Michigan Sweeps Gophers, Runs Win Streak to 13 games

Friday, April 13

Minneapolis, Minn.

2:00 PM CT

Michigan

24-11-1, 7-0

Minnesota

23-16-1, 2-7

Michigan

Minnesota

4/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Jane Sage Cowles Stadium)
Results: Michigan 1, Minnesota 0; Michigan 2, Minnesota 1
Records: Michigan (25-11-1, 8-0 Big Ten), Minnesota (23-17-1, 2-8 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game: Saturday, April 14 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.), 2 p.m. CDT

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The University of Michigan softball team ran its win streak to 13 games and remained alone atop the Big Ten Conference standings with a 1-0, 2-1 doubleheader sweep over Minnesota this afternoon (Friday, April 13) at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. The Wolverines (25-11-1, 8-0 Big Ten) won a pair of pitchers duels as Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) threw a three-hit shutout in game one and Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale HS) allowed just one unearned run in her game-two victory.

Sophomore centerfielder Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) led the Wolverine attack in game one, going 2-3 and scoring the only run, while Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) went 2-3 in game two and scored both Wolverine runs.

Michigan's only run in game one came in the top of third, with the Wolverines executing the double steal. Doe delivered a one-out single and moved up to second on a groundout by Kollen. Following an infield single by Melissa Taylor (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield HS), the Wolverines placed runners on the corners with two down. Taylor then took off on a steal attempt of second base, drawing an errant throw by the Minnesota catcher, which allowed Doe to score the only run of the game.

Minnesota's best threats against Young came in the second and third innings as the Golden Gophers got leadoff singles in each inning. However, Young set the next three batters down in succession in both innings and never allowed a runner to advance past first. Young got stronger as the game went on, allowing just one more hit the rest of the way, a two-out single in the fourth. Minnesota rightfielder Veronica Roberts reached on an error with two outs in the seventh, but was stranded right there as Young induced a groundout to the shortstop to end the game. Young finished with five strikeouts and did not walk a batter to run her record to 13-6.

Minnesota jumped out in front early in game two, pushing an unearned run across in the top of the first. A walk, steal, error and single plated Golden Gopher third baseman Allie Fisk and left runners on first and second with just one out. Barda, however, settled down and struck out the next two hitters swinging to get out of the first inning trailing by just one run.

The Minnesota lead was short-lived as the Wolverines struck for a run in the their half of the first. Kollen, who had a Michigan season-best 12-game hitting streak snapped in the opener, drilled a leadoff single up the middle to open the inning. A sacrifice by Taylor turned into a Minnesota error and after a Gopher passed ball, the Wolverines had runners on second and third with nobody out. It looked as though Minnesota might escape the first unscathed after Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Salem HS) flew out to shallow leftfield and Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) struck out. Sophomore Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS), however, delivered the big two-out single to left, which scored Kollen, but Taylor was gunned down at the plate trying to score from second.

Barda, who took a no-hitter into the seventh in her last outing, shook off the first-inning problems and retired Minnesota in order in the second and third, striking out the side in the third. Michigan pushed its winning run across in the bottom of the third and once again it was Kollen getting it going, this time with a leadoff double to rightfield. Taylor sacrificed Kollen over to third and Volpe drove home the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to leftfield.

Barda set down the side in order in the fourth, but ran into trouble in the fifth after a pair of singles and a sacrifice put Gophers on second and third with two outs. Anne Thul pinch hit for Fisk, but Barda got her to ground back to the mound to end the inning. From there Barda cruised, allowing just one more runner, a hit batsman with two outs in the seventh, on her way to recording her ninth straight win of the season. Barda is now 11-4 on the campaign.

The Wolverines head to Madison, Wis., for single games against Wisconsin on Saturday (April 14, 2 p.m. CDT) and Sunday (April 15, 1 p.m. CDT).

Diamond Gems

Melissa Taylor matched Kelsey Kollen's Michigan season-best hit streak of 12 games by going 1-3 in game one, but the streak ended with an 0-1 performance in game two. Taylor, however, did provide two sacrifices in game two.

Michigan, which lost five of its first six one-run games this season, has won its last five one-run games to run its season mark in one-run games to 6-5.

Melinda Moulden, who drove in a run in game two with a two-out single, is hitting a Michigan team-best .381 (16-42) this season with runners in scoring position.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423