Wolverines Hang On, Open Big Ten with Win at Indiana

Friday, April 2

Bloomington, Ind.

3:00 PM

Michigan

26-6, 1-0

Indiana

21-17, 0-1

Michigan

Indiana

4/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The ninth-ranked University of Michigan softball team ran its win streak to nine games with a Big Ten Conference-opening 3-2 win over Indiana this afternoon (Friday, April 2) at the IU Softball Field. Michigan (26-6, 1-0 Big Ten) led by 3-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth behind two-hit performances from seniors Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) and Jennifer Olds (North Palm Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) before Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) came out of the bullpen to save the Wolverine win.

Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) started and earned her 11th win of the season, allowing five hits and striking out seven in 5.2 innings of work. Michigan scored a pair of runs in the sixth on an RBI single from Schock and successful double steal that plated Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) for a 3-0 Wolverines lead.

Indiana cut the lead to 3-2 when the Hoosiers touched Ritter for a walk and two-run home run in the bottom of the frame. After two were out, an Indiana double put the tying run in scoring position, which brought Motycka out of the bullpen. The junior closed out the sixth with a strikeout and then completed the save with a scoreless seventh for her first save of the season.

Schock also played in key role in the Wolverines' opening up a 1-0 lead in the fourth when she delivered a two-out single and advanced to second on a throwing error by the shortstop. Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena HS) then made sure Indiana paid for the miscue with a run-scoring single to plate Schock with an unearned run.

Michigan had opportunities to break things open early but stranded two runners in each of the first two innings. Indiana put runners on second base in the third and fifth innings against Ritter only to have the sophomore come up with the big strikeout and keep the Hoosiers at bay.

Michigan looks to extend its win streak to a season-best 10 games tomorrow (April 3, noon) with the final game of a two-game set at Indiana.

N O T E S

Jennifer Olds, who entered today's game as Michigan's leading hitter (.388), collected a pair of hits for her 10th multi-hit game of the season. Only fellow senior Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) has more (12).

Meghan Doe's six-game hit streak was snapped with an 0-4 effort today, but Monica Schock now owns the longest current Wolverines streak at six games.

Michigan is now 12-10 all-time in Big Ten openers and 15-7 in Big Ten road openers after winning its seventh straight conference road opener.

Michigan is 5-4 this season in one-run games.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423