Haas' Walk-Off Grand Slam Gives Michigan Title Outright

Sunday, May 2

Evanston, Ill.

Noon CT

Michigan

45-9, 16-3

Northwestern

29-14, 11-6

Michigan

Northwestern

Haas' Walk-Off Grand Slam Gives Michigan Title Outright

5/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Rich Marion

Site: Evanston, Ill. (Drysdale Field)
Scores: #6 Michigan 4, Northwestern 6; #6 Michigan 7, Northwestern 3 (8 innings)
Records: U-M (46-9, 17-3 Big Ten), NU (29-15, 11-7 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, May 4 -- DH vs. Western Michigan (Alumni Field), 4 p.m.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The sixth-ranked University of Michigan softball team met heavy resistance from both Michigan State and Northwestern this weekend as the Wolverines attempted to secure their ninth Big Ten regular-season title in 13 seasons. Not until the final at-bat of the final inning of the final game of the weekend did the Maize and Blue accomplish their mission, thanks to a walk-off grand slam by Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) for a 7-3 Michigan victory in the nightcap and a split in today's (Sunday, May 2) doubleheader at Northwestern.

Haas' slam closed out a game-two performance for the leadoff hitter in which she went 3-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. Michigan (46-9) finished its Big Ten schedule 17-3 and will finish at least one game ahead of second-place Iowa (14-4), which the Wolverines swept back on April 18. Iowa, along with the rest of the Big Ten, will conclude its conference season with a two-game set next weekend.

The dramatic conclusion was only necessary after Northwestern earned a 6-4 win in the opener. Despite two doubles from Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) the Wolverines relinquished a 4-2 lead in game one when Northwestern designated player Garland Cooper drilled a sixth-inning grand slam for the 6-4 Wildcat win.

In order to get to Haas' heroics, the Wolverines needed a pair of huge solo home runs to tie game two in the sixth and eighth innings. With Michigan trailing 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth, catcher Monica Schock (Rialto, Calif./Eisenhower HS) connected for her first home run of the season after near misses earlier this weekend against Michigan State.

Northwestern regained a 3-2 advantage in the top of the eighth when Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS), who came out of the bullpen to relieve starter Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS), allowed a leadoff single to J.C. Kira, who moved to second on an error in the Michigan outfield. Motycka re-entered with Kira on second and nobody out, and allowed a one-out double to score Kira. She did keep the damage to just a single run to earn her 18th win of the season.

Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena HS), who delivered the game-winning single yesterday at Michigan State, continued to be one of Michigan's most dangerous hitters down the stretch with a solo shot of her own to lead off the eighth. Angie Churchill (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln Way HS) followed with a walk and three batters later Haas cleared the bases with her second bomb of the season.

A game with that many twists and turns makes it easy to forget Haas scored the game's first run in the first inning on, of all things, a balk. The Wolverines did not score again until Schock's shot in the sixth.

The Wolverines were on the verge of clinching the outright title in the opener when they took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth. Ritter, who had kept Northwestern at bay since relieving starter Lorilyn Wilson (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS) with two runners on and the Wolverines already down 2-0 in the third, struggled with her control in the sixth. The junior 20-game winner hit the first two batters and walked the third before surrendering the grand slam.

Michigan had taken the lead with one run in the fourth and three in the top of the sixth. Motycka was in the middle of both Wolverine rallies, doubling to lead off the fourth and scoring on a wild pitch. She also doubled in Haas in the sixth and scored when Leutele connected for a two-out, two-RBI single and a 4-2 Wolverine lead that ended up being short-lived.

Michigan, the only Big Ten team which has concluded its conference schedule, will host a pair of non-conference doubleheaders this week at Alumni Field in its final preparation for postseason action. The Wolverines host Western Michigan for a twinbill on Tuesday (May 4, 4 p.m.) and then close out the regular season with a Senior Day doubleheader against No. 2 Florida State on Saturday (May 8, 4 p.m.).