Combined No-Hitter Helps U-M Sweep Eastern Michigan

Wednesday, May 2

Ypsilanti, Mich.

3:00 PM

Michigan

33-14-1

Eastern Michigan

15-30

Michigan

Eastern Michigan

5/2/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Ypsilanti, Mich. (EMU Varsity Field)
Results: #22 Michigan 8, Eastern Michigan 0 (6 innings);
   #22 Michigan 7, Eastern Michigan 6 (9 innings)
Records: U-M (34-14-1), EMU (15-31)
Next U-M Game: Thursday, May 3 -- vs. Detroit (Alumni Field), 3 p.m.

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The 22nd-ranked University of Michigan softball team got back on the winning track Wednesday afternoon (May 2) with a doubleheader sweep (8-0 in six innings, 7-6 in nine) of Eastern Michigan at EMU Varsity Field. Michigan's California connection of Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) and Kate Eiland (Fresno, Calif./Clovis West HS) each threw three innings to combine for the Wolverines' first no-hitter of the season, allowing just one runner to reach in the 8-0 Michigan win in game one.

Another California kid, junior second baseman Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS), went 6-9 in the doubleheader, including 4-5 with three runs scored and one RBI in Michigan's 7-6 extra-inning win in the nightcap. A Michigan kid, however, got the game-winning RBI in the top of the ninth of game two when Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Salem HS) lined a single into rightfield to score Kollen.

Michigan jumped out early in game one, scoring in each of the first three innings, including three times in the second. In a bit of foreshadowing, freshman catcher Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) delivered a two-out single in the top of the first to score senior Melissa Taylor (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield HS), who had bunted her way on and stole second.

Two costly errors by Eastern Michigan led to the Wolverines' three-run outburst in the second. Senior shortstop Rebecca Tune (Aloha, Ore./Jesuit HS) reached on an error and scored on a one-out single off the bat of Chrissy Garza (Southgate, Mich./Southgate Anderson HS), who paced the Wolverines with three RBI in game one. Following the Eagles' second error of the inning, Kollen plated Garza with a single up the middle, and after a single and fielder's choice, Schock drew a bases-loaded walk for her second two-out RBI of the game. Michigan stretched the lead to 6-0 in the third thanks to a leadoff single by Tune and a pair of run-scoring doubles from Garza and Kollen.

Meanwhile, Young was cruising through Eastern's lineup, with the only runner coming on a hit batsman with two outs in the first. That runner was then gunned down by Schock at second, allowing Young to face the minimum in her three innings of work. Michigan was held scoreless in the fourth and fifth, but Eiland picked up right where Young left off and set down six straight to maintain the 6-0 lead through five. Schock was in the middle of things again in the sixth, but this time with a leadoff single and eventually scoring on a double from sophomore Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta HS). A fielder's choice left runners on first and second with two outs when Garza drove in her third run of the game on a single through the right side of the infield. Eiland then set the Eagles down 1-2-3 in the sixth to cap the combined no-hitter.

Eiland turned around and received her second start of the season in game two, but she did not make it out of the first inning, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk. Eiland retired the first two quietly but hit the next batter before giving up a double, single, walk and another double in succession for the three Eastern Michigan runs. Senior Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale HS) came on in relief to get the final out in the first. Michigan scored a single run in each of the first two innings to trail by a 3-2 margin after two. Tune drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the first to score a run and Kollen doubled in Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) in the second.

The Wolverines were held scoreless in the third and fourth, while Eastern Michigan managed a single run off Barda in the fourth to stretch its lead to 4-2. As was the case in game one, however, it was Schock who tied the game for the Wolverines in the fifth with a two-out single, scoring Taylor and Kollen, who had reached on back-to-back one-out singles and moved up to second and third on a groundout by Volpe. Barda and Young then held Eastern Michigan scoreless in the fifth and sixth to keep the score tied.

Again it was Kollen sparking the Wolverines with a bunt single in the top of the seventh and she moved up to second with two outs after a sacrifice by Taylor. Volpe drew a walk and then for the fourth time in the doubleheader Schock delivered a two-out RBI, this time with a single to leftfield. Moulden then gave Young, who entered in relief in the sixth, an insurance run to work with by scoring Volpe on an RBI single to right. Young appeared ready to put the Eagles away after setting down the first two hitters but gave up a single to Christie Koester to bring the tying run to the plate. After running Eastern Michigan catcher Kristen Zabalavicius to a 2-2 count, Zabalavicius drilled the next pitch over the leftfield fence to tie the game at six and send it into extra innings.

Each team was shut out in the eighth, but Michigan put the pressure on in the ninth as Kollen and Taylor led off the inning with singles. Volpe then drilled a single to rightfield that scored Kollen with the winning run and this time Young set down the Eagles down in order to secure her 18th win of the season.

Michigan stays out of conference with a single game vs. Detroit Wednesday (May 3, 3 p.m.) at Alumni Field before closing out its regular season with a pair of single games vs. Michigan State. The Wolverines travel to East Lansing on Saturday (May 5, 2 p.m.) and then turn around and host the Spartans at Alumni Field on Sunday (May 6, 1 p.m.).

Diamond Gems

Michigan is now 2-3 this season in extra-inning games.

Kelsey Kollen's four hits are a season best for the Michigan second baseman and match her career high.

Monica Schock's three hits and three RBI in the nightcap are both career highs the Wolverine freshman.

Melissa Taylor went 3-4 in the nightcap for her 11th three-hit game of the season. Taylor and Kollen are tied for the team lead with 18 multi-hit game apiece.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423