Michigan Pulls Out 1-0 Win in NCAA Regional Opener

Thursday, May 17

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

2:30 PM CT

Michigan

40-15-1

Chattanooga

48-17

Chattanooga

Michigan

5/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Michigan softball team used a two-out double to left-center off the bat of freshman Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) in the first inning to score the only run the Wolverines would need in a 1-0 win over No. 5 seed Chattanooga in first-round NCAA Regional action Thursday afternoon (May 17) at the Alabama Softball Complex.

Schock's RBI double, which ended a 14-inning scoreless streak in NCAA Regional openers, plated Big Ten Player of the Year Melissa Taylor (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield HS), who had doubled with one out. Michigan pitchers Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) and Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale HS) scattered four hits over seven innings as the pair of All-Big Ten second-team selections combined for the Wolverines' 17th shutout of the season.

Young struggled with her control early but was able to hold the Mocs at bay for the first three innings thanks in part to some great defensive help. Chattanooga shortstop Leah Tucker drilled a one-out triple to the gap in right-center leading off the third as the Mocs looked to knot the contest. It looked as if Chattanooga would do just that when second baseman Dana Reed followed Tucker's triple with a bloop single to rightfield. However, the ball hung in the air, making it look like Taylor might make the play, which forced Tucker to hold close at third before heading for home after the ball fell just short of Taylor. The Michigan rightfielder came up with the short-hop cleanly and gunned a strike to Kim Bugel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) at the plate, nailing Tucker on a bang-bang play.

Young was not out of danger, however, and issued a walk to the next, which put runners on first and second with two outs and cleanup hitter Jolene Martin stepping to the plate. Martin drove a long fly ball that Wolverine sophomore centerfielder Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) tracked down near the warning track for the final out.

Sensing Young was struggling in the circle, Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins went to the bullpen and called upon senior Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale HS) beginning in the fourth. The move paid off as Barda set down 12 of the 14 batters she faced and did not allow a runner past first until the seventh.

Meanwhile, the Wolverines were still trying to figure out Mocs starter Tayla Trudell and were not able to mount much pressure offensively. Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Salem HS) was stranded at third in the fourth after reaching on a leadoff single, but that was the best threat Michigan could muster the remainder of the way. The Chattanooga pitching combination of Trudell and Beth Alexander, who entered with one out in the fifth, held the Wolverines to just four hits for the game.

Barda did allow a leadoff single in the seventh to designated player Connie Ness. Pinch-runner Sarah Dutcher was sacrificed to second and moved to third on a groundout to second base. That left Chattanooga's hopes up to Alexander, who had only 20 at bats on the season. Barda quickly jumped out 0-2 on Alexander before getting her to ground out to Rebecca Tune (Aloha, Ore.) at shortstop.

Michigan, which was runner-up at NCAA Regional 8 a year ago, advances to face the winner of the Oregon State-South Florida matchup tomorrow (Friday, May 18) at 5 p.m. CDT. The game will be webcast on MGoBlue.com with Doug Karsch calling the action.

Q U O T E S

Head Coach Carol Hutchins
On the tight game ... "It was a good ballgame and it is the type of game you expect at this point of the season. There is a premium on defense and you have to play good defense until your bats come around, so we know that if we play good defense to go with our solid pitching we will have a shot to win."

Freshman Designated Hitter Monica Schock
On the game-winning hit ... "I could tell that their centerfielder and shortstop were both going very hard after the ball and when that is the case you know anything can happen, but I was not sure when I hit it if it was going to drop in or not."

Senior Outfielder Melissa Taylor
On throwing Tucker out at the plate ... "When I came up with the ball clean I knew I had a good shot at making the play. You also have to give (Kim) Bugel a lot of credit for hanging on to the ball and making the tag."

Diamond Gems

Michigan's win is its first in the first round of an NCAA Regional since 1998, which was the last time the Wolverines won a regional and advanced to the Women's College World Series.

Kelsey Kollen went 0-3, which ended her hit streak at 12 games. Kollen's 12-game hit streak is her second such streak of the season, which matches the team season-best that was also achieved by Melissa Taylor.

The Wolverines are now 11-9 this season in one-run games and 3-5 in 1-0 ballgames.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423