Michigan
21-1
Pittsburgh
5-9
Michigan Blanks Pittsburgh, Runs Winning Streak to 21
3/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TAMPA, Fla. -- The seventh-ranked University of Michigan softball team pulled within one win of the school record for consecutive wins, winning its 21st straight with a 9-0 five-inning win over Pittsburgh today (Sunday, March 7) to conclude the Louisville Slugger Tournament hosted by South Florida. Sophomore starter Lorilyn Wilson (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS) struck out 12 in just five innings without issuing a walk and allowed only one hit to run her record to 8-0.
Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) was the offensive star for the Wolverines, drilling a three-run home run in a five-run second inning and adding a two-run double in the fifth as the Wolverines finished the USF Louisville Slugger tourney a perfect 5-0.
The Wolverines controlled this one from the outset, scoring first for the 20th time this season when Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) delivered a sacrifice fly. She drove in Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS), who had doubled with one out. Giampaolo finished the game 2-2 with two runs scored to extend her Michigan season-best hit streak to 11 games.
The freshman centerfielder added an RBI single in the second, as did Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) before Merchant delivered the game's biggest blow.
Working in the circle with another large cushion, Wilson set down the first six hitters in order and then struck out the side in the third after allowing a leadoff single. Michigan's lead ballooned to 7-0 when Michelle Teschler (Casco, Mich./Richmond HS) provided a run-scoring single in the third.
The scoring closed in the fifth. Stephanie Bercaw (Wooster, Ohio/Hillsdale HS) led off with her second single of the game, and she and Lauren Holland (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) later scored on Merchant's double.
After 21 straight wins and a perfect 13-0 Spring Break trip through Georgia and Florida, the Wolverines take next weekend off but return to action vs. Cal State-Fullerton on March 17 (6:15 p.m. PST) at the Kia Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
N O T E S
Michigan has scored first in 20 of 22 games this season and is 20-0 when doing so.
Michigan will try to match the school record of 22 straight wins at Cal State-Fullerton on March 17. The current 21-game string is the second best in program history.
Michigan had homered in 12 straight games before being held without one yesterday vs. Florida. Jessica Merchant's home run today vs. Pittsburgh gives the Wolverines at least one home run in 19 of 22 games this season.
Jessica Merchant's five RBI today are a season best for the shortstop and give her 19 for the season, tying her for the team lead with Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) and Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena HS).
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilson, Lorilyn (8-0)
L: Laura Belardinelli (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Giampaolo, Alessandra 1 ; Merchant, Jessica 1
HR: Merchant, Jessica 1
RBI: Haas, Tiffany 1 ; Giampaolo, Alessandra 1 ; Merchant, Jessica 5 ; Findlay, Samantha 1 ; Teschler, Michelle 1
SH: Weatherdon, Michelle 1
SF: Findlay, Samantha 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Haas, Tiffany 1 ; Holland, Lauren 1 ; Giampaolo, Alessandra 2 ; Merchant, Jessica 1 ; Marx, Becky 1 ; Bercaw, Stephanie 2 ; Teschler, Michelle 1
SB: Bercaw, Stephanie 1
Base Running:
SB: Desiree Dye 1
