Wolverines Dumps Card to Complete Perfect Weekend

Sunday, March 21

Louisville, Ky.

2:00 PM

Michigan

21-6

Louisville

21-8

Michigan

Louisville

3/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The 12th-ranked University of Michigan softball team completed a perfect 4-0 weekend at the Louisville Invitational today (Sunday, March 21) with a 4-2 win over host Louisville at Ulmer Stadium. Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS), Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) and Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) each collected two hits, while Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) went the distance for her eighth win of the season.

Trailing 2-1 in the fourth inning, Michigan tied the contest on a two-out pinch-hit double off the bat of Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS). Schock's double came off relief pitcher Catherine Bishop, who relieved starter Kady Garrick following Tiffany Worthy's (Yorba Linda, Calif./Lutheran HS) single to lead off the fourth.

Michigan not only tied the score in the fourth but actually took the lead for good thanks to a pair of Louisville mistakes defensively. After Schock's two-base hit, Haas reached on an error and stole second, leaving runners on second and third with two outs. A shot off the bat of Michigan cleanup hitter Jennifer Olds (North Palm Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) proved too much for the Louisville shortstop to handle, and her error led to the final two runs of the game.

Both teams scored in the first inning. For the first time this season, Haas hit in the No. 3 spot in the order with Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) dropping down into the fifth spot. Doe hit leadoff, while freshman Rebekah Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) moved up to the No. 2 slot. The new order paid dividends in the first when Haas singled with two outs, moved to second on a walk and scored on Merchant's safety to rightfield.

Louisville quickly answered with a leadoff double, single and wild pitch to tie the contest in the bottom of the first off Ritter. The Cardinals again struck quickly in the third on a two-out double and single for the 2-1 lead. The run-scoring single in the third was the last hit off Ritter, however, as the sophomore set down 12 of the last 13 hitters she faced, allowing only a leadoff walk in the sixth.

After playing their first 27 games away from home this season, the Wolverines are set to open up their home slate on Wednesday (March 24) with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Bowling Green at Alumni Field.

N O T E S

Tiffany Haas has hit safely in 10 of her last 12 games and is now hitting a team-best .364.

The Wolverines concluded the Louisville Invitational without an error and have now gone five straight games without a defensive miscue. Michigan's last error occured on March 13 against Florida A&M. Michigan is now fielding at a .966 rate as a team.

Jennie Ritter struck out seven hitters today to up her team-leading total to 113 in 86 innings. The Michigan pitching staff has K'd at least seven hitters in eight straight games.

Jessica Merchant's RBI in the first is her team-leading 25th of the season.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423