Sunday, May 6
Ann Arbor, Mich.
1:00 PM
Michigan
42-10, 12-4
9
vs
1
Michigan State
33-25, 7-9
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Michigan State
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
1
Michigan
3
2
0
2
2
9
12
0
Wolverines Pick Up Senior Day Victory Over Spartans
5/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior leftfielder Rebekah Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) went 3-for-4 with three RBI to headline the No. 8-ranked University of Michigan softball team's dominant 9-1, five-inning victory against intrastate rival Michigan State in the regular-season finale Sunday afternoon (May 6) in front of 2,115 fans at Alumni Field.
Both teams were clad in pink jerseys and socks as part of the first annual Strike Out Breast Cancer weekend between Michigan and Michigan State. Combining the ticket and T-shirt sales with the monies generated through the U-M jersey silent auction, today's event raised nearly $15,000 for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, the premier event of the American Cancer Society.
The runs came early and often for the Wolverines, who carried a six-run advantage into the fifth frame. With one out and the bases loaded, Milian connected on the first pitch, ripping a double -- her second of the contest -- down the leftfield line to score two and bring an immediate end to the game.
Eight different Wolverines combined for 12 hits, including five for extra bases, as Michigan claimed its ninth run-rule decision of the season. Junior Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS) and sophomore Teddi Ewing (Olathe, Kan./East HS) also tallied multi-hit outings -- the second for each in as many games -- batting 2-for-3 while combining for five runs scored.
Freshman Nikki Nemitz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) earned the complete-game victory, fanning three and giving up three hits -- all singles -- to improve her season record to 21-4. Michigan State struck early with a run scored in the top of the first, but, in the remaining four frames, Nemitz did not allow an MSU runner into scoring position.
After giving up the quick first-inning run, the Wolverines stormed back in the bottom half of the frame, scoring three runs off three hits and a hit batsman. Giampaolo and Milian recorded back-to-back hits from the 1-2 spots and freshman Angela Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) caught an inside pitch to load the bases for senior Tiffany Worthy (Yorba Linda, Calif./Lutheran HS). Worthy, who, like Milian, was recognized during pre-game, senior-day festivities, fouled off several pitches on a 2-2 count before driving a deep shot to left center to bring in the Wolverines' leadoff batters. Findlay scored during the next at-bat as a result of an illegal pitch -- the second time in six games that U-M scored in such a scenario.
U-M continued to build its advantage in the second, using three doubles over a four-batter span to score an additional two runs. Freshman Molly Bausher (Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley HS) took the first pitch she saw to deep leftfield, claiming her first-career two-bagger, and immediately came home when Ewing doubled to right center in the next at-bat. MSU threatened to end the offensive strike by collecting its second out, but Milian maintained the momentum and lined another deep hit to right center and score Ewing from second base.
The Wolverines used strong baserunning and a pair of unusual plays in manufacture two more runs in the bottom of the fourth and extend their advantage to six. With two runners on and one out, Milian sent a grounder to Spartan second baseman Gina Mondo and was thrown out at first. Giampaolo, however, was caught in a rundown between first and second and provided the necessary distration to allow Ewing to race home from second and narrowly beat the eventual play at the plate. In the next at-bat, junior Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) threw a high pop up to shallow centerfield that dropped in for hit when Mondo and centerfielder Nikki Nicosia collided while chasing it down. Giampaolo came home from second on the play, while Findlay advanced a base on the throw.
Michigan will travel to Columbus, Ohio, next weekend for the 2007 Big Ten Softball Tournament. As the No. 3 seed, the Wolverines will open play on Friday (May 11) with a noon meeting against No. 6 Illinois. All games will be held at Ohio State's Buckeye Field.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Both teams were clad in pink jerseys and socks as part of the first annual Strike Out Breast Cancer weekend between Michigan and Michigan State. Combining the ticket and T-shirt sales with the monies generated through the U-M jersey silent auction, today's event raised nearly $15,000 for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, the premier event of the American Cancer Society.
The runs came early and often for the Wolverines, who carried a six-run advantage into the fifth frame. With one out and the bases loaded, Milian connected on the first pitch, ripping a double -- her second of the contest -- down the leftfield line to score two and bring an immediate end to the game.
Eight different Wolverines combined for 12 hits, including five for extra bases, as Michigan claimed its ninth run-rule decision of the season. Junior Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS) and sophomore Teddi Ewing (Olathe, Kan./East HS) also tallied multi-hit outings -- the second for each in as many games -- batting 2-for-3 while combining for five runs scored.
Freshman Nikki Nemitz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) earned the complete-game victory, fanning three and giving up three hits -- all singles -- to improve her season record to 21-4. Michigan State struck early with a run scored in the top of the first, but, in the remaining four frames, Nemitz did not allow an MSU runner into scoring position.
After giving up the quick first-inning run, the Wolverines stormed back in the bottom half of the frame, scoring three runs off three hits and a hit batsman. Giampaolo and Milian recorded back-to-back hits from the 1-2 spots and freshman Angela Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) caught an inside pitch to load the bases for senior Tiffany Worthy (Yorba Linda, Calif./Lutheran HS). Worthy, who, like Milian, was recognized during pre-game, senior-day festivities, fouled off several pitches on a 2-2 count before driving a deep shot to left center to bring in the Wolverines' leadoff batters. Findlay scored during the next at-bat as a result of an illegal pitch -- the second time in six games that U-M scored in such a scenario.
U-M continued to build its advantage in the second, using three doubles over a four-batter span to score an additional two runs. Freshman Molly Bausher (Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley HS) took the first pitch she saw to deep leftfield, claiming her first-career two-bagger, and immediately came home when Ewing doubled to right center in the next at-bat. MSU threatened to end the offensive strike by collecting its second out, but Milian maintained the momentum and lined another deep hit to right center and score Ewing from second base.
The Wolverines used strong baserunning and a pair of unusual plays in manufacture two more runs in the bottom of the fourth and extend their advantage to six. With two runners on and one out, Milian sent a grounder to Spartan second baseman Gina Mondo and was thrown out at first. Giampaolo, however, was caught in a rundown between first and second and provided the necessary distration to allow Ewing to race home from second and narrowly beat the eventual play at the plate. In the next at-bat, junior Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) threw a high pop up to shallow centerfield that dropped in for hit when Mondo and centerfielder Nikki Nicosia collided while chasing it down. Giampaolo came home from second on the play, while Findlay advanced a base on the throw.
Michigan will travel to Columbus, Ohio, next weekend for the 2007 Big Ten Softball Tournament. As the No. 3 seed, the Wolverines will open play on Friday (May 11) with a noon meeting against No. 6 Illinois. All games will be held at Ohio State's Buckeye Field.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nemitz, Nikki (21-4)
L: Turney (12-10)
Batting:
RBI: Feenstra 1
SH: Mercado 1
Base Running:
RUNS: NNicosia 1
Batting:
2B: Milian, Rebekah 2 ; Worthy, Tiffany 1 ; Bausher, Molly 1 ; Ewing, Teddi 1
RBI: Milian, Rebekah 3 ; Findlay, Samantha 1 ; Worthy, Tiffany 2 ; Ewing, Teddi 1
SH: Worthy, Tiffany 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Giampaolo, Alessandra 2 ; Milian, Rebekah 1 ; Findlay, Angela 1 ; Bausher, Molly 2 ; Ewing, Teddi 3
SB: Giampaolo, Alessandra 1
CS: Worthy, Tiffany 1 ; Viefhaus, Maggie 1
HBP: Findlay, Angela 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF/OF
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ Softball1B
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
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