Michigan
5-5
Florida
15-6
Leutele Fuels Michigan's Comeback Victory Over Florida
2/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- The 19th-ranked University of Michigan softball team opened the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational on Friday (Feb. 28) with the type of win that could be pointed to later in the season as one which defined a team or turned around a season.
| | Leutele |
Michigan hitters struck out eight times and were unable to reach first base through the first five innings, but thankfully, Motycka delivered one of her better performances of the season and did not allow a Florida runner past second base through the first three innings. Two of the first three Gators singled to open the fourth, but one of them was gunned down trying to steal second by Michigan catcher Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS). It was the second potential Gator base stealer Schock took out in the first four innings. Motycka appeared ready to avoid any further damage when an ensuing fielder's choice left a runner on first with two outs, but Florida hurler Jenny Gladding helped her own cause with a double to centerfield to give the Gators a 1-0 lead.
Gladding struck out two of the three Wolverines she faced in the bottom of the fifth but was touched for a leadoff double by Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS), who entered the game hitting just .138 on the season. Leutele then singled down the leftfield line, but pinch-runner Stephanie Bercaw (Wooster, Ohio/Hillsdale HS) got caught off third base for the first out of the inning. Despite the potential rally killer, Michigan kept the pressure on with a Michelle Teschler (Casco, Mich./Richmond HS) single and then a throwing error by third base allowing Leutele to score from second and Teschler to move up to third. Michigan could not get the lead runner home, however, as Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) and Meghan Doe (Tuscon, Ariz./Sabino HS) grounded out to end the inning.
A Florida single in its half of the sixth was quickly erased by a double play, and the Wolverine offense went back to work in the top of the seventh. Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS), starting again in the third spot in the order, led off the seventh with a single and moved to second after Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) drew a walk. A sacrifice by Schock and a walk by Jennifer Olds (Riviera Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) loaded the bases with one out, but Merchant went down swinging. That left it up to Leutele, who drove in a pair of runs with a double to centerfield. Michigan added a pair of insurance runs when a Teschler ground ball turned into a throwing error by the Florida shortstop, but the Wolverines did not need them as Young came on in relief to toss a perfect seventh and close out the win.
Michigan's second game of round-robin action at the Texas Invitational is this evening (5 p.m. CST) against the host Longhorns, who enter the tournament 16-0 and ranked fifth in the nation.
N O T E S
Grace Leutele's two hits and two RBI are career bests while her two runs scored match a career high.
Melinda Moulden has now hit safely in five straight games, which matches the longest hit streak of the season by a Wolverines. Meghan Doe also owned a five-game hit streak earlier this season.
Contact: Rich Marion (734-763-4423)
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Motycka, Nicole (1-4)
L: Jenny Gladding (5-4)
Batting:
2B: Merchant, Jessica 1 ; Leutele, Grace 1
RBI: Leutele, Grace 2
SH: Schock, Monica 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Moulden, Melinda 1 ; Prichard, Amy 1 ; Olds, Jennifer 1 ; Leutele, Grace 2
Batting:
2B: Jenny Gladding 1
RBI: Jenny Gladding 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mylin Prieto 1
CS: Jackie Marchetta 1 ; Jennifer Brown 1
