Weekly Release #5
3/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sun., March 25-27 -- at Louisville Invitational (Louisville, Ky.)
March 25 -- vs. Western Kentucky, 4 p.m.
March 25 -- vs. Middle Tennessee State, 6 p.m.
March 26 -- at Louisville, noon
March 26 -- Championship Round, tbd
Wednesday, March 30 -- at Bowling Green, 2 p.m.
Friday, April 1 -- vs. Iowa, 4 p.m.
Saturday, April 2 -- vs. Iowa, noon
Sunday, April 3 -- vs. Illinois (DH), noon
2005 RECORDS
Overall: 27-1 (.964)
Big Ten: 0-0 (.000)
Home: 0-0 / Away: 8-0 /Ntrl: 19-1
USA Today/NFCA Rank: No. 5 (March 16)
USA Softball/ESPN.com Rank: No. 4 (March 15)
First Pitch
Michigan's win streak is now at a school-record and nation's best 27 games as the fifth-ranked Wolverines prepare for their final non-conference tournament of the season this weekend (March 25-26) at the Courtyard by Marriot Classic in Louisville, Ky. The Wolverines face Western Kentucky (4 p.m.) and Middle Tennessee State (6 p.m.) on Friday before closing out pool play vs. host Louisville on Saturday (noon). The championship round follows later on Saturday. Michigan is 8-0 all-time in the Louisville Tournament having gone 4-0 last season and in 2002. Michigan has not lost since dropping its season opener 7-6 to Baylor on Feb. 12 and are 8-1 vs. ranked teams, including a 6-2 win over No. 1 Arizona on Sunday in the program's first-ever win over a top-ranked team.
Opponents
Western Kentucky (14-10): The Hilltoppers won four of six over the weekend, but dropped their final game 3-2 to Purdue in their only game this season vs. a Big Ten team ... Prior to this past weekend, WKU had four regulars hitting over .300, led by Sam Young (.405) ... Western Kentucky on the Internet: www.wkusports.com
Series: First meeting
Middle Tennessee State (5-15): The Blue Raiders have won two of their last three, including a 6-5 win over Mississippi State ... MTSU is 0-1 vs. the Big Ten after losing to Iowa (3-1) on March 5 ... MTSU is hitting .251 as a team, led by Jennifer Grybash who is hitting .377 with a team-best four doubles ... MTSU on the Internet: www.goblueraiders.com
Series: First meeting
Louisville (14-10): Louisville took two out of three this past weekend vs. South Florida ... the Cardinals are 2-4 this season vs. ranked teams with a 2-1 over then-No. 4 Oklahoma on Feb. 5 and a 5-2 win over then-No. 17 Oregon State on Feb. 12 ... Louisville is 1-0 vs. Big Ten teams with a 3-2 win over Minnesota on Feb. 27 ... Courtney Moore is hitting .397 with six home runs to lead a Louisville offense that is hitting .266 with 21 home runs ... Louisville's two starters have both started 12 games, but Catherine Bishop has been more productive with a 9-4 record and a 1.06 ERA ... Louisville on the Internet: www.uoflsports.com
Series: Michigan leads 3-0, last meeting 2004
Back to Louisville
Michigan is making a trip to Louisville's tournament for the second straight season and the third time in the last four. The Wolverines went 4-0 last season down in Louisville, including a 4-2 win over the host Cardinals. Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) enjoyed a big weekend last year in Louisville, hitting .500 with six runs scored while Rebekah Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) hit .375. Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) went 2-0 and struck out 20 in 15.0 innings while Lorilyn Wilson (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS) tossed a complete-game shutout of Saint Louis with 12 K's.
Series History
The matchups vs. Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State are Michigan's first and the contest against host Louisville will be just the fourth between the schools. Michigan defeated the Cardinals 4-2 last season behind two hits from Tiffany Haas, who actually hit third in the Wolverine order that day. Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) also went 2-4 with a double and an RBI.
Blue Keeps Rollin'
Since dropping a 7-6 decision to No. 17 Baylor in the season opener on Feb. 12, the Wolverines have rolled to 27 straight victories, outscoring opponents 158-20. Michigan's 27-game win streak is the nation's longest current streak and the longest in the program's history. The Wolverines won 22 straight in 1993 en route to their second Big Ten title and NCAA Tournament appearance. The longest unbeaten streak in school history was a 33-game run in 1999 when the Wolverines went 32-0-1 from March 2 through April 13. The Wolverines won 16 straight before tying Iowa 2-2 on March 21 and then won another 16 straight before falling to Central Michigan on April 14.
Michigan's Longest Win Streaks
27 games (2005)
22 games (1993)
19 games (1995, 2004)
18 games (2001)
17 games (1997, 1998)
Consecutive Games Unbeaten
33 games (32-0-1) 1999
Ranked Foes
For the first time since the Florida Atlantic tournament Feb. 18-20 the Wolverines will not face a ranked team this weekend in Louisville's tourney. Michigan is coming off a Kia Klassic championship this past weekend in which the Wolverines went 6-0 overall, 3-0 vs. ranked teams, including a 6-2 win over No. 1 Arizona for the program's first-ever victory over a top-ranked team. The Wolverines are now 8-1 vs. ranked teams this season.
Michigan vs. Ranked Teams
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| 2/12/05 | #17 Baylor | L, 6-7 |
| 2/13/05 | #13 Oregon | W, 9-0 (5) |
| 2/25/05 | #13 Georgia Tech | W, 4-1 |
| 3/1/05 | #15 Florida | W, 4-0 |
| 3/1/05 | #15 Florida | W, 4-1 |
| 3/5/05 | #16 Florida | W, 6-2 |
| 3/17/05 | #24 Fresno State | W, 6-0 |
| 3/20/05 | #11 Texas | W, 7-0 |
| 3/20/05 | #1 Arizona | W, 6-2 |
More About The Streak
The Wolverines have been clearly the most dominant team in the nation during their 27-game run, beating eight ranked teams, including No. 1 Arizona, and outscoring its opponents 158-20. Sophomore hurler Lorilyn Wilson is 11-0 with a 0.10 ERA during the streak and has led a Michigan pitching staff that has posted 15 shutouts in that time. Jennie Ritter is 12-0 during the streak and owns six of those shutouts, including a pair of no-hitters. Offensively, the Wolverines have had 11 different players belt out a total of 35 home runs and are hitting .315 as a team during the streak, led by Tiffany Haas' .447 average. All seven of Grace Leutele's (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena HS) home runs have coming during the streak to lead the way as do her 25 RBI.
Playing Best vs. The Best
Michigan's nine games this season vs. ranked teams have brought out the best in several Wolverines, but none more so than Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS), who is hitting .464 with nine RBI. Tiffany Haas, who was at her best in garnering NCAA Region 6 MVP honors last season, brings her "A" game against the nation's best, hitting .429 with 11 runs scored, two home runs and two doubles. In the circle, Jennie Ritter has been virtually unhittable against some of the nation's best lineups, posting a 6-0 record with a 0.74 ERA and 48 strikeouts against just three walks in 38.0 innings.
Speaking of Ritter
Already one of the top five strikeout pitchers in Michigan history, Ritter is poised to move into the top three, joining All-Americans Marissa Young (2000-03) and Sara Griffin (1995-98). Ritter's 442 career strikeouts is four shy of Vicki Morrow (1984-87) for fourth place.
Michigan's Career Strikeout Leaders
| | Wolverine | Years |
| 927 | Marissa Young | 2000-03 |
| 602 | Sara Griffin | 1995-98 |
| 465 | Kelly Kovach | 1992-95 |
| 446 | Vicki Morrow | 1984-87 |
| 442 | 2003-c |
Early Returns
The Wolverines used a five-run first inning to jump on Texas in an eventual 7-0 win over the 11th-ranked Longhorns on Sunday. Getting out to early leads is nothing new for the Wolverines, who have scored in the first inning in exactly half (14) of its games this season and are 13-1 when doing so. Michigan has outscored its opponents 31-5 in the first frame this season, which is tied with the third inning as the Wolverines most productive this season
Setting the Table
A big reason for Michigan's success in the first inning this season has been leadoff hitter Tiffany Haas, who is currently riding a team-best 10-game hit streak and is hitting a team-best .449. The junior second baseman, who was an All-American third-team selection a year ago, leads the Wolverines with 27 runs scored and has collected a team-best eight doubles to go with four home runs. She has hit safely in 25 of Michigan's 28 games this season and has scored at least once in 16 of 28 games. She has also made just one error in 68 chances at second base.
Somebody New
Michigan's offense prowess seems to come from a different source every weekend. Grace Leutele took her turn this past weekend while helping Michigan to the Kia Klassic championship. Leutele hit .333 with three home runs to move into a tie for the team lead in long balls with Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) and Jessica Merchant. Leutele slugged .833 over the weekend and went deep in the win over No. 11 Texas and No. 1 Arizona.
Wilson Streaking, Too
Sophomore Lorilyn Wilson closed her first season with an impressive 8-0 record and a 0.59 ERA, but did not pitch in the postseason run to the Women's College World Series because she was behind Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Nicole Motycka and All-Big Ten third hurler Jennie Ritter. She has, however, been arguably Michigan's most impressive pitcher this season and has not allowed an earned run 55.0 consecutive innings dating back to the fourth inning of a 9-1 win over Florida Atlantic on Feb. 20. She has allowed just two runs total during that 55.0 inning stretch and has struck out 86 while walking only six and allowing just 16 hits. She is 9-0 with six complete games, five shutouts and one save over the last 55.0 innings of work.
Findlay Still Producing
Freshman cleanup hitter Samantha Findlay has seen her batting average dip to .275 and has hit safely in just two of her last seven games, but don't mistake those numbers for a lack of production. The first baseman has been pitched around so often this season she leads the Wolverines with 22 walks and has reached base in 25 of 28 games via either a hit or walk. Though she has not homered in her last eight games, Findlay is still tied for the team lead with seven and is second on the Wolverines with 24 runs scored.
Climb Continues
Michigan's 27-game win streak has been noticed nationally, with both top 25 polls moving the Wolverines up last week. The ESPN.com/USA Softball poll moved the Wolverines from No. 5 up to No. 4 while the NFCA/USA Today poll bumped the Wolverines up one spot from No. 6 to No. 5.
Kia Klassic Champs
Expect anothe bump in the polls this week after Michigan went a perfect 6-0 this past weekend en route to the Kia Klassic title in Fullerton, Calif. The Wolverines beat No. 24 Fresno State (6-0) and No. 11 Texas (7-0) on the way to a championship game victory over No. 1 Arizona for the Maize and Blue's first-ever win over a top-ranked team. Tiffany Haas hit .400 over the weekend while Grace Leutele connected for three home runs. Jennie Ritter and Lorilyn Wilson each went 3-0 in the circle while combining for 49 strikeouts and just two earned runs allowed in 38.8 innings of work.
Milestone Watch
Tiffany Haas has started 107 straight games for the Wolverines at second base. Haas last missed a start in game two of a doubleheader vs. Eastern Michigan on April 29, 2003.
Tiffany Haas scored four runs over the weekend at the Kia Klassic to move into 10th place on Michigan's all-time list with 117.
Tiffany Haas has 13 career home runs and her next home run will move her into a tie for eighth on the Michigan career list with former All-American Sara Griffin (1995-98).
Grace Leutele has 19 career home runs and is in a tie for sixth place on the all-time list. Her next home run will move her into a tie for fourth place with Stefanie Volpe (1999-2002) and Melinda Moulden (2000-03).
Jessica Merchant has 39 career doubles and remains one double from moving into a sixth-place tie on the career list with Tracy Carr (1993-96).
Jessica Merchant is seven RBI shy of reaching 120 for her career, which would move her into Michigan's all-time top 10.
Jessica Merchant is five runs shy of reaching 100 for her career.
Nicole Motykca has 11 career home runs and her next long ball will mover her into sole possession of 10th place on the Michigan career list.
Nicole Motycka's next victory in the circle will be the 66th of her career and move her into sole possession of fifth on the all-time list.
Jennie Ritter has 16 career shutouts and is one shy of matching Michelle Bolster (1985-88) for eighth on the Michigan list.
Season Highlights
Big Ten Honors
Sophomore hurler Lorilyn Wilson went 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 11.2 innings at the FAU Classic to earn tournament MVP honors. Those efforts bumped her Michigan career record to 10-0 and garnered the Oregon native her first-ever Big Ten Pitcher of the Week award.
Jennie Ritter earned Big Ten co-Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing two no-hitters vs. No. 15 Florida (March 1) and South Florida (March 4) and then matching a career-best with 15 strikeouts in another win over then-No. 16 Florida (March 5). It was the second such honor of the junior's career.
Home Run King
Senior shortstop Jessica Merchant is second on the team with six and recently became the Wolverines all-time home run leader when she hit the 29th of her career vs. in a 2-1 win over Chattanooga on March 4, breaking the former mark of 28 held by Melissa Gentile (1997-2000).
Michigan's Career Home Run Leaders
| Home Runs | Wolverine | Years |
| 32 | 2002-c | |
| 28 | Melissa Gentile | 1997-00 |
| 22 | Marissa Young | 2000-03 |
| 20 | Stefanie Volpe | 1999-02 |
| 20 | Melinda Moulden | 2000-03 |
Three No-No's
Though the season is only about one-third complete, Michigan's pitching staff has already tossed three no-hitters, just one shy of the school record of four that was tossed during the 1996 campaign. Nicole Motycka started things with a five-inning no-hitter in an 8-0 win over Rutgers on Feb. 19. Jennie Ritter then got in the act with the second of her career in a 4-0 win over #15 Florida on March 1. Ritter made the total three for her career and three for the season for Michigan with a five-inning effort in a 9-0 win over South Florida on March 4. Ritter's three career no-hitters is second on the all-time list behind the four recorded by Vicki Morrow (1984-87).
