Baseball warming to home games

Apparently, mother nature is not a Michigan baseball fan. If she was, she'd realize how important it is for pitchers to work plenty of innings early in the spring.

But mother nature has either rained or snowed out the Wolverines' last seven games, including what should have been the season home-opener last weekend against Iowa. Tomorrow's scheduled matchup with Ball State is also in question because Fisher Stadium is currently covered with snow.

"We need to play," Michigan coach Geoff Zahn said. "There's no question about that. We haven't played in a week, and that hurts because we're used to playing more often."

After a rough season-opening tour of top-notch competition in Texas and Oklahoma, the Wolverines (5-9-1) would like to get back on track against the Cardinals before opening the Big Ten season at Illinois this weekend and at Ohio State the following one.

Zahn is saving his best starting pitchers for the upcoming conference matchups, in which Michigan will face two of the Big Ten's best teams. The Illini and the Buckeyes each made it to last year's conference tournament, which Ohio State eventually won.

"We'll have to pitch the staff against Ball State because our big guys have to be ready for the weekend," Zahn said.

The third-year coach hinted that right handers Mike Hribernik, Ryan Kelley and Tyler Steketee and southpaw Nick Alexander might see action tomorrow. Steketee is Michigan's closer.

Although Zahn is saving his best for the weekend, Ball State is a good swinging baseball team. The Cardinals (9-4) are hitting a lofty .305 this season and have outscored opponents 72-51 thus far. Ball State's pitchers have posted a near-respectable 4.34 earned run average and opposing hitters are batting only .232 against them.

Outfielder Justin Love is the Cardinals' most dangerous hitter. Love is hitting .381 with three homeruns. But the senior wreaks havoc on the basepaths as well. Love led the Mid-American Conference with 44 stolen bases last season.

"They're going to be very competitive," Zahn said. "Ball State is one of the best teams in the MAC."

If bad weather shuts out tomorrow's game, it will be a case of déjá vu all over again. Michigan was supposed to host the Cardinals on the same day last year, but rain put a hold on the Wolverines' winning-streak. Michigan has won all 11 times the teams have actually taken the field.

The Wolverines last faced Ball State in 1990, three high-scoring affairs. But this will be the first time they square off in Ann Arbor.

Michigan has not thrown the ball particularly well this season. Pitchers have allowed five or more runs in every game.

But that is not unusual.

The season is still green, and with all the game cancellations, it has been difficult for the corps to throw many pitches.

One thing that isn't missing, though, is good hitting. The Wolverines have scored eight runs or more in each of their past four games and plenty are contributing.

Jason Alcaraz came down with an ear infection and didn't make the trip to Oklahoma, temporarily putting his 12-game hitting streak and .370 batting average on the shelf. But backup Bob Robeda stepped in and went 5-for-10 with four RBI in the two-game series. The sophomore is currently hitting .455 this season.

But Michigan's most pleasant surprise thus far has been second baseman Scott Tousa. The freshman leads the team with a .417 average and has six multiple-hit games.

"Tousa has played very well for us," Zahn said. "He's hitting and doing a great job in the field. Whenever you have a freshman lead the team in hitting, it's going to be a surprise."

Tomorrow's Game

Where: Fisher Field

When: 3 p.m.

Notables: Weather permitting, this will be the first home game of the Wolverines' 1998 season. Games scheduled for this past weekend against Iowa were rained out. They have been rescheduled for later in the season.

03-24-98