U-M Sweeps Wildcats to Set Up Showdown with Iowa

Friday, April 27

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

31-12-1, 14-1

Northwestern

18-20, 6-9

Northwestern

Michigan

4/27/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Result: #21 Michigan 6, Northwestern 0; #21 Michigan 5, Northwestern 1
Records: U-M (32-12-1, 15-1 Big Ten), Northwestern (18-21, 6-10 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game: Saturday, April 28 -- vs. #15 Iowa (Alumni Field), 2 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The 21st-ranked University of Michigan softball team inched closer to claiming its third Big Ten regular-season championship in four years by sweeping a doubleheader over Northwestern, 6-0 and 5-1, this afternoon (Friday, April 27) at Alumni Field.

Sophomore pitcher Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) won her 11th straight in game one, throwing a one-hit, complete-game shutout in which she matched a career high with 11 strikeouts. Young also paced the Wolverines offensively in game one, going 2-3 with a pair of RBI. No. 9 hitter Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) and leadoff hitter Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) each went 2-3 with two runs scored in the nightcap.

Michigan (32-12-1, 15-1 Big Ten) opened up the game-one scoring in the bottom of the second on a one-out home run by sophomore first baseman Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS). Then with two outs, Young singled and scored on Kim Bugel's (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) single to leftfield that went through the leftfielder's legs and rolled to the fence. Bugel, however, was gunned down at third on the relay to end the inning.

Meanwhile, Young, who allowed two runners to reach in the first inning, settled down with the two-run lead. Young struck out eight through the first four innings and proceeded to set down the last 19 batters she faced, retiring the side in order in the second through seventh innings.

Northwestern pitcher Brie Brown kept the game close by holding the Wolverines in check in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Michigan, however, opened up the lead with four runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks in part to a pair of Northwestern errors. Junior third sacker Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Salem HS) delivered a one-out single and scored following a passed ball and single by freshman designated hitter Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS). An error by Northwestern's shortstop and walk ensued, loading the bases with one out and Young at the plate. The Wolverine hurler gave herself even more breathing room with a two-run single to centerfield for a 5-0 Michigan advantage. Following Northwestern's second error of the inning, Kollen made the Wildcats pay with an RBI single to left, upping Michigan's lead to 6-0 and closing the scoring.

Michigan again scored first in game two after Kollen led off the first inning with a double over the leftfielder's head. A sacrifice by Melissa Taylor (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield HS) and walk to Volpe left runners on the corners with one down and set up a double steal situation. With Volpe on her way to second, Northwestern brought its shortstop in shallow to cut off the throw to second and hold Kollen at third, but the throw from the Northwestern catcher was errant and allowed Kollen to score.

Northwestern collected just two hits through the first four innings, but did threaten to tie or take the lead in the second. A Michigan error and bunt single helped Northwestern put runners on second and third with two outs. However, Wildcat designated hitter Erin Jancic was caught at the plate by pitcher Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale HS) as she attempted to score on a passed ball.

Michigan finally broke open the pitcher's duel with three runs in the top of the fifth, two of them coming on a bases-loaded single off the bat of Schock. Doe, Taylor and Kollen delivered consecutive one-out singles to load the bases, but Volpe was caught looking at a third strike for the second out of the inning. Taylor advanced to third on Schock's two-out single and then stole home when Mary Conner (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS), who was pinch running for Schock, faked a steal attempt of second and drew a throw from the catcher.

Northwestern pushed an unearned run across in the bottom of the sixth, but Michigan came right back with a run of its own in the top of the seventh on a two-out single by Volpe for the 5-1 final.

Michigan now welcomes to town second-place and 15th-ranked Iowa (37-10, 13-3 Big Ten) for a pair of single games at Alumni Field on Saturday (April 28, 2 p.m.) and Sunday (April 29, 1 p.m.). The Wolverines currently hold a two-game lead over the Hawkeyes, with each team having four conference games remaining in the regular season.

Diamond Gems

Melinda Moulden's second-inning home run in the opener is her team-leading sixth of the season.

Marissa Young's two-RBI game in the game one was her second of the season with multiple RBI.

Michigan is now 11-0-1 this season at Alumni Field.

Stefanie Volpe had one hit in each game, which extended her current team-best hitting streak to seven games.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423