Seventh-Inning Heroics Propel U-M Over Gamecocks

Saturday, February 9

Boca Raton, Fla.

4:00 PM

Michigan

2-1

South Carolina

1-3

Michigan

South Carolina

2/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Boca Raton, Fla. (FAU Softball Stadium)
Event: Kick-Off Classic
Scores: #12 Michigan 3, South Carolina 2
Records: Michigan (2-1), South Carolina (1-3)
Next U-M Events: Sunday, Feb. 10 -- vs. Florida Atlantic (9 a.m.), vs. Maryland (11 a.m.) in Kick-Off Classic (Boca Raton, Fla.)

Boxscore

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Seventh-inning heroic propelled the No. 12-ranked University of Michigan softball team to a 3-2 decision over South Carolina on the second day of competition at the Kick-Off Classic on Saturday (Feb. 9) at the FAU Softball Stadium. Bad weather halted the game for nearly 90 minutes in the opening frame and wiped out the Wolverines nightcap against host Florida Atlantic. The game has been rescheduled for Sunday at 9 a.m.

Sophomore Molly Bausher(Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley HS) paced the Maize and Blue at the plate, batting 2-for-2 with a walk. Sophomore Angela Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS) keyed the Wolverines' rally with a seventh-inning double -- Michigan's lone extra-base hit of the afternoon -- while sophomore Roya St. Clair(Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) and junior Teddi Ewing(Olathe, Kan./East HS), despite going hitless in the contest, each tallied an RBI in the deciding final frame.

Sophomore Nikki Nemitz(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) registered her second complete-game performance in as many days, fanning seven while giving up six hits, including four in the opening frame, and a walk through seven innings pitched.

Michigan trailed from the onset, falling behind early after a big first inning from the Gamecocks. The Gamecocks' centerfielder Lisa Longo got aboard with a leadoff double and her teammates followed up with three singles in the next five at-bats to score a pair of runs with just one out. Nemitz got herself out of the jam with two on, striking out first baseman Jacqueline Wetherbee to end the inning.

The Wolverine ace got better as the game wore on, giving up a hit in each of the subsequent innings before sitting down 11 of the next 13 batters to close the game on a roll.

Michigan continued to struggle at the plate for much of the game, going three up, three down in the second, third and fifth innings. But, like Nemitz, the Wolverine hitters found their groove late and came through when needed, tallying a pair of hits and three runs in the top of the seventh.

With senior first baseman Samantha Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS) on base with a leadoff walk, Angela Findlay ripped a double to the outfield and move her sister into scoring position. After a Gamecocks strikeout, St. Clair reached base on a error by USC catcher Laura Mendes, allowing the elder Findlay to trot home from third base. Nemitz drove a single to rightfield -- her second collegiate hit -- to keep the Wolverine rally going, and, in the subsequent at-bat, Ewing lofted a sacrifice fly to centerfield, bringing home junior pinch runner Megan Gregory(Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) for the game-winning tally.

With the Wolverines in control for the first time in the contest, Nemitz sat down three of four Gamecock batters -- the leadoff reached as a result of a U-M fielding error -- in the bottom half of the inning with a pop up, ground out and strikeout.

The Wolverines (2-1) will wrap up play at the Kick-Off Classic tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 10) with a pair of non-conference meetings at the FAU Softball Stadium. U-M will place host Florida Atlantic at 9 a.m., before concluding the tournament with a rematch vs. Maryland at 11 a.m.

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423