Michigan
14-6
Gardner-Webb
10-21
Young, Ritter Combine for No-Hitter Over Gardner-Webb
3/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The 15th-ranked University of Michigan softball team shut out its third straight opponent behind a combined no-hitter from starter Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) and reliever Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) in the Wolverines' 7-0 win over Gardner-Webb this morning (Sunday, March 23) at the Boilermaker Classic at Purdue's Varsity Softball Complex.
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After going hitless in two games yesterday, shortstop Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) provided the offensive fireworks, going 2-3 with a double and a season-best three RBI.
For the third straight game, the Wolverine offense started quickly, this time scoring a season-high five first-inning runs. Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) started things with a leadoff single and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Meghan Doe (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) and throwing error, which allowed Haas to come all the way around from first. Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) and Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) followed with back-to-back doubles, with Moulden scoring on Schock's blast. Two more Bulldog errors sandwiched around a Michigan groundout plated two more runners before Merchant drilled Michigan's third double of the inning to score the third unearned run of the frame.
Young served notice in the bottom of the first that it would be a long day for Gardner-Webb by setting down the side swinging. She did walk the leadoff hitter in the second and that runner advanced to second with two out after a passed ball but was stranded. The only other runner against Young came when she issued a two-out walk in the fourth, but she struck out the side in that inning to finish with eight K's in four innings of work.
The Wolverines extended the lead to 7-0 with a pair of runs in the third on a two-run single from Merchant. Lisa Mack (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) singled and Jennifer Olds (Riviera Beach, Fla./Suncoast HS) doubled to get into scoring position for Merchant.
Ritter came out of the bullpen for the third straight game and retired the side in order in the fifth. The last Gardner-Webb threat came in the sixth when a walk and error by Ritter put runners on first and second with two down, but the freshman induced an infield popup to end the inning. She then set the side down in order in the seventh to close out Michigan's first no-hitter of the season.
The Wolverines close out action at the Boilermaker Classic with an 11 a.m. tilt vs. Loyola (Ill.).
N O T E S
The no-hitter is the fourth Marissa Young has been involved in as a Wolverine. In addition to combining for today's and the one with Kate Eiland against Eastern Michigan on May 2, 2001, Young has tossed two of her own. Young threw her first career no-hitter as a freshman in a 1-0 win over South Florida on Feb. 29, 2000, and then threw her first career perfect game in a 9-0, six-inning win over Utah State on Feb. 16, 2002.
Amy Prichard (Haslett, Mich./Haslett HS) pinch hit for Meghan Doe and delivered her first career hit with a double in the sixth inning.
Tiffany Haas has now scored at least one run in five straight games and in six of her last seven.
The Michigan pitching staff has tossed three straight shutouts and has not been scored upon in the last 22.2 innings. The last runs allowed by Michigan pitchers came in the fourth inning of the 5-2 win over Florida International at the Seminole Classic on March 8.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Young, Marissa (9-0)
L: REICHERT, S (4-10)
Batting:
2B: Prichard, Amy 1 ; Moulden, Melinda 1 ; Schock, Monica 1 ; Olds, Jennifer 1 ; Merchant, Jessica 1
RBI: Schock, Monica 1 ; Merchant, Jessica 3
SH: Doe, Meghan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Haas, Tiffany 1 ; Moulden, Melinda 1 ; Schock, Monica 1 ; Young, Marissa 1 ; Mack, Lisa 1 ; Olds, Jennifer 2
SB: Betley, Courtney 1
