Michigan
19-6
Saint Louis
12-11
Michigan Pitchers Dominate in Pair of One-Run Victories
3/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Event: Louisville Invitational (Day 2)
Scores: #13 Michigan 3, Saint Louis 2; #13 Michigan 1, Louisville 0
Records: Michigan (20-6), Saint Louis (12-10, Louisville (15-16)
Next U-M Games: Sunday, March 24 -- at Louisville in Louisville Invitational (Louisville, Ky.), Noon
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The 13th-ranked University of Michigan softball team got a big boost today from pitchers Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) and Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) this afternoon (Saturday, March 23) as the Wolverines won a pair of one-run decisions at the Louisville Invitational. Young tossed a three-hit, complete-game shutout in a 1-0 win over Louisville after Motycka earned a 3-2 decision over Saint Louis earlier in the day at Ulmer Stadium.
Young, who was hit hard in a 7-0 loss to Minnesota on March 10 in her last outing, returned to her dominating form today as she struck out eight and spread three singles over seven innings to earn her 11th win of the season. Young looked strong in the first frame as she struck out a pair, but she ran into her biggest trouble of the game in the second. The Michigan junior gave up a leadoff double to start the second, and after a walk and hit batsman the bases were full of Cardinals with nobody out. However, as she has done time and again this season, Young was overpowering when necessary and came back to get a foulout to the catcher and set down consecutive hitters swinging to get out of the jam.
Michigan, on the other hand, was unable to muster any threat on offense through the first six innings. The only Michigan runner to reach second base through the first six innings was Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) with a two-out double in the second. Her double was one of only two Michigan hits through the first six frames, but that would change in the seventh.
Michigan managed just two hits in the seventh but that was all it would need to plate the winning run. Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Salem HS) reached on a fielder's choice and with one out stole second to put herself in scoring position for cleanup hitter Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS), who delivered with a double to rightfield to drive in the winning run. Young, who was not really challenged after the second inning, retired the final six batters she faced in order, including a 1-2-3 seventh inning for the win.
Michigan won its first game of the day behind freshman hurler Motycka's ninth win of the season as the Wolverines took a 3-2 decision from Saint Louis. Michigan was actually outhit 8-6 in the contest, but Motcycka did not walk a hitter for the second straight game and the Wolverines played flawless defense to pull out the one-run victory.
For the second straight game Saint Louis drew first blood against the Wolverines, scoring a run in the top of the first on a double and single. Michigan attempted to answer in its half of the first after a single by Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) and a walk by Volpe led to runners on second and third with two outs. However, Moulden grounded out to third, ending the threat.
Neither team threatened in the second, and after Motycka shut out the Billikens in the top of the third, Michigan put together its most productive inning of the contest. Kollen, who led Michigan with two hits, drilled a one-out single to left-center to get things started. No. 2-hitter Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) followed with another single and the top two hitters in the Michigan lineup each stole a base to put themselves in scoring position. Volpe took advantage with a single to rightfield that plated Kollen. Cleanup hitter Schock drew a walk to load the bases and Moulden provided an RBI groundout to put Michigan up 2-1. Sophomore Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) missed an opportunity to break the game open as a groundout to the shortstop ended the inning.
The Wolverines missed another chance to widen their lead in the fourth after putting runners on second and third with one down and the top of the order coming up. However, Kollen's fly ball to centerfield was not deep enough and Doe grounded out to third base to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Motycka was settling down and getting stronger as the game continued, allowing just three baserunners over the second, third, fourth and fifth innings before Michigan gave the freshman a little more breathing room in the fifth. Michigan's power hitters in the middle of the lineup actually manufactured a run in the fifth. Volpe drew a free pass, stole second and moved to third with one out on a sacrifice bunt from Schock. Moulden then came through with her second RBI of the game on a lineout to rightfield that scored Volpe from third.
Saint Louis answered right back with a run of its own in the sixth to cut the lead back to one (3-2). The Billikens put runners on first and second with a pair of singles, but following a forceout at third it took a two-out single through the left side of the infield to score the run. Motycka bounced right back and induced a groundout to third base to end the inning and hold on to the one-run advantage. Saint Louis provided no threat in the seventh as Motycka struck out one and threw two more groundball outs, her 11th and 12th of the game, to finish off a 3-2 Michigan win.
Michigan faces Louisville again tomorrow (March 24, noon) in the Wolverines' final game of the Louisville Invitational. Tomorrow's contest marks the last game before Michigan opens the 2002 home season at Alumni Field on Tuesday (March 26, 3 p.m.) against Bowling Green State.
N O T E S
Marissa Young's 1-0 win today was her seventh complete-game shutout win of the season.
Senior Stefanie Volpe scored the winning runs in both wins today.
Nicole Motycka's win in the opener today was her fourth straight win.
Michigan is now 7-3 in one-run games this season.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Motycka, Nicole (9-2)
L: Hubert (7-3)
Batting:
2B: Jeffery 1
RBI: Bogaars 1 ; Hubert 1
SH: Higgins 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jeffery 1 ; Yagge 1
Batting:
RBI: Volpe, Stefanie 1 ; Moulden, Melinda 2
SH: Doe, Meghan 1 ; Schock, Monica 1 ; Conner, Mary 1
SF: Moulden, Melinda 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kollen, Kelsey 1 ; Doe, Meghan 1 ; Volpe, Stefanie 1
SB: Kollen, Kelsey 1 ; Doe, Meghan 1 ; Volpe, Stefanie 1
CS: Betley, Courtney 1
