Moulden Breaks Out at Plate in Pair of Wolverine Wins

Friday, March 8

Tallahassee, Fla.

2:00 PM

Michigan

15-4

Winthrop

5-5

Winthrop

Michigan

Moulden Breaks Out at Plate in Pair of Wolverine Wins

3/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Tallahassee, Fla.
Event: Florida State Seminole Classic (Day 1)
Scores: #8 Michigan 8, Winthrop 0 (5 innings);
    #8 Michigan 6, Missouri-Kansas City 3
Records: U-M (16-4)
Next U-M Games: Saturday, March 9 -- vs. Ball State (noon), Bracket Play (TBA) at Florida State Seminole Classic (Tallahassee, Fla.)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The eighth-ranked University of Michigan softball team remained hot today (Friday, March 8) with two wins in pool play at the Seminole Classic. The Wolverines opened up the day with an 8-0, five-inning win over Winthrop on a one-hit shutout by Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS), then closed its day with a 6-3 win over Missouri-Kansas City as Young got the save and freshman Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) earned her seventh win of the season.

Moulden

Michigan's offensive star of the day was junior utility player Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS), who in the two games went 5-7 with five RBI and her first home run of the season.

Young extended her scoreless innings streak on the mound to 24 innings after striking out 11 and walking none against Winthrop in another complete-game shutout win. Winthrop managed just one baserunner, on a two-out single in the third, as Young struck out 11 of the 16 batters she faced and set down the final six Eagle hitters in order.

Moulden, who went 3-3 and matched a career high with four RBI against Winthrop, gave Young all the support she would need with a two-RBI double in the third inning. Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS), who went 2-2 with two runs scored, opened the inning by drawing a walk. After a steal by Doe, a walk by Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Salem HS) and a sacrifice bunt by Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS), there were runners on second and third for Young, Michigan's top run producer this season. However, a short fly out to rightfield left it up to Moulden with two outs and she promptly doubled to centerfield.

The Wolverines then erupted for six runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it an 8-0 win via the mercy rule. Again it Doe getting things started for the Wolverines with a leadoff bunt single, and the bases were loaded when a Volpe single and Schock walk ensued. Young lined out but Moulden was there again to bail her out, drilling a single up the middle to plate Doe and Volpe and stretch the Michigan lead to 4-0.

Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) kept up the onslaught with a single of her own, which scored pinch runner Amy Prichard (Haslett, Mich./Haslett HS) after a throwing error by the centerfielder. Another error on a ball off the bat of Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) made the score 6-0 and set the stage for Lisa Mack (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) to produce a two-RBI hit in her second straight game. Mack's double to right-center scored Merchant and Betley with runs seven and eight to close out the win.

In the nightcap Michigan survived despite five errors as Moulden connected for her first home run of the season and went 2-4 in the win. Other Michigan offensive stars were All-America second baseman Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calf./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) and senior outfielder Mary Conner (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Canton HS) as each player went 2-4 on the day. Young pitched the final 1.2 innings for the save.

The Wolverines finish pool play tomorrow (Saturday, March 9) against Ball State at noon and will then be seeded in either the Gold or Silver Bracket playoffs, which begin tomorrow evening. With a win over Ball State the Wolverines would be 3-0 in pool play and guaranteed a spot in the Gold Bracket playoffs.

N O T E S

During her current 25.2-inning scoreless stretch, Marissa Young has struck out 41 hitters and walked just one.

Melinda Moulden, who matched a career best with four RBI in the win over Winthrop, also collected a season-best three hits in the win.

Michigan went errorless for the 11th time this season in the win over Winthrop. The Wolverines are 10-1 when they do not commit an error.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423