Wolverines Ride Dominant Pitching to Sweep of Bulls

Wednesday, February 27

Tampa, Fla.

5:00 PM

Michigan

9-3

South Florida

6-12-1

Michigan

South Florida

2/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Tampa, Fla. (USF Softball Complex)
Scores: #8 Michigan 8, South Florida 0 (5 innings);
    #8 Michigan 6, South Florida 2
Records: U-M (10-3), USF (6-12-1)
Next U-M Games: Friday, March 1 -- vs. South Carolina (noon), vs. Ohio (2 p.m.) at Strawberry Cup (Plant City, Fla.)

TAMPA, Fla. -- The No. 8-ranked Michigan softball team swept South Florida on Wednesday (Feb. 27) by scores of 8-0 (five innings) and 6-2 at the USF Softball Complex. The Wolverines received stellar pitching performances from Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) and Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS). In game one, Young (5-2) pitched four of the five innings it took to defeat USF, striking out 10 of the 17 batters she faced. In the nightcap, freshman Motycka (4-1) mixed her drop ball in throughout the contest by forcing 11 groundouts and allowing only two runs on five hits during her seven-inning, complete-game performance.

Young was the catalyst for the Maize and Blue both on offense and defense in the opening game. Michigan jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first thanks to a two-out rally with RBIs coming from the bats of Young and Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS). Michigan did not let up in the second as it pushed three more runs across the plate to take a commanding 5-0 lead after one and a half innings. Following a sacrifice fly by Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS), Young came to bat again with two outs. This time she had runners on second and third and doubled into the left-center gap to give her three RBIs on the day.

South Florida threatened in the bottom of the second when the Bulls had runners on first and second with nobody out. Young beared down on the next three batters, forcing the first to pop up to the pitcher and then mowing down the next two to end the rally.

Following a scoreless top half of the third, USF endangered Michigan's lead by putting runners on first and second with one down. Young managed to strike out the next two Bulls to end the danger. The Wolverines all but put the game away in the fourth when they got three straight hits, with the third being a two-run double from Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) to cap both teams' scoring, 8-0. A list-ditch effort by USF in the bottom of the seventh was again defused by reliever Meghan Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS), who worked out of a two-out jam and ended the game with a strikeout.

In game two Michigan scored at least one run in each of the first four innings to stake a 6-1 lead after four innings of play. As a result of a throwing error by South Florida in the first, the Wolverines were able to load the bases and receive a run from Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS), who was forced home on a bases-loaded walk. The Bulls were able to tie the game up in the bottom of the first by manufacturing a run with a walk and an eventual base hit.

U-M responded in its next at bat with a little help from the USF defense. Michigan scored two runs in the inning with the first coming on a passed ball and the second on an RBI single from Stephanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Canton HS). With a runner on second, the Maize and Blue bats remained hot in the third inning as back-to-back doubles from Lisa Mack (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) and Merchant produced two more runs. Michigan added its last run of the game in the fourth inning and South Florida added one of its own in the fifth to finish the scoring.

Motycka stayed out of trouble in the game by spreading out five hits and three walks over her seven innings of work. She stranded seven USF runners and recorded five strikeouts.

Michigan will now travel to Plant City, Fla., where it will participate in the Strawberry Cup on Friday through Sunday, March 1-3. U-M opens play Friday against No. 25 South Carolina (noon) and Ohio (2 p.m.).

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423