Michigan
North Carolina
Young, Mack Lead Wolverines into Title Game at Texas
3/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- The 19th-ranked University of Michigan softball team earned a berth in the championship game of the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational with a 1-0 win over North Carolina this evening (Saturday, March 1) at McCombs Field. Wolverine ace Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) tossed her second straight complete-game shutout, allowing four hits and striking out eight. Senior utility player Lisa Mack (Saline, Mich./Saline HS), starting just her fourth game of the season, was the offensive star as she went 3-3 with the game's only RBI. The Wolverines move on to the championship game tomorrow (Sunday, March 2) at 12:30 p.m. CST against No. 5-ranked host Texas.
The Tar Heels threatened to get on the board in the top of the first when a leadoff bunt single, stolen base and wild pitch put a runner on third with just one out. Young, however, rose to occasion with a strikeout and a then a popout to get out of trouble. Young got out of similar trouble in the second after a pair of walks left two on with two out before the Michigan senior co-captain came up with another clutch strikeout.
Michigan threatened itself in the first as Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) drilled a one-out double, but she could not score. The Wolverines did break through in the second when Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) connected on a one-out single and was pushed to second on a sacrifice, which set the stage for Mack's game-winning single to centerfield.
Working with a one-run lead, Young settled in during the middle innings, allowing just one baserunner through the third, fourth and fifth innings. The Wolverines threatened to add to the lead in the third after a Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) double and a Tar Heel error put runners on second and third with one out, but this time Michigan could not get the big hit as Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) lined out and Jennifer Olds (Riviera Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) popped up to the catcher.
The Wolverines then cooled off and only managed Mack's fourth-inning double and sixth-inning single the rest of the way. As it turned out, Young did not need any more help, but that slim 1-0 lead did get tested in the sixth inning. North Carolina touched Young for consecutive singles to lead off the inning before Michigan forced out the lead runner at third for the inning's first out. Young, however, allowed her third walk of the game to load the bases with one out, but the Michigan defense then came through as Angie Churchill (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way HS) took a groundball and cut down the potential game-tying run at the plate. Young then took care of the rest herself with a strikeout to end the sixth and a 1-2-3 seventh to up her record to 5-0.
Michigan closes out its nine-game, 12-day spring break trip with tomorrow's championship game vs. Texas at 12:30 p.m. CST.
N O T E S
Marissa Young has now tossed 17.0 consecutive scoreless innings. Young now has 71 career wins and is one victory shy of matching Kelly Kovach (1992-95) for third on the school's all-time list.
After collecting just two hits in her first eight games of the season, Jessica Merchant has hit safely in four of the last five Michigan contests.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
