Wolverines Run-Rule Billikens Behind Nemitz, Powers

Sunday, February 15

Las Vegas, Nev.

9:00 AM PT

Michigan

8-2

Saint Louis

1-4

Saint Louis

Michigan

2/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

Site: Henderson, Nev. (Stephanie Lynn Craig Park)
Event: Louisville Slugger Desert Classic
Scores: #6 Michigan 12, Saint Louis 1 (6 innings)
Records: U-M (8-2), SLU (1-4)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 21 -- vs. East Carolina at Seminole Classic (Tallahassee, Fla.), 10 a.m.

Boxscore

HENDERSON, Nev. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan softball team wrapped up its appearance at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic with its most dominant win of the season, defeating Saint Louis 12-1 in six innings Sunday morning (Feb. 15) at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park.

Eight different Wolverine players recorded hits, but it was sophomore designated player Marley Powers(Owosso, Mich./Owosso HS) who highlighted Michigan's offensive efforts with a game-ending grand slam in the bottom half of the sixth, capping Michigan's five-run frame and bringing an immediate end to the contest. It was the Wolverines' first grand slam of the season and the fourth for Powers in her brief collegiate career. The U-M sophomore already ranks second among Michigan's career grand slam leaders.

Junior third baseman Maggie Viefhaus(Eureka, Mo./Eureka HS), junior catcher Roya St. Clair(Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) and junior centerfielder Molly Bausher(Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley HS) all boasted multi-hit performances and combined for three runs batted in and three runs scored as the Wolverines registered their most hits (11) and runs (12) of the season.

Junior hurler Nikki Nemitz(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) earned the win from the pitching circle, turning in a complete-game one-hitter to improve her season record to 5-1. Nemitz fanned 12 Billiken batters -- her second double-digit strikeout effort of the season -- and, after sacrificing the early lead on a first-inning triple, set down the final 16 batters she faced to close out the contest.

The Billikens' run followed a hit batsman -- the third recorded by Nemitz this season -- and subsequent stolen base. With two outs and Liz Jones on second, Saint Louis' Nicki Jost ripped a triple down the rightfield line to give her team the early advantage.

Viefhaus used a single to left to kick off a two-out rally in the home half of the inning and, in the next at-bat, scored the game-tying run from first base when freshman second baseman Amanda Chidester(Allen Park, Mich./Cabrini HS) fired her second double of the season down the leftfield line. Chidester came home herself after a series of Billiken miscues, advancing to third on a wild pitch before racing home on a passed ball in the subsequent at-bat.

Michigan increased its lead in the third, pounding out four more runs on four hits, a pair of walks and a hit batsman. Freshman Bree Evans(Bloomington, Calif./Rialto HS) opened the frame with a base hit up the middle before Billiken pitcher Kelcie Matesa plunked Viefhaus and issued back-to-back walks to bring home the Wolverine rookie. With the bases still loaded through the next two at-bats and nobody out, St. Clair knocked an RBI single up the middle and junior rightfielder Angela Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS) lifted a high sacrifice fly to left to drive in a run apiece. Freshman designated player Stephanie Kirkpatrick(Plainfield, Ill./Central HS) used a poke through the leftside gap to again load the bases before Bausher hammered a base hit up the middle to cap the inning's effort.

Bausher continued the momentum in her next at-bat in the fifth frame, lacing a two-out RBI double to the centerfield fence to bring home Kirkpatrick from first base and register her first multi-RBI showing of the season.

Michigan's sixth inning proved similar to its four-run third as the Wolverines required little work to quickly load the bases. After back-to-back walks, a wild pitch and a hit batsman, senior shortstop Teddi Ewing(Olathe, Kan./East HS) came home on a passed ball, pulling her team just one tally shy of the run rule. Sophomore first baseman Dorian Shaw(Burke, Va./Robinson SS) singled to third to again load the bases, setting up Powers' towering four-run jack to left-centerfield.

The Wolverines will head to Tallahassee, Fla., to participate in the Seminole Classic next weekend (Feb. 21-22) at JoAnne Graf Field. U-M will open play against East Carolina at 10 a.m. on Friday before facing California-Riverside at 12:15 p.m.

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423