Barda's One-Hit Gem Completes Sweep of Chippewas

Wednesday, April 11

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

22-11-1

Central Michigan

19-16

Central Michigan

Michigan

4/11/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Results: Michigan 8, Central Michigan 1; Michigan 3, Central Michigan 0
Records: U-M (23-11-1), CMU (19-17)
Next U-M Game: Friday, April 13 -- DH at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 2 p.m. CDT

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan softball team ran its winning streak to 11 games this afternoon (Wednesday, April 11) with an 8-1, 3-0 doubleheader sweep of Central Michigan at Alumni Field. Senior hurler Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale HS) stole the show in game two, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up a one-out single to Chippewa second baseman Kim Burke.

Barda eventually closed out the 3-0 Michigan win, throwing the seventh one-hitter of her career and fifth complete-game shutout of the season. Senior Melissa Taylor (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield HS), who is third in the nation in hitting (.480), paced the Wolverines in game one, going 2-3 with three RBI and making a pair of highlight-reel defensive plays from rightfield.

Michigan (23-11-1) got on the board in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI double by third baseman Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Salem HS), which scored Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) from third. Kollen, who extended her Michigan season-best hitting streak to 11 games with a leadoff double, moved to third on a sacrifice by Taylor.

Central Michigan touched starter Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) for two of the its five hits in the second inning to push across its only run of the game. A leadoff double by Kim Burke was followed by a single and sacrifice bunt to score Burke from third.

The game was not tied for long, however, as the Wolverines broke it open with four runs in the bottom of the second. Centerfielder Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) reached on a one-out single and moved up to second on a sacrifice by Kollen, which turned into an error by the catcher. Taylor and Volpe then came through with back-to-back singles, driving in one run with each hit. With Taylor on the third, Volple stole second, which put two runners in scoring position for cleanup hitter Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS), who delivered a single to centerfield to score two more Michigan runs.

With the four-run cushion, Young settled down and allowed just two baserunners over the next four innings, striking out a pair. Michigan struck for two more runs in the third to widen the margin. Doe reached on an error to lead off the inning, preceding back-to-back doubles by Kollen and Taylor, with Taylor's shot down the rightfield line scoring both Kollen and Doe. Kollen also drove in a run in the fourth for good measure on a bases-loaded walk. Young eventually went the distance, striking out five and walking none for her 12th win of the season.

The nightcap was dominated by Barda, who set down the first six batters she faced, but an error, walk and wild pitch in the third put Central Michigan runners on second and third with two outs. Barda, however, escaped without any damage after striking out No. 2 hitter Amy Morrison. Michigan had taken its first lead one inning earlier on a two-out double by Tune, her team-leading 10th of the year, followed by an RBI single off the bat of Young.

Barda set down the side in order in the fourth and allowed just one walk, her second of the game, in the fifth, before the Wolverines added one more run in their half of the fifth. Tune was in the act again with a leadoff single. Senior Chrissy Garza (Southgate, Mich./Southgate Anderson HS) pinch ran for Tune, immediately stole second base and was moved to third on a sacrifice by Young. Catcher Kim Bugel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest HS) then delivered an RBI groundout to the shortstop for an insurance run heading into the seventh.

After getting the leadoff hitter to ground out to Tune at shortstop to open the seventh, Barda gave up a line-drive single into leftfield by Burke to break up the no-hitter. Barda closed out the game with a strikeout and a groundball back to the mound to close out the one-hit gem.

Michigan, which is alone atop the Big Ten standings, puts an 11-game winning streak and perfect 6-0 Big Ten record on the line this weekend with a pair of two-game series against conference foes. The Wolverines face 10th-place Minnesota in a doubleheader on Friday (April 13, 2 p.m. CDT), before playing a pair of single games at third-place Wisconsin on Saturday (April 14, 2 p.m. CDT) and Sunday (April 15, 1 p.m. CDT).

Diamond Gems

Kelsey Kollen extended her season-best hit streak to 12 games, and Melissa Taylor has had at least one hit in the last 11 contests.

Marie Barda's shutout was her fifth of the season and Michigan's 10th. Marissa Young owns four and Melinda Moulden has thrown one.

Stefanie Volpe registered three RBI in the doubleheader to give her a team-leading 24 on the season.

Contact: Rich Marion (764) 763-4423