Michigan
6-5
Texas
16-1
Young Blanks No. 5 Texas, Wins Battle of All-Americans
2/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- The 19th-ranked University of Michigan softball team finished its best day of the season with an impressive 2-0 victory over previously unbeaten and fifth-ranked Texas this evening (Friday, Feb. 28) in the Wolverines' second game of the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational at McCombs Field. In one of the best pitching matchups one could ask for in college softball, Michigan senior All-American Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) outdueled Texas sophomore All-American Cat Osterman as Young collected a season-best 11 strikeouts for her first complete-game shutout of the season.
| | Young dealt Texas its first loss with a four-hit shutout. |
While Michigan could not touch Osterman in the first three innings, Young was equally tough in the circle, allowing just two hits and slamming the door in the second and third innings with two outs and a Longhorn in scoring position.
After going down on strikes seven times through the first three innings, the Wolverines began to figure out Osterman the second time through the order. Haas was the first Wolverine to break through, with a single to lead off the fourth, and she was immediately pushed up to second base on a Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) single. The Wolverines then manufactured an unearned when Moulden dropped down a sacrifice bunt and Haas scored from second after an errant throw from the Longhorn catcher. Michigan did not take advantage of the chance to break things open, however, as two more strikeouts were sandwiched around Doe being caught stealing to leave Michigan up just 1-0.
It turned out that would be all the help Young needed as the righthander seemed to get stronger the deeper she went into the contest. Texas put two on with two out in the fifth, but Young induced a flyout and then catcher Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) cut down an would-be base stealer after a leadoff single in the sixth. Young set down the last batter in the sixth as well as the first two in the seventh before allowing a two-out walk. With the tying run at the plate, however, Young struck out the final Longhorn swinging to secure the 2-0 victory.
The Wolverines wrap up round-robin action the tournament tomorrow (March 1, noon CST) vs. North Carolina before the semifinals begin later in the day. Michigan is the only 2-0 team in the tournament and guaranteed one of the top two seeds in tomorrow evening's semifinals. North Carolina, which is 0-1 after dropping a 2-1 contest to Florida in eight innings earlier today, faces Texas in tonight's final game.
N O T E S
Michigan's win over Texas is its second of the season over a ranked foe. The Wolverines also beat then-No. 15 Fresno State 9-4 on Feb. 15.
Melinda Moulden extended her current hit streak to six games, which is the longest of the season by a Wolverine. Moulden's home run is her third and moved her into a three-way tie for the team lead with Jennifer Olds (Riviera Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) and Michelle Teschler (Casco, Mich./Richmond HS).
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Young, Marissa (4-0)
L: Cat Osterman (10-1)
Batting:
2B: Lindsay Gardner 1
SH: Alexis Garcia 1
Base Running:
SB: Tiffany Anders 1
CS: Sam Murphy 1
Batting:
HR: Moulden, Melinda 1
RBI: Moulden, Melinda 1
SH: Moulden, Melinda 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Haas, Tiffany 1 ; Moulden, Melinda 1
CS: Doe, Meghan 1
