Young, U-M Post Second Straight Shutout of Cardinals

Sunday, March 24

Louisville, Ky.

12:00 PM

Michigan

21-6

Louisville

15-17

Louisville

Michigan

3/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The 13th-ranked University of Michigan softball team finished off a perfect 4-0 weekend at the Louisville Invitational today (Sunday, March 24) with a 3-0 win over Louisville at Ulmer Stadium.

Senior third baseman Stefanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Salem HS) went 2-2 with a pair of RBI and hit her third home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth, to help junior hurler Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) to her 12th win of the season. For her part, Young tossed her second straight complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits and striking out six over seven innings.

Michigan took the early lead thanks to a two-out RBI single from leadoff hitter Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) in the second inning. Kollen stepped up with the bases loaded after a pair of walks and a single by Courtney Betley (Corona, Calif./Santa Ana Mater Dei HS) left the bases full of Wolverines. Betley was the only Wolverine other than Volpe with two hits today.

Although the Wolverines could only muster a single run through the first four innings, Young was taking care of business on the mound. Young allowed a leadoff single in the first inning but then set down the next seven straight to take control of the game. Only one Louisville runner reached second base, on a one-out double in the fifth, but that was it for the Cardinals.

Volpe gave Young more insurance than she needed with her two-run shot in the fifth, scoring herself and Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS), who had reached with a single. Young closed the door in the sixth and seventh, allowing just one walk in the final two innings for her eighth complete-game shutout win of the season.

The Wolverines finally open their 2002 home schedule on Tuesday (March 26, 3 p.m.) against Bowling Green State. That contest is Michigan's final tuneup before opening the Big Ten Conference season at home on Friday (March 29, 3 p.m.) against Penn State. The Wolverines also play Penn State on Saturday (March 30, 2 p.m.) and host Ohio State in a doubleheader on Sunday (March 31, noon) at Alumni Field.

N O T E S

Stefanie Volpe's home run today was her third of the season and 12th of her career. Volpe's 12 home runs move her into fourth place on the Michigan all-time list.

Michigan was errorless for the third straight game today and for the sixth time in its last seven games. The Wolverines' three-game errorless stretch matches a season best.

Meghan Doe and Courtney Betley each extended their current team-best hitting streaks to four today.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423