Wolverines Drop Twinbill to 10th-ranked Blue Demons

Friday, March 30

Chicago, Ill.

Noon CT

Michigan

12-10-1

DePaul

20-7-1

Michigan

DePaul

3/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Chicago, Ill. (Wish Field)
Results: #10 DePaul 4, Michigan 2; #10 DePaul 5, Michigan 2
Records: U-M (12-11-1), DePaul (21-7-1)
Next U-M Games: Saturday, March 31 -- at Illinois (Urbana, Ill.), 2 p.m. CST

CHICAGO -- The University of Michigan softball team was swept in a doubleheader Friday afternoon (March 30) by 10th-ranked DePaul, 4-2 in game one and 5-2 in game two, at Wish Field. The Wolverines outhit DePaul in both games (7-4 in game one, 7-6 in game two) but yielded eight unearned runs on seven errors in the two games combined. Sophomore first baseman Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) and sophomore outfielder Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) paced the Wolverine offensive effort, each collecting three hits in the doubleheader.

The Wolverines got on the scoreboard first in game one, with a single run in the first inning. Senior Melissa Taylor (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield HS), who returned to the lineup after sitting out the Western Michigan doubleheader on Wednesday (March 28), started the rally with a bunt single. After Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Salem HS) drew a walk, Moulden drove a single into leftfield, scoring Taylor from second. Rebecca Tune (Aloha, Ore./Jesuit HS) then hit into a fielder's choice, leaving runners at the corners with two dead, but Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) grounded out to short to end the rally.

Michigan also scored in the second after senior catcher Kim Bugel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) led off with a single up the middle and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Chrissy Garza (Southgate, Mich./Anderson HS) and an infield single from Doe. With one out and runners on the corners, junior second baseman Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) drove in Bugel on a groundout to third, giving starting pitcher Young a two-run cushion.

Young cruised through the first two innings but ran into trouble in the third after a pair of Wolverine errors opened the door for DePaul. The Blue Demons got a leadoff single and put a runner at third base with one out. Young got a popout to third base, but that was sandwiched by an error at third base and a walk, which loaded the bases with two outs. DePaul cleanup hitter Gina Ramacci made the Wolverines pay with a single through the left side, scoring two runs and putting runners on second and third. Michigan's second error of the inning ensued and resulted in two more Blue Demon runs, give DePaul a 4-2 advantage after three innings.

Young did not let the third inning rattle her, however, as she settled down to set down the next nine DePaul hitters in order. Offensively, the Wolverines were unable to pose much of a threat to DePaul starter Lindsay Chouinard until the top of the seventh. Doe drilled her second hit of the game with one out and was followed with a pinch-hit single by Lisa Mack (Saline, Mich./Saline HS). A throwing error after Mack's single allowed Doe to advance to third and Mack second, putting the tying run in scoring position with just one out. The Wolverine threat ended, however, with a pop out by Taylor and a strikeout by Volpe.

Defensive mistakes continued to hamper the Wolverines in the nightcap as four Michigan errors led to four DePaul runs in a 5-2 loss. Junior hurler Kate Eiland (Fresno, Calif./Clovis West HS) made her first start of the season, giving up four runs on four hits in three innings, but just one of those runs was earned. DePaul scored in each of the first three innings, including twice in the third to jump out to a 4-0 lead. On two occasions runners scored after advancing to third on passed balls.

Offensively, the Wolverines were silent through the first four innings but put together what appeared to be a game-changing rally in the fifth. A hit batsman and a single to centerfield by pinch hitter Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) put two runners aboard with two outs, when Kollen singled through the left side to load the bases. Taylor grounded out to shortstop, however, as DePaul was able to maintain its four-run lead. DePaul added an insurance run in its half of the fifth off reliever Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale HS) and the Maize and Blue went down 1-2-3 in the sixth, leaving a seventh-inning rally as Michigan's only hope.

Young led off the seventh with a double and her pinch runner, Mary Conner (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS), moved up to third on a single off the bat of Doe with two outs. Kollen kept the Wolverine hopes alive with a triple, scoring two, but that would be it for the Wolverines, who have now dropped two straight games for the first time since losing to San Diego State (Feb. 18) and Georgia (Feb. 23) earlier this season.

Michigan opens its Big Ten Conference campaign this weekend with tilts at Illinois on Saturday (March 3, 2 p.m. CST) and Sunday (April 1, 1 p.m. CDT).

Diamond Gems

Melinda Moulden's RBI in the first game was her team-best 15th of the season and marked the fourth time in Michigan's last six games that the sophomore has driven in at least one run.

Melissa Taylor went 1-4 in the first game of the doubleheader, extending her hitting streak to nine games. Taylor was held hitless in the second game, which meant she matched Rebecca Tune's nine-game streak earlier in the season as a Michigan best.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423