Wolverines Use Five-Run Seventh to Rally at Purdue

Friday, April 20

West Lafayette, Ind.

4:00 PM

Michigan

34-8, 5-2

Purdue

26-28-1, 4-6

Michigan

Purdue

4/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan softball team scored five times in the top of the seventh inning to stage a 5-1 comeback victory against Purdue Friday (April 20) at the Varsity Softball Complex.

After combining for one hit through six innings, the Wolverines found their bats in the top of the final frame and manufactured five runs off of four hits to steal the advantage. With the bases loaded and no outs, Purdue pitcher Brooke Baker walked in the tying run before freshman Roya St. Clair (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) registered the game-winning RBI with a fielder's choice in the next at-bat.

Junior Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) and freshman Angela Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) led off the inning with back-to-back singles -- the first through the left-side gap and the latter straight up the middle -- and senior Tiffany Worthy (Yorba Linda, Calif./Lutheran HS) reached on a sacrifice bunt to load the bases. Purdue earned its first out and -- in the subsequent at-bat -- sophomore Allison Kidman (Tarpon Springs, Fla./Countryside HS) fell behind but fought back to take the full-count walk, bringing home Samantha Findlay for the game-tying score.

St. Clair's successful fielder's choice scored Angela Findlay from third base and gave the Wolverines their first lead. Purdue earned its second out as a result of freshman Maggie Viefhaus' (Eureka, Mo./Eureka HS) fielder's choice, but the bases remained loaded for junior Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS), who ripped a single down the rightfield line to score two more. Giampaolo also initiated the play that would earn U-M its final run when she successfully stole second base. Purdue second baseman Kelly Miller committed an error on the play, allowing Viefhaus to trot home from third.

With Michigan safely in the lead, senior pitcher Lorilyn Wilson (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS) retired three straight batters -- striking out two -- in the bottom half of the inning to improve her season mark to 19-4. Wilson was solid through the entirety of the contest, giving up just two hits while striking out 10 -- her 12th double-digit strikeout performance of the year.

The Boilermakers took the initial lead in the bottom of the third frame as third baseman Ashley Hall broke Wilson's no-hitter with an RBI double down the leftfield line. Purdue catcher Erika Peterson reached from the leadoff spot after getting plunked by an inside pitch and -- in the next at-bat -- her pinch runner moved to second base with a sacrifice bunt.

The Wolverines will wrap up the two-game series at Purdue Saturday (April 21, noon) at the Varsity Softball Complex.

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423