'M' baseball attempts to break even

With the 1999 baseball season off and running, Michigan finds itself below .500, with a mark of 5-6. This is surprising for a talented team that is returning many of its starters of a year ago.

Nonetheless, the team is very aware of the fact that it is a lengthy season and anything can happen.

"I'd rather end the season with a 15 game win-streak than start the season with one," Michigan coach Geoff Zahn said.

Fresh from a Florida road-trip where they took two of three games in the Homestead Challenge - a tournament with teams from most major conferences - the Wolverines are beginning to find their way. After an eight game march through California earned them a losing record, the results of their Florida trip were quite welcomed.

"We played some tough teams," junior outfielder Rob Bobeda said.

Bobeda was referring to No. 7 Pepperdine and last year's NCAA champion Southern California. Some might think it is a bit unfair to throw a team, especially one with young pitching, to the wolves to begin a season. But Zahn knows the importance of having some quality competition.

"We tell the kids when we recruit them that we will be playing against the best teams in the country," Zahn said. "It's all part of the experience."

Another part of the experience is learning when to make adjustments. This helps when trying to decide if it is the right time to tinker with a team that has been having its share of problems. Although Michigan isn't off to an ideal start, there have been many positive achievements in the past few weeks that have kept the team inspired, hoping that the problems will play themselves out.

Senior co-captain Bobby Scales has continued to hit safely through this young campaign. The veteran second baseman, who is normally a rock in the field, has been so as well at the plate, pushing his consecutive-game hit streak to 15.

Many of those hits have come in clutch situations. In Saturday's victory over Connecticut, he stroked a two-out double that scored fellow senior Brian Bush to add a valuable insurance run.

Besides the work of Michigan's proven veterans, Zahn knows that he has to be able to count on his young hurlers to get the job done as well. This was seen during the trip to California when some of the Wolverines' younger players were worked into the lineup.

"We had some freshmen out there for the first time," Zahn said. "We're trying to get our pitching staff going."

He recently received a little reassurance when sophomore starting pitcher Bryce Ralston and freshman closer Bobby Korecky combined for a four-hit ousting of a strong Connecticut team. Korecky even showed further dominance by striking out four of the six batters he faced in the contest.

Just as impressive as the mastery of Ralston and Korecky was the complete-game performance of senior Luke Bonner - 2-1 on the season. The right-hander's five hit gem in Friday's victory over C.W. Post broke a four-game Michigan losing streak, going back to their three game sweep at the hands of Pepperdine. This time it was a different story, as Bonner fanned a career-best 11 batters to help put Michigan back on the winning track.

At this point, the Wolverines are concerned with is preparing for their upcoming trip to College Station, and the Texas A&M Tournament. In addition, sights are set on the teams home opener, scheduled for March 30 against Central Michigan. Keeping all this in mind, Zahn has to decide if this is the time to tinker with the machine or not.

And after observing this weeks practices, there doesn't appear to be much going on in the form of panic.

"Everything is just business as usual," Bobeda said.

03-17-99