field in the Big Ten this time of year, it is important," Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. "Minnesota is always competitive and they put out a great effort."

But something has to give as both teams enter with 13-game winning streaks.

FILE PHOTO Melissa Gentile and Traci Conrad have been difficult outs for opposing pitchers, as both players are hitting .444 this season. The Wolverines have been difficult to beat this season, only losing three out of 34 games.

The Golden Gophers are similar to the Wolverines in other ways as well. Both teams have talented pitching, good defense and, most important, dangerous hitting. In fact, the Gophers and Wolverines have eerily similar team batting averages, as Michigan's .344 average - good for eighth in the nation - is only one point ahead of Minnesota's ninth-place average of .343.

Leading the Minnesota hit parade is shortstop Shannon Beeler, who is batting a blistering .447 on the season with 48 RBI.

Outfielders Steph Midthun and Amber Heglund also are deadly at the plate, as both are ranked among the top 30 nationally in batting.

"Containing Minnesota is no small task," Hutchins said. "They are a great hitting team, just like we are. Outhitting them is key for us to be successful in this series."

That scenario isn't farfetched for the Wolverines, as they boast two hitters also ranked in the top 30 - catcher Melissa Gentile and first baseman Traci Conrad.

Gentile has been the power in the Michigan lineup this season, smacking five home runs thus far - just one away from the single-season record. Gentile is also on pace to break the single-season batting average mark, hitting at a .444 clip. She also leads the team with 33 RBI.

Conrad has also been on fire this season, matching Gentile's .444 batting average. The two-time Big Ten Player of the Week, Conrad has been a prototypical leadoff batter, leading the team in runs and stolen bases.

"Our hitting has really carried us this season," Hutchins said. "Not only are we getting a lot of hits, we are getting hits at crucial times as well."

With both teams boasting elite offensive attacks, pitching is going to be a key to the weekend.

With that in mind, the Wolverines could have an ace in the hole - a rested Sara Griffin.

Griffin has been the glue that holds the Wolverines together this season, as she boasts a perfect 18-0 record with a 1.03 earned-run average. With 18 of Michigan's 31 wins, Griffin had received the lion's share of the work thus far this year.

That said, Tuesday's sweep of Central Michigan was very important. Jaime Gillies and Marie Barda pitched complete-game victories against the Chippewas, allowing Griffin to relax.

Griffin "hadn't been as sharp lately as she has normally been," Hutchins said. "She struggled a bit against Ohio State last weekend, so this rest was important for her."

The Central Michigan doubleheader was even more important to Barda, as the freshman overcame some subpar performances earlier in the season to throw a one-hit shutout.

"Barda had the best pitching performance of the year for us," Hutchins said. "She came a quarter of an inch from a no-hitter and she helped get (Griffin) some rest, something which we had wanted to do."

That rest - Griffin has not pitched since Sunday - will be a huge factor, considering that she had thrown in the five games previous to Tuesday. While Griffin is a competitor, she realizes the importance of a few days of rest.

"After sitting out most of last year, I enjoy pitching all of the time," Griffin said. "I needed the rest though."

The Wolverines are hoping that their performance will be just as good as the timing for Griffin's rest. Michigan is set to play its most important series of the year thus far, a fact not lost on the Wolverines.

"They are definitely a good team and there is no way we are going to overlook them," Griffin said. "We could win two games this weekend, but a sweep would make my year."

04-10-98