Michigan
Penn State
Michigan Wins First Game, Drops Nightcap at Penn State
4/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Score: #13 Michigan 3, Penn State 1; Penn State 1, #13 Michigan 0 (9 innings)
Records: U-M (31-10, 9-3 Big Ten), PSU (24-17, 6-6)
Next U-M Game: Wednesday, April 23 -- vs. Central Michigan (Alumni Field), 7 p.m.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The 13th-ranked University of Michigan softball team bounced back from yesterday's loss, its first in 15 games, with a 3-1 win in the opener of today's (Sunday, April 20) doubleheader against Penn State at the Nittany Lion Field. The Wolverines, however, could not come up with the sweep, dropping the second game of the twinbill 1-0 in a nine-inning pitcher's duel.
In game one, Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) upped her season mark to 15-1 with a complete-game victory, while fellow senior Lisa Mack (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) was the offensive star, going 2-3 with two RBI. Sophomore starter Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) was equally impressive in the circle in game two, allowing just five hits and striking out five, but the only run she allowed turned out to be the difference in a 1-0 loss.
The Wolverines (31-10, 9-3 Big Ten) entered the day in second place in the conference, a half-game behind Iowa (9-2 Big Ten) and percentage points ahead of third-place Illinois (9-3 Big Ten). Iowa hosted Indiana in a doubleheader while Illinois played a twinbill at Wisconsin this afternoon.
Michigan bounced back from its 4-0 loss at Ohio State Saturday -- just its third shutout defeat of the season -- with a three-run second inning in game one today, keyed by a two-run single off the bat of Mack. Young started the rally by drawing a one-out walk and then moved to third when Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) followed with a double up the gap in left-center. Mack delivered both runners with a single up the middle and moved to second when the Penn State throw from the outfield went through to the plate. Freshman Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena HS) drilled Michigan's third consecutive hit to put runners on the corners with still just one down. Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) promptly delivered Leutele from third with a sacrifice fly to rightfield.
Young allowed a walk and single after two were out in the first but closed that threat with a strikeout. After being staked to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second, Young settled down and retired seven straight Lady Lions, including the side in order in the second and third frames. Young allowed a leadoff walk in the fourth, but the Penn State runner was gunned down attempting to steal second by Wolverine catcher Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS).
Young was cruising with two out in the fifth when the bottom of the Penn State order touched her for a run with a double and single. The consecutive Penn State hits took Young out of her rhythm and she allowed the next two hitters aboard via a walk and hit batter to load the bases and put the tying run in scoring position. Young, however, came back to get the most important out of the game on a fly ball to leftfield.
Michigan, which had just two baserunners since the three-run second, responded by loading the bases itself in the sixth on three singles, but Betley grounded out and Michigan's lead remained two runs going into Penn State's final two at-bats. Young shook off a shaky fifth by setting down the side in order in both the sixth and seventh frames for the 3-1 victory.
The Michigan bats, which were silent for much of game one following the second-inning outburst, remained silent throughout game two, coming up with just six hits and leaving eight runners on base in a nine-inning loss. Michigan did put two runners on in the first inning after Moulden and Schock connected for consecutive two-out singles but was not able to break through. It turned out to be one of only two times in the game the Wolverines put more than one runner on in an inning as Penn State starter Shawna Riggleman kept the Michigan offense at bay. The Wolverines put runners in scoring position in the second and fourth, but the two-out hit continued to elude them.
Motycka, however, was mowing through the Penn State lineup. She found herself in a little bit of trouble in the second with two on and nobody out, but Leutele came up with a big defensive play, turning a 5-3 double play and quickly shutting down the Lady Lion threat. Motycka then dominated over the next five innings, not allowing a hit, and the only two runners that reached came on Michigan errors. She finally gave up just her second hit of the game on a two-out single in the eighth but followed with her fifth K of the game.
Michigan made a bid to end it in the eighth after Moulden drilled a two-out double in the gap for her season hit of the game. After Schock walked, Young bounced out to first base and set the stage for a Penn State rally in the ninth.
A leadoff single was followed by a bunt, but when Leutele failed in her attempt to get the lead runner at second, runners were on first and second with nobody down. Motycka really found herself in a jam after another bunt attempt turned into a single and the bases were loaded before the Wolverines recorded an out. The Michigan defense then stepped up with consecutive forceouts at the plate on plays made by Leutele at third and Merchant at shortstop, but just when it looked like the Wolverines would sneak out of a major jam, Penn State No. 8 hitter Destinie Chavez connected for her only hit of the afternoon to score the game-winner. The Wolverines went quietly in their half of the ninth to fall to 31-10 overall and 9-3 in the Big Ten.
Michigan steps out of conference for a single game under the lights vs. Central Michigan on Tuesday (April 23, 7 p.m.) at Alumni Field.
N O T E S
Melinda Moulden's two hits in game two give her 14 multi-hit games this season, which ties Tiffany Haas for the team lead.
Marissa Young's scoreless inning streak was snapped at 20.0 when Penn State scored a run in the fifth inning of game one.
After dropping one-run games in three of its first four games this season, Michigan had won 10 straight one-run decisions before losing 1-0 in game two today. The Wolverines are 10-4 in one-run games this season.
Michigan dropped to an even 4-4 in extra-inning games.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
