Wolverines' 2-0 Start Gives Hutchins 800th Michigan Win

Friday, February 13

Las Vegas, Nev.

4:00 PM PT

Michigan

1-0

Cal Poly-SLO

4-5

Michigan

Cal Poly

Wolverines' 2-0 Start Gives Hutchins 800th Michigan Win

2/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Las Vegas, Nev. (Stephanie L.C. Park)
Event: UNLV Tournament
Scores: #10 Michigan 9, Cal Poly-SLO 0 (5 innings); #10 Michigan 2, #23 Oregon State 0
Records: U-M (2-0), OSU (10-4)
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Feb. 14 -- vs. Nebraska at UNLV Tournament (Las Vegas, Nev.), 11 a.m. PST

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- In the second game of her 20th season in the Wolverines third base box, University of Michigan head softball coach Carol Hutchins became the first coach in Michigan Athletics history to reach 800 career wins, with a 2-0 victory over No. 23 Oregon State tonight (Friday, Feb. 13) at the UNLV Desert Classic. U-M sophomore hurler Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) was the story for the 10th-ranked Wolverines, going the distance for her third career shutout while striking out seven and allowing just two hits.

Michigan opened the season earlier in the afternoon with a 9-0, five-inning win over Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. Junior ace Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) tossed a one-hitter while striking out five in five innings. The Wolverine offense was paced by junior shortstop Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS), who went 2-3 with a home run, double, two RBI and run scored from the No. 3 spot in the order. Senior centerfielder Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) also had two hits, while senior first baseman Jennifer Olds (North Palm Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) drilled a solo home run.

Michigan, which was aided by five Cal Poly-SLO miscues in the field, scored in each of the first four innings, including two in the opening frame.

In the win over Oregon State, the Wolverines themselves accumulated just three hits, but they made the most of their opportunities with Michelle Teschler (Casco, Mich./Richmond HS) scoring the game-winner in Michigan's two-run fifth inning.

Hutchins became just the 14th coach in Division I college softball history to earn 800 career wins on April 12, 2003, with a 2-1 win at Wisconsin. Hutchins, who won 22 games in her only other season as a head coach at Ferris State in 1982, arrived in Ann Arbor as an assistant coach in 1983 and took over the program's reins in 1985.

Hutchins entered the season as the ninth-winningest coach in Division I history with a career winning percentage of .709.

Michigan continues action in the UNLV Desert Classic with two games Saturday (Feb. 14), facing No. 8 Nebraska at 11 a.m. PST and the host school at 1:30 p.m. PST.

N O T E S

• Meghan Doe, who hit primarily No. 2 in the order the last two seasons, started as the Wolverines leadoff hitter tonight. Last season's leadoff hitter, Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS), hit in the No. 2 spot.

• Freshman Rebekah Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) made her Wolverine debut as a pinch runner, while fellow freshman Tiffany Worthy (Yorba Linda, Calif./Lutheran HS) also debuted in the Maize and Blue, as a pinch hitter in the Cal Poly-SLO game.

• Jennifer Olds has hit a home run in the season opener in two straight seasons. The former junior college All-American hit two home runs in the 2003 season opener against Cal State Northridge, which also happened to be her Michigan debut.

• Michigan's batting order remained the same in today's second game with one exception. Meghan Doe and Tiffany Haas, who hit 1-2, respectively, in the opener, flip-flopped for the Oregon State game.

• Jennifer Olds, Tiffany Haas and Michelle Teschler each hit safely in both games today.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423