Wolverines Wait Out Rain, Defeat No. 21-Ranked Iowa

Sunday, April 21

Iowa City, Iowa

Noon CT

Michigan

36-9, 10-3

Iowa

29-16, 9-4

Michigan

Iowa

4/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Pearl Field)
Scores: #12 Michigan 3, #21 Iowa 1; 2nd game rained out
Records: U-M (36-9, 10-3 Big Ten), Iowa (29-16, 9-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game: Friday, April 26 -- at Illinois (Urbana, Ill.), 6 p.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Originally scheduled as a doubleheader, the battle was set between the 12th-ranked University of Michigan softball team and 21st-ranked University of Iowa at Pearl Field today (Sunday, April 21), but before the first pitch could be thrown the April showers came pouring from the skies. After a three-hour rain delay, the two-game series was reduced to a single game and the Wolverines capitalized early with two first-inning runs that proved to be enough as they went on to the 3-1 victory over the Hawkeyes.

Volpe

For the second straight game, Stephanie Volpe (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Salem HS) led the offensive attack as she got the Wolverines (36-9, 10-3 Big Ten) on the board quickly with her seventh home run of the season. With two outs, Volpe stepped to the plate and belted a solo shot over the centerfield fence to put the Wolverines up 1-0.

Then Monica Shock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) reached first after getting hit by a pitch from Iowa's Kristi Hanks and Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) reached on a walk to give U-M two aboard. Melinda Moulden (LeCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) drove a base hit into centerfield that allowed Schock to score from second, putting the Wolverines up 2-0. Hanks got Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) on a called third strike to end the inning.

The Hawkeyes (29-16, 9-4 Big Ten) responded in the bottom of the second as Christina Schmaltz led off with her seventh home run over the centerfield fence to cut the Wolverine lead in half, 2-1. But Michigan pitcher Young would not be shaken as she retired the next three Iowa players with a pop fly to center and two of her eight strikeouts on the day.

In the fourth inning, the Wolverines added an insurance run Moulden reached on a fielder's choice and one batter later scored from second on Merchant's double. The 3-1 lead was enough for Young as she held the Iowa offense at bay, earning her 19th win of the season (19-7).

The Wolverines will continue their two-week stretch of road contests with another important four-game weekend trip to face Illinois and Purdue. The Wolverines play single games at Illinois on Friday (April 26, 6 p.m. CDT) and Saturday (April 27, noon CDT) before closing the weekend with a doubleheader at Purdue on Sunday (April 29, noon EST/CDT).

N O T E S

Stephanie Volpe hit her career-best seventh home run of the season to give her 16 career dingers. She had five as a sophomore and four as a junior. Her seven this year is the third best in a season for any Wolverine. Melissa Gentile (1997-2000) holds the all-time season mark with 13 in 1998, while Catherine Davie (1996-99) had eight in 1999. Volpe ranks third on U-M's career homers list behind Gentile (28) and Davie (19).

With her eight strikeouts against Iowa, Marissa Young is just 22 strikeouts away from tying the Michigan career record of 602 held by Sara Griffin (1995-98). Young has 580 K's in her three seasons in Ann Arbor.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423