Mack, Moulden Power Offense in Sweep of Chippewas

Wednesday, April 10

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

28-7

Central Michigan

19-12

Michigan

Central Michigan

4/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Mount Pleasant, Mich. (CMU Softball Complex)
Score: #12 Michigan 8, Central Michigan 0; #12 Michigan 7, Central Michigan 3
Records: U-M (29-7), CMU (19-13)
Next U-M Game: Friday, April 12 -- vs. Minnesota (Alumni Field), 4 p.m.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- The 12th-ranked University of Michigan softball team knew junior pitching ace Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) would probably break her sinlge-season Wolverine strikeout record in the first game of today's (Wednesday, April 10) doubleheader against Central Michigan at the CMU Softball Complex in Mount Pleasant, Mich. After all, Young is striking out opponents at a rate of nearly 1.5 per inning heading into today's action.

Mack

However, nobody could have forecasted the offensive explosion by the Wolverines in wins of 8-0 and 7-3, particularly that two different Michigan players would enjoy six-RBI games today -- one in each game -- with each player hitting her first career grand slam in the process. Junior utility player Lisa Mack (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) led an 11-hit Michigan attack with the first grand slam of her career and a career-best six RBI in Michigan's 8-0 game-one win. Young made sure to do her part in the win, recording 14 strikeouts and limiting the Chippewas to just one hit.

In the nightcap, fellow junior Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) matched Mack's output with six RBI of her own, including the first grand slam of her career in the Wolverines' 7-3 win. Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) was the beneficiary of Moulden's offensive exploits as she won her eighth straight decision, going the distance and holding CMU to a pair of earned runs on seven hits.

Michigan started and finished strongly at the plate in game one, scoring four runs in the top of the first and seventh to account for all eight of its runs. Junior centerfielder Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS), who paced the game-one attack with three hits, got things started with a one-out single. Two more Wolverines reached to load the bases for Young, who promptly helped herself with a two-run single down the leftfield line. A walk and fielder's choice left the bases loaded with two outs when Mack delivered a two-run single to rightfield for a 4-0 Michigan lead before Young even hit the mound.

It turned out that was more than Young would need as the reigning Big Ten Pitcher of the Week set down the first 11 hitters she faced and did not allow a CMU runner until one reached on an error with two outs in the fourth. The Chippewas broke up the no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the fifth and then put runners on first and second with no outs after a walk. That was it, however, as Young retired the next three in order and struck out seven of the last nine hitters she faced.

Mack's heroics in the top of the seventh started with a single from Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS), one of two in the game for the Michigan catcher, a walk and then a key CMU error to load the bases with two outs. Mack's shot over the fence in leftfield is the first home run of her career and capped a career-best six-RBI game.

The Michigan bats and struggling CMU defense were the stories again in game two as the Wolverines took advantage of three Chippewa miscues to post a 7-3 win. Michigan opened the scoring with an unearned run the top of the second after Young, now playing first base, reached on an error with one out and was pushed to third after a pair of singles. Mack then stepped up and drove in her seventh run of the day with a sacrifice fly to centerfield for a 1-0 Michigan lead. The Wolverine lead expanded to 3-0 in the third on a two-run double from Moulden with two outs. Moulden stepped up with the bases loaded after one of two Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Salem HS) hits, an error and a hit batsman. Schock, who had reached on the HBP, was gunned down at the plate trying to score from first on Moulden's double to end the inning.

CMU only had two baserunners -- on a walk and single -- through the first three innings against Motycka, but the Chippewas found life in the fourth as they rallied for three runs to tie the score. Motycka nearly pitched her way out of jam, but with two outs and runners on second and third the freshman gave up a two-run single to leftfield. It appeared as though Michigan would get out of the fourth without any further damage, but a dropped foul fly by Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) gave the Chippewas one more shot and they responded with another RBI single to knot the game at three.

Moulden, however, made sure the game did not stay tied for long as she sent the first grand slam of her career over the fence in left-center in the fifth and open the Michigan lead to four (7-3). Moulden's one-out blast came on the heels of a Volpe walk, Schock being hit for the second straight at-bat and a single by Young.

CMU's only scoring threat over the final three frames was a two-out double in the sixth, but the next batter popped up on the infield and Motycka set the side down in order in the seventh to up her record to 13-2.

Michigan returns to Alumni Field for four Big Ten games Friday through Sunday (April 12-14). Michigan hosts Minnesota in single games on Friday (4 p.m.) and Saturday (2 p.m.) and then closes out the weekend with a doubleheader against Wisconsin on Sunday (noon).

N O T E S

With their career-best games today of six RBI, both Lisa Mack and Melinda Moulden match the second-best single RBI total in Michigan history. The record of seven RBI was set by Alicia Seegert at Miami (Ohio) on March 29, 1986.

Marissa Young's 14 strikeouts upped her season total to 196, which surpasses the Michigan single-season record of 185 that she set last season.

Michigan's two victories this afternoon give the Maize and Blue eight straight and runs its road record this season to 9-0. The Wolverines have now won 13 straight on the road.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423