U-M Drops Season-Opening Pair to No. 4 Washington

Friday, February 19

Gainesville, Fla.

11:00 AM

Michigan

0-1

Washington

5-1

Michigan

Washington

2/19/1999 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Amy Carlton

Site: Gainesville, Fla. (Florida Stadium)
Event: Louisville Slugger Classic
Results: #4 Washington 8, #5 Michigan 0 (6 innings); #4 Washington 6, #5 Michigan 3
Records: U-M (0-2); Washington (6-1)
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Feb. 20 -- vs. Virginia Tech at Louisville Slugger Classic (Gainesville, Fla.), 11 a.m. DH

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- No. 5-ranked University of Michigan opened its 22nd season of softball by dropping a pair of games to No. 4 University of Washington, 8-0 in six innings and 6-3, in the first day of the Louisville Slugger Classic on Friday (Feb. 19). Washington pitching held the Wolverines to just three runs and 11 hits over the doubleheader while striking out 18 U-M hitters. Washington improves to 6-1 while Michigan slips to 0-2.

In the opener, freshman second base Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Mater Dei HS) made her collegiate debut with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, including a single up the middle in her first at-bat. Traci Conrad (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way HS) collected the only other U-M hit, drilling a double to center field.

The Wolverines made a solid attempt to avert a shutout and run-rule finish in the sixth. Conrad doubled with one out, followed by a Catherine Davie (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake HS) walk. After Tammy Mika (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) struck out, Michigan loaded the bases when Washington reliever Bridget Wilcox walked Pam Kosanke (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central HS). The inning ended on a groundout to shortstop by Rebecca Tune (Aloha, Ore./Jesuit HS).

Washington starter Jennifer Spediacci (3-0) struck out eight Wolverines and combined with Wilcox for the shutout. Wolverine starter Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South HS) gave up 10 hits and six runs to take the loss (0-1). Jamie Gillies (Saugus, Calif./Saugus HS) pitched one and one-third innings in relief.

In the second game, Michigan's offense came out aggressive, taking a 2-0 lead in the first when Kollen scored on an error by UW second baseman Christie Rosenblad and Conrad came home on a Kosanke RBI single down the left field line. Washington scored twice in the top of the fifth to tie the game, but the Wolverines came back with a run in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead. The Huskies averted a split for the day with a seventh-inning offensive explosion, scoring four runs on four hits and a U-M error.

Kollen and Davie each pushed through a pair of singles in the second game to lead the eight-hit Michigan offense. Rosie Leutzinger and Jeanine Giordano recorded two hits apiece for Washington. Spediacci (4-0) earned the win in relief of starter Jaime Graves, while freshman Kate Eiland (Fresno, Calif./Clovis West HS) took the loss in her first collegiate start.

The three-day tournament continues on Saturday (Feb. 20) as the Wolverines face Virginia Tech in an 11 a.m. doubleheader while UW goes against host and No. 20-ranked Florida at 4 p.m.

Maize 'n Blue Diamond Gems

• Two Michigan freshmen earned the first starting assignments of their collegiate careers in the season opener vs. Washington. Kelsey Kollen started defensively at second base and was the U-M leadoff batter. Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Salem HS) started in the lineup as the designated player, going 0-for-1 with a walk at the plate. . . . Mary Conner (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS) and Kate Eiland made their first collegiate appearances in the day's second game, Conner as a pinch runner and Eiland as the starting pitcher.

• Senior Traci Conrad played in her 200th Michigan game in today's second game. Conrad has made 199 career starts in her 200 Wolverine games. . . . Michigan's record fell to 13-8-1 in season-opening games with the 8-0 loss in today's first game. . . . The two wins give Washington a 4-3 lead in the all-time softball series between the two schools. UW head coach Teresa Wilson improved her career mark vs. Michigan to 8-7, while Wolverine head coach Carol Hutchins dropped to 3-4 against the Huskies.