U-M Moves to Seminole Classic Gold Bracket Semifinals

Saturday, March 9

Tallahassee, Fla.

12:00 PM

Michigan

16-5

Ball State

4-4

Michigan

Ball State

U-M Moves to Seminole Classic Gold Bracket Semifinals

3/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Tallahassee, Fla.
Event: Florida State Seminole Classic (Day 2)
Scores: Ball State 5, #8 Michigan 4 (9 innings);
    #8 Michigan 1, #22 Florida State 0
Records: U-M (17-5)
Next U-M Games: Sunday, March 10 -- vs. Minnesota (10 a.m.) at Florida State Seminole Classic (Tallahassee, Fla.)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The eighth-ranked University of Michigan softball team advanced to the semifinals of the Seminole Classic Gold Bracket with a 1-0 win over No. 22 Florida State today (Saturday, March 8) after dropping its final game of pool play to Ball State, 5-4 in nine innings. Michigan faces fellow Big Ten Conference member Minnesota in the semifinals Sunday (10 a.m.), and a win will put the Wolverines in the championship game at noon.

Junior ace Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) won her seventh straight start by tossing a five-hit, complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts against Florida State. Young also added two of Michigan's five hits, and sophomore pinch runner Amy Prichard (Haslett, Mich./Haslett HS) scored the winning run in the second inning on a double steal.

The Wolverines were held scoreless in the first inning but broke through in the second after Young led off the frame with a double to right-center. Prichard then pinch ran for Young and moved up to third on a sacrifice by Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS), yesterday's hitting star. Prichard appeared as though she might be stranded at third after Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Corona HS) reached first base and Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) lined out to the pitcher for the second out of the inning.

However, Michigan coach Carol Hutchins called for the double steal with Betley safely stealing second base and Prichard coming home on the throw. The run proved to be all Young needed.

Florida State was able to put a runner on second in each of the first four innings, with their best scoring chance of the game coming in the fourth. A leadoff single, sacrifice and steal left the Seminoles with a runner on third and one out, but Young got the next hitter to pop up to short centerfield and struck out the final batter of the inning.

The Seminoles went down in order in the fifth but threatened again in the sixth after a two-out triple put another runner in scoring position. However, Young settled down again to induce an infield popup and then set down the Seminoles in order in the seventh to secure the win.

Having already clinched a spot in the Gold Bracket playoffs, Michigan dropped its final game of pool play against Ball State. Michigan blew a 4-1 lead in the bottom of sixth as the Cardinals broke through against Michigan freshman hurler Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) for three in the inning and forced the game into extra innings. It was Michigan's first extra-inning game of the season.

Young, who relieved Motycka in the sixth, took the loss after allowing a run in the bottom of the ninth. Using the international tiebreaker rule, a Ball State runner was placed on second base to start the inning and there were Cardinal runners on the corners with one out after a single and lineout. Ball State then delivered a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score the winning run.

Offensively, Michigan was led by Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) with three hits in the loss, while Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) drilled a two-run double. Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) also had two hits for the Wolverines.

N O T E S

Michigan's win over No. 22 Florida State is its fifth straight over a ranked opponent. The Wolverines are 5-3 vs. ranked opponents this season.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423