Weekly Release #9
4/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday, April 14 -- DH at Eastern Michigan (Ypsilanti, Mich.), 3 p.m.
Friday, April 16 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), 6 p.m. CDT
Saturday, April 17 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), noon CDT
Sunday, April 18 -- DH at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), noon CDT
Tuesday, April 20 -- DH vs. Central Michigan (Alumni Field), 4 p.m.
Friday, April 23 -- vs. Minnesota (Alumni Field), 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 24 -- vs. Minnesota (Alumni Field), 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 25 -- DH vs. Wisconsin (Alumni Field), noon
First Pitch
The ninth-ranked University of Michigan softball will put its 16-game win streak and perfect 8-0 start in conference action on the line this week with six games away from Alumni Field. The Wolverines travel just a few miles down the road to open the week with a doubleheader at Eastern Michigan on Wednesday (April 14, 3 p.m.) before embarking on a Big Ten trip to face two of the top four teams in the league to date. Michigan (33-6, 8-0) travels to third-place Illinois (28-14-1, 6-2) for single games on Friday (April 16, 6 p.m. CDT) and Saturday (April 17, noon CDT) and then closes out the road trip with a doubleheader at Iowa (27-15, 8-0) on Sunday (April 18, noon CDT) in what could be a battle for first place.
The Opponents
Eastern Michigan (12-17): The Eagles are 3-3 in their last six, but dropped a three-game set at Miami (Ohio) this past weekend to drop their conference mark to 2-7 ... Nikki Denman (.372, 7 HR, 22 RBI) and Deanna Wisniewski (.352, 4 HR, 15 RBI) lead the EMU offense ... five different Eagles have started at least four games ... Denman leads the staff with a 1.81 ERA despite a 2-4 mark ... EMU dropped a 5-0 decision to Michigan earlier this season at the Florida Atlantic Invitational ... EMU on the Internet: www.emich.edu/goeagles ... Series: Michigan leads, 41-8.
Illinois (28-14-1, 6-2): The Fighting Illini are coming off a perfect weekend with two-game sweeps over Purdue and Indiana ... Illinois has won seven of its last 10 and owns a win over then No. 14 LSU (7-2, Feb. 8) and a pair of wins over then-No. 15 Texas A&M (5-0, Feb. 20/4-3, Feb. 21) ... Illinois is hitting .274 as a team with four regulars hitting at least .333, led by Lindsey Hamma (.366) ... Illinois' staff owns a 1.64 ERA, led by Amanda Fortune (17-7, 1.49 ERA) ... Illinois on the Internet: www.fightingillini.com ... Series: Michigan leads, 4-1.
Iowa (27-15, 8-0): The Hawkeyes have won eight straight and 11 of their last 13 ... Iowa is coming off a perfect 4-0 Big Ten weekend with two-game sweeps over Indiana and Purdue ... the Hawkeyes are hitting .271 as a team, including three regulars over .300, led by Kylie Murray (.326) ... 2003 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Lisa Birroci is 15-8 with an 0.92 ERA and has 206 K's in 152.1 innings ... Iowa faces Iowa State on Wednesday and Coe College on Friday before hosting the Wolverines this weekend ... Iowa on the Internet: www.hawkeyesports.com ... Series: Iowa leads, 50-37-1.
Michigan-Iowa Rivalry Renewed
Michigan and Iowa have combined to win the last nine Big Ten regular-season championships with six going Michigan's way and three going to Iowa, including the 2003 title. Michigan and Iowa did not meet last season when the scheduled two-game set in Ann Arbor was cancelled due to poor weather. Michigan and Iowa last met on April 21, 2002, with the Wolverines gaining a 3-1 win in Iowa City. Michigan, however, has lost five of its last eight meetings with the Hawkeyes. The Michigan-Iowa series has turned into successive pitcher's duels, with six of the last seven meetings ending in a deficit of two runs or less, with Michigan's 6-1 win over Iowa in the 2001 Big Ten Tournament being the only exception.
Michigan-Illinois Series Just Beginning
Unlike the tradition that has developed between Michigan and Iowa for the past 23 years, Michigan and Illinois have facing each other on the softball diamond for just three years, with the Wolverines holding a 4-1 advantage. Michigan and Illinois did face off last season, with the Fighting Illini gaining a 4-0 win and spoiling the Wolverines' opening day. Michigan evened the season series the next day with a 12-4 win behind an 18-hit offensive attack that included four home runs and a 4-4 day from Marissa Young.
Washtenaw County Rivals
Michigan carries a 17-game series win streak into its twinbill against Eastern Michigan on Wednesday. The Wolverines swept a pair of doubleheaders from the Eagles last season at Alumni Field, winning 7-1 and 10-2 on April 15, 2003, and then completing the season sweep with 6-0 and 12-2 wins on April 29, 2003. The last six Michigan-EMU meetings have been at Alumni Field with the Wolverines last trip to Ypsilanti coming on May 2, 2001, when the Maize and Blue earned an 8-0 win in game one, but had to pull out an extra-inning 7-6 victory in game two. Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) had one of her best games as a Wolverine in the game-two (12-2) win last April 29. Merchant went 2-3 with a grand slam and a two-run home run for a then career-best six RBI.
Going Deep
Jessica Merchant continues her assault on the Michigan home run records after drilling a solo shot in the top of the seventh to give Michigan its 1-0 margin of victory against Ohio State on Saturday. Merchant's home run matched the Michigan single-season record of 13 that is shared by Melissa Gentile (1997-2000) and Marissa Young (2000-03) and moved the junior shortstop into sole possession of second place on the Michigan career list.
Michigan's Career Home Run Leaders
| 1. | Melissa Gentile, 1997-2000 | 28 |
| 2. | Jessica Merchant, 2002-present | 23 |
| 3. | Marissa Young, 2000-03 | 22 |
Michigan's Single-Season Home Run Leaders
| 1. | Melissa Gentile, 1998 | 13 |
| | Marissa Young, 2003 | 13 |
| | Jessica Merchant, 2004 | 13 |
The Streak, More In-Depth
Michigan's current 16-game win streak has been a balanced attack of good pitching, solid defense and timely hitting throughout the lineup. The Wolverines are hitting .316, fielding .991 and sport an ERA of 0.58. Junior Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) has keyed the streak, hitting a team-best .421 with three home runs and nine RBI while being almost unhittable in the circle. Motycka is 5-0 with a save in six appearances with an ERA of 0.19 while striking out 32, walking two and allowing just 21 hits in 36.1 innings of work. Other notables include senior catcher Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS), who has hit .400 during the streak to bring her season average up to .310 and has been rewarded with a move up in the lineup to the No. 3 spot.
Goose Eggs
The Michigan pitching staff was having an excellent year before collecting 13 shutouts while helping the Wolverines to 16 straight wins. They are now approaching one of the best seasons a Michigan staff has ever produced. The Wolverine staff has combined for 19 shutouts through the first 39 games and is just five shutouts shy of matching the school record (24) set by the 1996 staff, which was led by three-time All-American Sara Griffin (1995-98). Michigan carries a streak of six straight shutouts and 41.1 consecutive scoreless innings into the doubleheader against Eastern Michigan.
Throwing Darts
One of the reasons for the staff's success this season has been its control, issuing just 50 walks through the first 257.1 innings this season. During the 16-game win streak, Michigan's staff has an amazing 9.54-1 K-BB ratio (124-13) and now sports a 5.76-1 (288-50) ratio for the season, which would be a new school record. The current record is held by the 2002 staff, which put together a 4.52-1 (420-93) ratio behind the record-setting season by Marissa Young. While Jennie Ritter leads the way with 155 K's this season, Nicole Motycka continues her most dominant season in the circle with an 8.4-1 ratio (76-9). Motycka has walked just two of the last 134 batters she has faced and has not faced more than six over the minimum in any of her last five starts.
Power Surge
After losing 22 of their school-record 50 home runs in 2003 to the graduations of Marissa Young and Melinda Moulden, the Wolverines were expecting to manufacture more offense this season with the short game. While the batting average remains at .300, Michigan has remained a team that can score in bunches and leads the Big Ten with 30 home runs. Jessica Merchant leads the conference with 13 long balls and Jennifer Olds (North Palm Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) has chipped in with nine as the Wolverines have already posted the third-best single-season home run effort in school history. The 2002 squad belted 37 home runs.
Defense Rounds Into Form
The Wolverines have really settled into form defensively during the win streak and have committed just four errors in their last 17 games after committing 26 in the first 22 contests this season. Their .991 fielding percentage during the win streak has boosted their season fielding mark to .973, which now leads the Big Ten. Michigan also tops the Big Ten in ERA (0.63) and is second in batting average (.300).
Wolverines Take Four Straight at Home
The Wolverines remained in a tie atop the Big Ten conference after going 4-0 this past weekend with two-game sweeps over Ohio State and Penn State. Nicole Motycka tossed a pair of complete-game shutouts and hit .417 in the four contests, while Jessica Merchant hit .364 and drove in four runs. Merchant's home run was a solo shot in a 1-0 win on Saturday that helped Motycka notch the shutout. Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) also tossed a complete-game shutout in a 3-0 win over Ohio State on Friday with the key blow being a two-run home run off the bat of Jennifer Olds. Merchant then drove in four as the Wolverines pounded out 11 hits in a 7-0 shutout in game one against Penn State that was a combined effort by Ritter and Lorilyn Wilson (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS). Motycka closed out the weekend with a dominant performance in the circle, taking a perfect game into the fifth inning before tallying the 2-0 win over Penn State in the nightcap.
Record/Milestone Watch
Meghan Doe moved into a tie for fourth place on the all-time stolen base list with 50 and is one shy of moving alone fourth place alone.
Meghan Doe has 47 career sacrifices and is one shy of tying Kellyn Tate (1995-98) for third on the all-time list.
Nicole Motycka has 271 career K's and is 14 shy of matching Andrea Nelson (1988-91) for seventh on the all-time list.
Monica Schock recently drew the 82nd walk of her career to move into second-place on the all-time list. Stefanie Volpe (1999-2002) owns the school record of 147.
Season Highlights
Nicole Motycka set a Michigan record with three home runs in a 9-0 win over Purdue on April 4. Grace Leutele added two long balls and Merchant connected once as the Wolverines set a school record with six for the game.
Jessica Merchant went 3-5 with three home runs and nine RBI, including her second career grand slam in a doubleheader sweep over Bowling Green on March 25.
Jennie Ritter has won three Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors this season (Feb. 20, March 9, March 16).
Jessica Merchant has garnered two Big Ten Player of the Week honors (Feb. 26, March 30).
Twice this season Michigan has swept both the Big Ten Player and Pitcher of the Week honors. Jennifer Olds and Jennie Ritter (Feb. 20)/Tiffany Haas and Jennie Ritter (March 16).
Jennie Ritter became just the 12th hurler in Michigan history to register a no-hitter. Ritter faced only one over the minimum, struck out nine and walked none in a 3-0 win over Notre Dame at the Florida State Invitational on March 12. She carried a perfect game into the seventh before hitting a batter with one out for the Irish's only baserunner in the game. It was the 20th no-hitter in Michigan history and the first since Marissa Young (2000-03) tossed a perfect game vs. Utah State on Feb. 16, 2002.
Jessica Merchant earned tournament MVP recognition at the Florida Atlantic Invitational (Feb. 22) after hitting .438 (7-16) for the tournament with three home runs and a 1.125 slugging percentage and leading the Wolverines to the title with a 4-3 win over host FAU in the championship game.
Meghan Doe drilled a two-out, bases loaded double in the eighth to beat then-No. 14 Nebraska 4-1 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 27. The Wolverines went 3-0 to win Pool A and reach the Gold Bracket Playoffs.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
