U-M Takes Two at Northwestern, Goes to 12-0 in Big Ten

Saturday, April 17

Evanston, Ill.

1:00 PM CT

Michigan

39-6-1, 11-0

Northwestern

24-20, 5-2

Michigan

Northwestern

U-M Takes Two at Northwestern, Goes to 12-0 in Big Ten

4/17/1999 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Amy Carlton

Site: Evanston, Ill. (Anderson Field)
Result: #6 Michigan 10, Northwestern 3; #6 Michigan 2, Northwestern 0
Records: Michigan (40-6-1, 12-0 Big Ten); NU (24-21, 5-3 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game: Sunday, April 18 -- at Northwestern (Evanston, Ill.), 1 p.m. CDT

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The University of Michigan kept its stranglehold on the top spot in the Big Ten Conference softball standings with a doubleheader sweep of Northwestern University on Saturday (April 17). The No. 6-ranked Wolverines won the opener 10-3 and pitched a 2-0 shutout in the second game.

Atop the Big Ten standings with a 12-0 record, Michigan (40-6-1) handed second-place Northwestern (24-21, 5-3 Big Ten) its second and third losses in the last four games. The two teams finish their three-game weekend set with a single game on Sunday (April 18, 1 p.m. CDT).

Third baseman Pam Kosanke (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central HS) started Michigan scoring in game one, drilling her first home run of the year -- a two-run line shot to left field -- in the second inning. U-M added two more runs in the third before exploding for four runs in the fifth to take an 8-1 lead.

Traci Conrad (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way HS) led the 10-hit Wolverine offense with three hits. Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Salem HS) tallied two hits, including a triple to open the second inning, and three RBI. Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South HS) allowed six hits and three walks in a winning effort in the pitching circle, improving to 17-1 for the season. Brooke Siebel (18-12) was the loser.

In the nightcap, the Wolverines scored all the runs they needed in the second inning, then twice stopped Northwestern runners at third base to post their 13th shutout of the season. Kosanke, who reached on a centerfield single, scored Michigan's first run on a wild pitch by Kelly Campbell. A sacrifice fly to leftfield by Chrissy Garza (Southgate, Mich./Anderson HS) scored Tammy Mika (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) from third base.

Northwestern allowed the Michigan runners no farther than second base the remainder of the game, stranding four Wolverines over the last four innings. Pitcher Jamie Gillies (Saugus, Calif./Saugus HS) went the distance for her sixth season shutout and 12th win in 14 decisions (12-2). Campbell (2-1) took the loss for Northwestern.

Maize 'n Blue Diamond Gems

• All-American Melissa Gentile (O'Fallon, Mo./Wentzville HS) made her first appearance of the 1999 season, entering as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning of the first game. The junior walked and was replaced by pinch-runner Mary Conner (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS) when she reached first base. Gentile is returning after November back surgery.

• Marie Barda earned her 14th win in her last 14 starts with the 10-3 opening game victory. The sophomore, unbeaten in conference play (7-0), carries a 21-3 career record over 41 appearances. . . . While Barda picked up her first career win vs. the Wildcats, Jamie Gillies evened her career mark against Northwestern (1-1) with her victory.

• Pam Kosanke's second-inning home run in today's first game was her third as a Wolverine. . . . Senior centerfielder Tammy Mika played in her 199th and 200th Michigan games with the Northwestern doubleheader. She also recorded her 25th career double with a leftfield shot in the second inning of the nightcap. . . . Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Mater Dei HS) had her eight-game hit streak stopped in game one when she was hitless in four plate appearances. She came back in the second game with a pair of hits.

• Michigan pushed its regular-season Big Ten win streak to 22 games. A win Sunday vs. Northwestern would not only lengthen the conference win streak, it would also give the Wolverines their ninth straight Big Ten series sweep. Both the game and series sweep streaks go back to last season's Northwestern weekend, April 18-19, 1998. . . . Michigan is 49-20 all-time vs. Northwestern.