Beard finds herself back into swing of things with 1st RBI

She found herself in the unlikeliest of positions. Second base. And she stood there shaking after getting her first RBI ever.

And as she stood there, she could only think, "Oh my God."

Lisa Beard didn't expect her first RBI to come so long after she first signed on with Michigan. But then, her softball career hasn't gone exactly as planned.

Her freshman year was full of promise, but one day, during drills last season, things changed. Going for a routine grounder in practice, she felt it. Pop.

And there went her freshman season. She saw limited action on the field, Most times, if she washed off any sweat in the shower it was from standing and cheering her healthy teammates in the heat.

PAUL TALANIAN/Daily Lisa Beard found herself with something unusual this weekend - a hitting streak. Two years of back injuries had limited her action before this weekend.

This season looked to be different.

And it was, until the first day of outdoor practice. Grounder drills again, and Beard stabbed at one.

Pop. Another herniated disk.

And this season began to look just like her last one did.

Just as in her freshman season, Beard saw limited action, in runaway victories.

The kind of game like this past Thursday's against Western Michigan.

After the Wolverines extended their lead, Michigan coach Carol Hutchins dug deep into her bench. And out came Beard, in her first appearance since February.

As she stood at the plate, she could barely wait, thinking that she was "gonna hit the hell out of" whatever the pitcher gave her.

And she did. To right field.

And the next time up, in that same game against Western Michigan, she hit another RBI single.

And just like that, she's seeing more playing time. Two at-bats aginst Western Michigan. And another against Northwestern.

But its not as if two years of sweatless ballgames can disappear in one good weekend.

Her next time at bat, hitting for Melissa Gentile against Northwestern, she went down swinging on three straight pitches.

But she's not going to get upset about it.

"It's not like I'm the clincher," Beard said.

But for someone who lives the sport, it must feel like a whole new ballgame.

Or at least a new season.

04-20-98