Wolverines to Play Pair of Fall Exhibition Tournaments
9/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The four-team field at Elk Rapids consists of Michigan, Michigan State, Western Michigan and Central Michigan, with all four teams facing one another in a round-robin format on Sept. 21. The first-place team faces the fourth-place team, while the second- and third-place squads square off in semifinal action on Sept. 22. Championship and consolation games immediately follow the semifinals.
The Wolverines then conclude their fall season by hosting Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Syracuse for the Michigan Softball Fall Invitational.
7th Annual Elk Rapids Tournament: Michigan Schedule
| Sat., Sept. 21 | vs. Michigan State*, 10:30 a.m. vs. Central Michigan*, noon vs. Western Michigan*, 2 p.m. |
| Sun., Sept. 22 | Semifinals, 10:30 a.m. Finals/Consolation, 12:30 p.m. |
* Five-inning games | |
University of Michigan Fall Invitational
| Sat., Oct. 5 | Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan, 10 a.m. Michigan vs. Central Michigan, noon Syracuse vs. Eastern Michigan, 2 p.m. Central Michigan vs. Syracuse, 4 p.m. |
| Sun., Oct. 6 | Syracuse vs. Eastern Michigan, 10 a.m. Michigan vs. Syracuse, noon Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan, 2 p.m. |
The fall tournaments provide Michigan softball fans with their first opportunity to see the newest Michigan freshman class that consists of pitcher Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS), infielder Tiffany Hass (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS), infielder Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena HS), utility player Stephanie Bercaw (Wooster, Ohio/Hillsdale HS) and utility player Jennifer Olds (North Palm Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS). The five-person freshman class joins a group of Wolverine veterans coming off a 2002 season in which they won the Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships as well as earned their second consecutive trip to the Women's College World Series after winning the NCAA Regional 6 title.
Returnees for the Wolverines include All-America hurler Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS), 2002 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) and 2002 All-Big Ten performers Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS), Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) and Meghan Doe (Tuscon, Ariz./Sabino HS).
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
