Olds, Doe Deliver in Extra-Inning Victory Over Nebraska

Friday, February 27

Columbus, Ga.

Noon

Michigan

10-3

Nebraska

6-5

Michigan

Nebraska

Olds, Doe Deliver in Extra-Inning Victory Over Nebraska

2/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- The seventh-ranked University of Michigan softball team needed extra innings and heroics from a pair of seniors this afternoon (Friday, Feb. 27) as the Wolverines won their first game of pool play at the NFCA Leadoff Classic with a 5-1, eight-inning decision over No. 14 Nebraska. Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) went the distance and allowed just three hits while striking out eight to up her record to 4-1.

Michigan (10-3) appeared to be on its way to winning in regulation play when in the seventh inning Jennifer Olds (North Palm Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run, but Nebraska (6-5) answered with its own solo shot in the bottom of the inning. Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) finally put the game away in the eighth with a two-out, three-run double.

Neither team put together a real threat through the first four innings. In fact, the Wolverines were held hitless until the fifth when Olds, Michigan's leading hitter, reached on an error and designated player Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) followed with a single to leftfield. The two runners moved up to second and third with one out following a Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) sacrifice, but consecutive Wolverine flyouts failed to break the scoreless tie.

Nebraska nearly scored its first run in the fifth as well. Though not held hitless through the first four frames, the Cornhuskers were not faring much better at the plate against Michigan's Ritter. Nebraska's only hit to that point was a one-out double in the second, but no further damage was done. Actually, Ritter seemed to be getting stronger as the game reached its middle innings, striking out three hitters in the third and fourth frames. However, a leadoff single in the fifth preceded a sacrifice and fly ball to put the first Husker runner on third with two outs. Ritter answered the challenge with her fourth K of the game.

Ritter was indeed gaining strength as the contest wore on and set down the Nebraska side in order on strikes in the sixth and set the stage for Olds' heroics in the seventh. The senior drilled her second long ball of the season with one out over the centerfield fence for a 1-0 Michigan lead. Olds' glory was short-lived, however, when Nebraska centerfielder Nicole Trimboli drilled a leadoff home run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.

That is when another Michigan senior delivered the big blow, with Doe connecting on a two-out, three-run double. Doe then scored when Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) drove her in with a single to rightfield. Due to the international tiebreaker rule, Betley was placed on second to begin the eighth after making the final out in the sevneth inning. An attempt to sacrifice her to third failed with Betley getting gunned down at third. A fielder's choice when Nebraska failed to get the lead runner and a flyout ensued, putting runners on first and second with two out. Leadoff Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) drew a key walk to load the bases before Doe's game-clinching double.

Ritter shut Nebraska down in its half of the eighth for the win.

Michigan has two more contests Friday, facing Virginia Tech at 2:30 p.m. in NFCA Leadoff Classic pool play before a 6 p.m. exhibition contest against the U.S. National Team.

N O T E S

The win over 14th-ranked Nebraska moved Michigan's record against ranked teams to 2-2.

Meghan Doe's double is her first extra-base hit of the season and it doubled her season RBI total to six.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423