'M' baseball looks to soar past Eagles

As Michigan coach Geoff Zahn headed for the Michigan clubhouse after Sunday's disappointing 13-10 loss to Big Ten front-runner Ohio State, he watched as his team pulled a battered tarp over the field at Ray Fisher Stadium.

The rain-soaked squad, looking as beaten as the field they sought to save from the drizzle, seemed to be laying a weekend of frustration to rest with the gesture.

And as Zahn and company take to "The Fish" this afternoon to host Eastern Michigan, they'll be hoping to turn a pivotal corner in resurrecting a season of promise after this weekend's setbacks.

The Wolverines (6-6 Big Ten, 18-16) look to rebound after seeing their Big Ten stock drop on the heels of three losses to the Buckeyes. Despite coming up short in an attempt to dismantle Ohio State, Zahn said his team is anxious to use this week's non-conference matchups with Eastern Michigan and Oakland to get back on pace before battling Minnesota this weekend.

FILE PHOTO Senior co-captain Mike Cervenak and the Michigan baseball team square off today in a rematch with cross-county rivals, Eastern Michigan. The Wolverines won the first contest at Ray Fisher Stadium, 12-3.

"Our approach is the same in the midweek games," Zahn said. "We want to win them. We've got two midweek games, and it'll give us a chance to see some other pitchers and then hopefully get ready to face Minnesota this weekend."

Eastern Michigan enters today's game after dropping three of four Mid-American Conference contests to open its conference season before a 12-3 loss to Michigan last week. Despite the state of the stumbling Eagles, the Wolverines know they can't afford to take their Washtenaw County neighbors lightly.

"Eastern is going to come out fighting," senior Bobby Scales said. "We don't expect them to lay down for anybody, that's just how they are."

And in an unpredictable spring in which every game counts for the Wolverines, Scales says his squad is confident they know what they have to do.

"We have to take care of our business this week," Scales said. "We know we have to play them hard because that's baseball. You can get blown out one day and then blow somebody else out the very next day, so you have to go hard everyday."

Luke Bonner, who fell to 3-4 on the season on Sunday, and freshman Bobby Korecky, nursing a 6.84 ERA, will be among those thankful to earn a bit of rest this week after four grueling games in two days this weekend.

Despite seeing his pitching staff shelled by the Buckeyes who tallied 13 runs on 16 hits in Sunday's series finale, Zahn says there's no need to question the strength of the Michigan hurlers.

"Luke Bonner started to get behind in the count for us, and as soon as he did, they started to hit him pretty well," Zahn said. "And with Bobby Korecky, it was just one of those things that happen as a freshman. The adrenaline was flowing, but he'll be alright. Korecky's going to be a key for us."

Keying things for the Wolverines from the plate, Mike Cervenak, Jason Alcaraz and Scales, among others, will be looked upon to shoulder Michigan's offensive burden.

Scales will also be looking to extend his 18-game hitting streak. His .364 batting average leads the team.

04-13-99