Wolverines Hit Six Home Runs, Sweep Illinois in Twinbill

Sunday, April 3

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

34-2, 2-1

Illinois

15-14, 0-3

Illinois

Michigan

Wolverines Hit Six Home Runs, Sweep Illinois in Twinbill

4/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Scores: #1 Michigan 8, Illinois 7; #1 Michigan 10, Illinois 0 (5 innings)
Records: U-M (35-2, 3-1 Big Ten), Illinois (15-15, 0-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Wednesday, April 6 -- DH at Central Michigan (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.), 2 p.m

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 1-ranked University of Michigan softball team closed its opening Big Ten Conference weekend of the season with wins of 8-7 and 10-0 in five innings in a doubleheader sweep over Illinois on Sunday (April 3) at Alumni Field. The Michigan bats were the story as the Wolverines jacked six home runs -- three in each game -- to set a new single-season Michigan record for home runs. Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) led off game one with a home run to tie the mark and Nicole Motycka (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney HS) broke it with her solo shot in the fourth that also happened to break a 3-3 tie.

Findlay's seven RBI in game two set a U-M home-field mark, breaking the record of six held by three players.

Motycka added another in the game two rout, but freshman Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) stole the show in the second game with two home runs, including her first career grand slam, and seven RBI, one shy of the school single-game record.

Michigan needed all three home runs and any offense it could muster in game one to overcome four Maize and Blue errors and a four-run seventh by the Fighting Illini that brought the tying run to the plate. Illinois leadoff hitter Rachelle Coriddi led off the afternoon with a triple down the rightfield line off Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS), who battled for the eventual win despite not having her best stuff.

The Wolverines answered with three in the bottom of the first thanks to Haas' home run and an RBI double from Motycka, who went 5-6 for the doubleheader with three RBI. Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Sabino HS) added an RBI single for one of her two hits on the game and the Wolverines once again used a big first inning for an early lead.

Michigan's miscues caught up with them in the third when an error at shortstop by Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich.Wayland HS) helped Illinois load the bases with one out. Just when it appeared Ritter might escape after a strikeout, she tossed a wild pitch, and then catcher Becky Marx's (St. Joseph, Mich./Stevensville-Lakeshore HS) errant throw to a covering Ritter allowed two runs to score and tie the game.

The long ball came to the rescue in the bottom of the third with Motycka's record-breaking shot and another solo bomb off the bat of Stephanie Bercaw (Wooster, Ohio/Hillsdale HS).

Michigan added what looked like simple insurance runs in a three-run sixth with a two-out, two-run double from Haas being the big blow. Ritter had set down nine straight after the two-run third, but things got interesting in the seventh after Illinois put runners on second and third with two outs. A single and three-run home run ensued, bringing Illini cleanup hitter Jenna Hall to the plate as the tying run. Now throwing her 20th consecutive inning of the weekend, Ritter managed her 11th strikeout of the afternoon to preserve the win.

Game two involved much less drama as pitcher Lorilyn Wilson (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS) clinched a one-hit shutout and the Wolverines put on a hitting display, collecting 12 hits in a five-inning 10-0 win. Bercaw continued her hot weekend with an RBI double and Marx added an RBI single for a 2-0 Michigan lead in the second.

From there it was all Findlay, who connected for a three-run home run in the third and her first career grand slam in a five-run fifth for the Maize and Blue. Wilson was the recipient of all the offensive support as well as a much better defensive effort, allowing just one hit in five innings of work.

Michigan returns to the diamond for a doubleheader at Central Michigan on Wednesday (April 6, 2 p.m.) in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423