Leutele, Ritter Shine in U-M Sweep at Western Michigan

Tuesday, April 1

Kalamazoo, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

20-8

Western Michigan

14-13

Michigan

Western Michigan

Leutele, Ritter Shine in U-M Sweep at Western Michigan

4/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Kalamazoo, Mich. (Fran Ebert Field)
Scores: #15 Michigan 11, Western Michigan 2 (5 innings); #15 Michigan 2, Western Michigan 0
Records: U-M (21-8), WMU (14-14)
Next U-M Game: Friday, April 4 -- vs. Iowa (Alumni Field), 3 p.m.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The 15th-ranked University of Michigan softball team earned its second doubleheader sweep in three days, defeating Western Michigan 11-2 in five innings and 2-0 this afternoon (Tuesday, April 1) at Ebert Field. The Wolverines (21-8) used four home runs over the doubleheader, including three from freshman third baseman Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Sabino HS), while fellow freshman Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) tossed her first career complete-game shutout for the 2-0 win in game two.

	Leutele		J. Ritter

Leutele, who hit her first career home run on Sunday (March 30) vs. Northwestern, went 5-6 with seven RBI and three runs scored in the two games. Ritter allowed a career-low two hits and matched a career best with nine strikeouts while walking just two.

While Ritter's game-two effort was one of the day's highlights, the Michigan bats were the story in game one. The Wolverine bats were alive from the outset, scoring three times on four hits in the first frame. Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) led off the game with a single and eventually scored from second on a one-out double to rightfield by Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS). Following a Bronco error, Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) drove in Moulden from second on a single to rightfield. The error proved very costly after Leutele smacked a two-out double later in the inning to score Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) for a 3-0 Michigan lead.

The Wolverine bats did not let up in inning two and No. 9 hitter Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) remained one of Michigan's hottest hitters with a leadoff single. Haas forced Betley at second with a fielder's choice, but the Wolverines then rattled off six straight hits, including five consecutive singles, concluding with Leutele's first career grand slam to clear the bases and give Michigan a daunting 10-0 lead after just an inning and a half.

Michigan starter Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) did give up a single run in the bottom of the second on a single and double, but the Wolverine lead was never really threatened. Leutele added a solo shot in the top of the fourth off the scoreboard in centerfield. Junior Meghan Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) came out of the bullpen for her first action of the season, allowing one run in the fifth before closing out the 11-2 Michigan win.

Game two was a polar opposite of game one, with Jennie Ritter and WMU starter Laura Stewart settling in for a pitchers' duel. Michigan put a runner in scoring position in each of the first two innings only to come up empty-handed, but the best threat early came when the Broncos moved a runner to third with just one out in the first. However, Ritter forced a weak ground ball back to the circle and then collected the first her nine K's to get out of the jam.

After Ritter stranded a Bronco in scoring position in the bottom of the third, sophomore shortstop Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) provided Ritter with all the support she would need with her first home run of the season. Michigan threatened for more when Leutele doubled and moved to third on an error, but she was stranded by a lineout and strikeout.

Ritter got stronger as the game went on and allowed just two baserunners (walk and error) over her final 4.2 innings of work. Leutele capped off her best day as a Wolverine with her third long ball of the day, a solo shot deep over the wall in leftfield to close out the scoring.

Michigan returns to Big Ten action this weekend when it hosts a pair of single games against league-leading Iowa on Friday (April 4, 3 p.m.) and Saturday (April 5, 1 p.m.) at Alumni Field.

N O T E S

Grace Leutele is just the sixth player in Michigan history to hit two home runs in the same game. The last player to do so was current Michigan volunteer assistant coach Stefanie Volpe (1999-2002), who hit two grand slams in a win over Northwestern on April 20, 2002.

Monica Schock, who sat out the game-two win, went 1-3 in game one to extend her Michigan season-best hit streak to 11 games. The 11-game streak is a career best for the junior catcher, who enjoyed a nine-game streak last season.

Michigan's four home runs today give the Wolverines 27 for the season, which matches the 1998 team's total for the second-best single-season mark in school history. The 2002 Wolverines own the school record with 37.

Leutele's six RBI in game one are a Michigan season best.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423