Michigan
24-6
Valparaiso
4-12
Pair of Shutouts Pace Michigan Sweep Over Valparaiso
3/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Scores: #11 Michigan 10, Valparaiso 0 (5 innings); #11 Michigan 7, Valparaiso 0
Records: U-M (25-6), Valparaiso (4-13)
Next U-M Game: Friday, Apr. 2 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), 3:00 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The 11th-ranked University of Michigan softball team took a pair of shutout victories to sweep the doubleheader from Valparaiso this afternoon (Sunday, March 28) at Alumni Field. U-M took the first game 10-0 in five innings and then earned a 7-0 win in the full seven innings of game two.
As has been the case for much of the season, the Wolverine hurlers controlled the action. Michigan pitchers did allow a run over the two games, striking out 13, walking none and allowing just seven hits in 12 innings of work.
Sophomore pitcher Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) earned the win in the first contest, going four innings and giving up just three hits along with seven strikeouts. Senior Meghan Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) came in for the final inning to complete the shutout, facing four hitters and giving up just one hit as the sisters finished off their first-ever combined shutout. Freshman Lorilyn Wilson (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS) pitched the complete-game shutout in the second game of the twinbill, allowing just four hits and handing out six strikeouts.
Junior Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) had a good day with the bat as the designated player, combining for 4-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored and three RBI. Freshman Rebekah Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) had the starting nod in leftfield for both contests and went 3-for-7 on the afternoon with three runs scored and one RBI from the No. 2 spot in the order.
Michigan grabbed the early advantage, putting its first run on the board in the bottom of the second. After Motycka lined a hard single to right-center, sophomore third baseman Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena HS) drilled a triple over the head of the rightfielder to score the runner from first for a 1-0 lead.
After a perfect top of the frame, the Maize and Blue went on a nine-run tear in the bottom of the third, with eight of those runs coming after two were out in the inning. With two runs already on the board in the frame, senior rightfielder Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei) made the inning a big one for the Wolverines with a two-out, bases-loaded double to drive in two. Then with a 7-0 lead and runners on first and second, sophomore Stephanie Bercaw (Wooster, Ohio/Hillsdale HS) drilled her first career home run over the fence in left-center to put the Wolverines ahead 10-0 for the eventual final tally.
In game two, the Wolverines once again tallied their first run in the bottom of the second frame, getting some two-out fire off the bat of Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS). With a runner on second, the catcher tagged a run-scoring double to straight-away center. Michigan has now scored 22 runs in the second inning this season while allowing just two.
As Wilson continued to shut down the Crusaders, Michigan added to its lead in the third. Much like game one, the Wolverines put together some clutch two-out hitting, as Motycka drilled a single to right-center to score runners from second and third. Schock continued the rally with a single down the leftfield line to bring home two more and give U-M a 5-0 lead going into the fourth. Motycka and Schock combined for six of Michigan's seven RBI in game two.
Michigan scored two more in the fifth thanks to a solo shot from senior Jennifer Olds (North Palm Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) along with an RBI double off the bat of Motycka. With the score at a 7-0 Wolverine lead, Wilson stayed steady to earn her sixth win of the season.
The Wolverines kick off their Big Ten Conference season on the road next weekend with a four-game road trip at Indiana and Purdue. Michigan plays a pair of single games against the Hoosiers on Friday (April 2, 3 p.m.) and Saturday (noon) before closing out the weekend with a double dip at Purdue on Sunday (April 4, noon EST/CDT).
Q U O T E S
Michigan Coach Carol Hutchins
On the doubleheader overall ... "I liked the fact we were more aggressive at the plate. One of the things we have been talking about is attacking the ball at the plate and going after pitches we can drive, so I think today and our doubleheader on Thursday were good signs of that. Overall, I felt it was a good final tuneup for the Big Ten season because things are going to get much tougher in the conference."
N O T E S
Lorilyn Wilson now has four complete-game shutouts in her first six career starts for the Wolverines.
Jennifer Olds' home run is her sixth of the season, which is No. 2 on the Wolverines behind Jessica Merchant's (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) 11.
Jennie Ritter's win in game one made her the first Wolverine to reach 10 wins this season. The sophomore is now 10-3.
Monica Schock's three RBI in game two are a season high.
Michigan now heads into Big Ten play with eight straight wins and 13 in their last 14.
Michigan's nine-run third inning in game one was its highest output for an inning this season.
Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) collected two hits in game two for her team-leading 12th multi-hit game of the season.
The Michigan pitching staff has now tossed 13 shutouts this season. The school record of 24 was set by the 1996 staff.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ritter, Jennie (10-3)
L: Brittany Atteberry (1-4)
Batting:
SH: Carlene Grecco 1
Base Running:
SB: Kelly Silvey 1
CS: Taylor Callahan 1
Batting:
2B: Betley, Courtney 1
3B: Leutele, Grace 1
HR: Bercaw, Stephanie 1
RBI: Doe, Meghan 1 ; Milian, Rebekah 1 ; Bercaw, Stephanie 3 ; Olds, Jennifer 1 ; Merchant, Jessica 1 ; Leutele, Grace 1 ; Betley, Courtney 2
SF: Merchant, Jessica 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Doe, Meghan 1 ; Milian, Rebekah 2 ; Haas, Tiffany 1 ; Bercaw, Stephanie 1 ; Olds, Jennifer 1 ; Motycka, Nicole 2 ; Leutele, Grace 1 ; Betley, Courtney 1
SB: Doe, Meghan 1
HBP: Leutele, Grace 1
