Ritter, Young Blank OU in Opener; Nightcap Washed Out

Thursday, May 1

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

39-10

Oakland

25-23-1

Oakland

Michigan

Ritter, Young Blank OU in Opener; Nightcap Washed Out

5/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The 13th-ranked University of Michigan softball team broke through with two runs in the sixth inning to earn a 2-0 win tonight (Thursday, May 1) in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader against Oakland, but the second game was cancelled due to rain. Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) and Marissa Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei HS) combined for the shutout, allowing two hits with four strikeouts. Young received the win, coming out of the bullpen to earn her 19th victory of the season against just one defeat.

The only offense of the game came in the bottom of the sixth inning, led off by Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) reaching on an error and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS). Shortstop Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) then hammered a double to the gap in left-center, scoring Haas to give Michigan the first lead of the game, 1-0. A bloop single to rightfield by designated player Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) scored Merchant to give the Wolverines a two-run lead entering the top of the seventh.

Ritter started the game for the Wolverines and pitched four strong innings, shutting out the Grizzlies on two hits with one strikeout. Young came on in relief in the fifth, completing two solid innings of hitless ball and giving up one walk in the seventh before a 32-minute rain delay halted play.

Once the tarp was pulled off the field, Young came back in to close out the win for the Wolverines. With a runner on first, Merchant made a spectacular catch on a line drive at shortstop for the first out of the inning. Then with two out, Young struck out the final batter to give Michigan the win.

Game two was cancelled due to rain with Michigan up 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning. Motycka had pitched 3.1 solid innings, leaving Oakland hitless with five strikeouts.

The Wolverines (39-10, 13-3 Big Ten) will play their next game Saturday (May 3, 1 p.m.) at Michigan State.

N O T E S

Melinda Moulden (LaCrescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) did not start the opener and it was her first missed start of the season and just the second for her career. Moulden has now started in 231 of 233 career games and 48 of 49 this season. The last time Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins filled out a lineup card without Moulden in the lineup was May 2, 2000, in the second game of a doubleheader vs. Eastern Michigan. Moulden had started 182 straight games from May 3, 2000, through April 29, 2003.

Nicole Motycka's run-scoring single in the sixth extended her current hit streak to a career-best seven games. It is the best current Wolverine hit streak.
 
Jessica Merchant's double in the sixth is her 11th of the season, which is a career best after hitting 10 doubles last season as a freshman. Merchant now has nine extra-base hits in her last 16 games.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423