Michigan
38-13
Michigan State
34-25
Michigan Blasts Michigan State in Postseason Opener
5/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The University of Michigan softball team began its postseason drive to the 2006 Women's College World Series with a bang with a 13-0 run-rule victory over Michigan State in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament Friday (May 12) at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
Senior Becky Marx (St. Joseph, Mich./Lakeshore) accounted for four of the Wolverines' 12 hits through four innings with a career-best 4-for-4 performance, including a solo home run in the first inning and two hits and a pair of RBI in the third. Sophomore Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./Lockport East) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI, following Marx's first-inning homer with a long ball of her own to move into a tie for second place on U-M's all-time home runs list with 28.
Michigan hit four home runs against the Spartans with senior Stephanie Bercaw (Wooster, Ohio/Hillsdale) jacking a three-run shot in the third and sophomore Angie Danis (Manchester, Mo./Parkway West) tallying the first home run of her collegiate career in the fourth, driving in three runs.
Starting senior pitcher Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) went the distance, pitching five innings, giving up one hit, and striking out six. Ritter fought off the cold and her offense's long innings to strike out a batter in every inning, including the final two Spartans she faced, to improve to 25-6 on the season. Michigan State starter Rachel Turney pitched 2.0 innings, giving up four runs to fall to 17-13.
Despite 40-degree weather, 10 mph winds and intermittent rain, Michigan started off the home half of the first inning with a pair of runs courtesy of back-to-back home runs by Marx and Findlay to lead 2-0. The Spartans solidified in the second to hold Michigan scoreless despite runners on second and third, but the Wolverines overpowered their in-state rivals with an eight-run third to put the game away.
Michigan's eight-run third inning featured eight runs, seven hits and one Spartan error as Marx went 2-for-2 in the frame and Findlay and Giampaolo each recorded hits and reached base twice in the inning. The Wolverines batted around in the third with junior Rebekah Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) leading off with a stinging HBP, followed by a single off the fence in right-center by Marx to put runners on the corners. Findlay drove in her second run of the game with a single in the next at-bat, and sophomore Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic) followed with a base hit of her own to make it 4-0 Wolverines with runners on the corners and no outs.
Senior Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena) connected for her first base hit of the morning to load the bags, and junior Tiffany Worthy (Yorba Linda, Calif./Lutheran) drove a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Findlay from third and putting U-M up 5-0. Bercaw stepped to the plate with runners on the corners and took a pitch to deep left-center, clearing the bases and making it 8-0. Freshman Teddi Ewing (Olathe, Kan./Olathe East) struck out in the next at-bat but reached on a passed ball to prolong the Spartans' misery, and senior Tiffany Haas (North Tustin, Calif/Foothill) singled to center to continue the threat. Michigan State recorded the second out of the inning when Milian grounded out in her second at-bat of the frame, but Marx followed with her second hit of the inning, a two-RBI drive up the middle to make it 10-0. Findlay reached on an error and Giampaolo loaded the bases after striking out and reaching first on the second passed ball of the inning before Michigan State could finally end the convoluted third.
Ritter surrendered her first hit -- an infield single that squirted past her glove -- in the fourth inning, and her offense responded with three more runs in the home half thanks to Danis' three-run homer, which gave her a career-best eighth RBI this year. Worthy and Ewing reached on walks to begin the inning and Danis pinch-hit for Milian and put U-M ahead 13-0. Marx recorded her fourth hit of the day in the next at-bat and Findlay drew a walk before the Spartans recorded the final out.
Michigan advances to the semifinal round of the Big Ten Tournament and will face Indiana on Saturday (May 13) at 9 a.m. CDT. The sixth-seeded Hoosiers defeated No. 3 seed Iowa 5-4 in Friday's third quarterfinal.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins
On the weather ... "We tried to keep (Jennie) Ritter warm today, so we kept her in the building a little bit longer than usual, maybe too long. It's very tough to pitch in this weather. It's biting, damp weather and your fingers freeze. Pitchers struggle to stay warm in it. We sat her next to the heater and she pitched a little during the long innings."
On Michigan hitting its stride late in the season ... "I really hope we're hitting our stride now. Becky Marx has been consistent all year and is getting some good at-bats. She's staying within herself and hitting has been contagious. It's great when the whole team is hot, but the challenge will be who will step up when things don't come so easily. The key is how you play when it starts to get tough."
U-M Senior Catcher Becky Marx
On her performance against Michigan State ... "I switched to a lighter bat this morning and it really helped. I was having trouble getting the blue bat through the zone. Even though I hit okay last week, they were dinky hits. I warmed up with a lighter bat this morning and it felt good during the game. I also had a good warmup, which helped. I love games like this where we score a ton of runs, and it's always something special to beat a rival like Michigan State."
N O T E S
Senior Becky Marx made the 200th start of her collegiate career Friday. Marx has started 109 games with the Wolverines after making 81 starts at Loyola (Ill.).
Senior Jennie Ritter threw her 82nd career complete game, moving into a tie for third on U-M's all-time list with Marissa Young (2000-03).
Sophomore Samantha Findlay moved into a tie for second place on U-M's all-time home runs list with senior Grace Leutele after knocking her 29th home run Friday.
Michigan has hammered seven home runs in the last three games, including a pair for senior Stephanie Bercaw and sophomore Samantha Findlay.
Sophomore Samantha Findlay is batting .778 (7-for-9) with three RBI, two home runs, seven RBI, two doubles and three walks against Michigan State in the last three meetings.
Senior Becky Marx needs one home run to tie for the most single-season home runs by a Michigan catcher in program history. Melissa Gentile hit 13 home runs in 1998.
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ritter, Jennie (25-6)
L: R. Turney (17-13)
Batting:
HR: Danis, Angie 1 ; Marx, Becky 1 ; Findlay, Samantha 1 ; Bercaw, Stephanie 1
RBI: Danis, Angie 3 ; Marx, Becky 3 ; Findlay, Samantha 2 ; Giampaolo, Alessandra 1 ; Worthy, Tiffany 1 ; Bercaw, Stephanie 3
SF: Worthy, Tiffany 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Haas, Tiffany 1 ; Milian, Rebekah 1 ; Danis, Angie 1 ; Marx, Becky 1 ; Weatherdon, Michelle 1 ; Findlay, Samantha 2 ; Giampaolo, Alessandra 1 ; Leutele, Grace 1 ; Worthy, Tiffany 1 ; Bercaw, Stephanie 1 ; Ewing, Teddi 2
HBP: Milian, Rebekah 1
