Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page 35

Lansing State Journal BASEBALL Chen music silences Tigers Royals starter allows only three hits over six innings, spoils Coke's solid effort. Pa9e4P ID SUNDAY APRIL 10, 2011 EDITOR: MARK MEYER SPORTSLSJ.COM 377-1073 WWW.LSJ.COM ORTS SIDELINES IDtaMDii tops MM ffiwimrae Bulldogs claim first national hockey title in dramatic fashion day night, the first national title for the Bulldogs. Travis Oleksuk pulled Wolverines goalie Shawn Hunwick to the side and, from behind the net, fed Schmidt for a blink-of-the-eye tap-in to hand Michigan coach Red Be-renson his first loss in a championship game. Oleksuk and Max Tardy had second-period goals for Minnesota Duluth (26-10-6), which hadn't played for the championship since Dave Campbell Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn.

Kyle Schmidt scored 3:22 into overtime to give Minnesota Duluth a 3-2 victory over Michigan in the NCAA championship game Satur ANN HEISENFELTAssociated Press KM See FROZEN Page 10D Moving in: U-M's Derek DeBlois (18) heads toward the Duluth goal on Saturday. JASON REOMONDAP 7 understand the shock and maybe even that some people are Tom Anastos, who last coached a college hockey game in 1992 18 to go, Rory Mac has held at back Birdie at 17 gives him 4-shot lead, room to breathe Pail Newkrrv A legendary night in L.A.: Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo received the Legends of Coaching award Friday at the Wooden Award ceremony at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The award recognizes the lifetime achievement of coaches who exemplify former UCLA great John Wooden's high standards of coaching success and personal achievement. Izzo was presented the award by Wooden's daughter, Nan Wooden Muehlhausen. SWIMMING Phelps wins backstroke after fourth in butterfly ANN ARBOR Michael Phelps won his third event at the Michigan Grand -Prix Saturday night, beating Ryan Lochte in the 100 backstroke in a pool record 54.15 seconds Saturday night.

Saturday's victory came after Phelps struggled in the 200 butterfly, finishing fourth in 1:57.79. "It kind of stinks to have a run like I've had in that race end tnrfav hiit it's Sottpr Associated Press AUGUSTA, Ga. The kid stayed cool on a sweltering day at Augusta National, and now Rory Mcllroy has a comfortable lead heading into the final round of the Masters. The 21-year-old from Northern Ireland shot a 2-under 70 Saturday, punctuated by a 33-foot putt at the 17th hole that suddenly gave him plenty of breath -3 rMl I GREG DERUITERLanslng State Journal A word with the president: Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon (left) was part of the welcoming committee for new Spartan hockey coach Tom Anastos at his Munn Arena introduction on March 23. ing room.

He was at 12-under 204 through three rounds, having held at least a share of the lead in all three rounds. He'll have his biggest COMM Mcllroy TO COACH Tom Anastos takes unconventional path to MSU hockey post interviewed, hired, introduced to the media and started the job. When did it hit you that you had a new job, coaching your alma mater? Anastos: Driving back up here (from Farmington Hills) after that crazy Wednesday. I think it hit me then, but there's been so much to do that I really haven't had a chance to digest it. I came into the office and dug in.

I had about 1,000 emails and 400 text messages. 9k What's been the response from Spartan alumni? I Anastos: I've heard from a lot of former players from different generations and they've been very supportive. They want to know Neil Koepke nkoepkelsj.com EAST LANSING When Tom Anastos was recruited to Michigan State as a freshman forward in 1981, he was part of a rebuilding process that saw the program develop into one of the best in the nation. Thirty years later, he's accepted the challenge of doing the same thing, this time as the Spartans coach. It's a task that won't be easy and one which will take patience and a few years to achieve.

But's it's an undertaking that Anastos is fired up about Anastos, who turns 48 in July, has been on the job for about 2Vi weeks and he's hardly had time to sit back and savor what has just happened: One minute he was the commissioner of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and the next he was the sixth coach in MSU history and only the fourth in 60 years. Before heading off to the NCAA Frozen Four, Anastos who grew up in Dearborn and lives in Farmington Hills sat down for a question-and-answer session with the Lansing State Journal I In less than a week, you were contacted, to happen here than Phelps farther down the road," Phelps said. "If this isn't a wake-up call, I'm not sure what is." Wu Peng, who trains Club Wolverine, won in 1:56.62. The victory came in Wu's first head-to-head swim against Phelps and probably earned him a spot on the Chinese world championship team. Phelps, who studied briefly at the University of Michigan, won the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly Friday night.

Phelps has been building toward a full training cycle as he prepares for what is likely his final Olympic appearance in the 2012 London Games. He won five gold medals at last month's Indianapolis Grand Prix. BASEBALL Lugnuts lose opening series to wet grounds It was a clean sweep on opening weekend at Cooley Law School Stadium. Unfortunately, neither the Lansing Lugnuts nor the West Michigan Whitecaps benefited in the win-loss column. For the third consecutive day, unplayable Field conditions won the day and wiped out a planned doubleheader on Saturday between the Lugnuts and Whitecaps.

"It's a bummer to the fans first and foremost. They've been wanting baseball for the last five or six months," Lansing general manager Pat Day said. "Our staff has worked really hard this offseason to get ready for the season and it's a tough way to start. But we have a lot of great games ahead of us." A late thaw has led to poor playing conditions in the infield. Firm dirt has been turned soft because of moisture coming up from the melting ground underneath.

"It was much improved but still not safe for the players to play," Day said. Day expects the field to be ready by Friday for the next scheduled Lugnuts home game against Dayton. The Lugnuts will play at West Michigan at 1 p.m. today. NHL Wings close out regular season today at Chicago DETROIT Red Wings coach Mike Babcock knows what to expect from the Blackhawks in today's regular-season finale at Chicago.

"They're playing Game 7," Babcock said after Saturday's practice at Joe Louis Arena. The Blackhawks are fighting for their playoff lives and doing a good job of it The Wings looked limp Friday, when they lost, 4-2, to Chicago and dropped their fourth straight to the defending Stanley Cup champs. Everyone in the Wings' locker room Saturday spoke of avoiding a lackluster finish heading into the playoffs. They're going to be desperate," Babcock said of the Blackhawks. "We can tell ourselves it doesn't matter.

To me every time you put on your skates, it matters. I don't care who you are, if you don't win after a while your confidence isn't there. So it's a big game for us." FROM WIRE REPORTS what they can do. I've heard from Bob Essensa, Craig Simpson, Jim Cummins, just so many players and even a team manager. I had lunch with Kevin Miller and Lyle Miller the first day, then met with Kelly Miller for dinner.

If I had thought of it, I should have called Kip (Miller) for breakfast I got long message from Mike Weaver, who I don't know, but I called him back and we had a great conversation. What's really amazing is the passion that for- see Anastos I Page 10D advantage yet going into today, four strokes clear of the field as challengers like Tiger Woods, Jason Day and K.J. Choi failed to put on the pressure. "It's a great position to be in," Mcllroy said. "I stayed really patient out there today.

I'm really happy with way I stuck to my game plan and it paid off." Woods was dropping expletives and screaming at himself. He followed up a brilliant 66 on Friday with a sloppy 74, staggering to the scoring shed after missing a 5-footer to save par at the final hole. While there were some wild shots with his big clubs he had to crouch down at No. 17 after driving under a pine tree but his biggest woes came on the greens he knows so well. The miss at No.

18 was bad enough, but hardly his worst. There was a 2-footer that lipped out at the 11th. And a 3-footer that skidded wide at the 15th, ruining a birdie after he struck a brilliant hook around the towering pine trees. "I just made nothing," Woods moaned. "I hit so many putts early that looked like they were going to go in and they didn't go in." Mired in the longest winless streak of his career, he went see Masters Page 2D Masters glance After Saturday's third round: Leader: Rory Mcllroy maintained his lead with a 70 and was at 12-under 204 heading to the final round.

I In pursuit: Angel Cabrera, Chart Schwarzel, K.J. Choi and Jason Day were four shots behind at 208. Adam Scott and Luke Donald were another shot back. I Tiger watch: Four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods tumbled down the leaderboard with a 74, missing a 2-foot putt and several other short ones. He trails Mcllroy by seven shots, needing a huge comeback to end the longest winless streak of his career.

Defending champ: Phil Mickelson muddled through another round in the 70s, failing to build off two early birdies. He's nine shots behind Mcllroy. Bucciferro, MSU blank Minnesota re" Spartans improve Big Ten mark to 4-1 with 5-hit shutout Tlm Weatherhead "I'm nervous before every game. It wouldn't be fun if I wasn't nervous. The Spartan right-hander certainly had fun in a complete game, five-hit shutout per- Bucciferro towering home run by senior Jeff Holm over the tall fence in right field.

"The first pitch, I tried to lay one down for a bunt to get something going but you never want to bunt twice because they know it's coming so I figured, swing away," Holm said. The Spartans added an insurance run in the fifth when sophomore Ryan Jones' RBI double scored Brandon Eckerle, who went 3 for 3 to increase his league-leading batting average to .451. "He's been like that all year," Boss said of Eckerle. "He gets on base. He's able to steal bases.

He's a threat to run anytime, regardless of who's pitching and who's catching for the other team. See MSU Page 11D tweatherhlsj.com EAST LANSING MSU starting pitcher Tony Bucciferro had to battle more than just the Minnesota lineup on Saturday afternoon at McLane Stadium. The junior had to fight through an upset stomach that left him nauseous and vomiting between innings. "That's just nerves," Bucciferro said. "Ifs Minnesota, defending Big Ten champs.

You're expected to come out and go seven-plus formance on only 89 pitches as MSU defeated the Golden Gophers 2-0. The win improves the Spartans to 19-7 overall and a Big Ten best 4-1 in conference. "Tony really gutted it out and he was impressive," Spartan coach Jake Boss said. "I didn't even know he was sick until I saw him go to the bathroom in the middle of the game." MSU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on a.