Marx, Merchant Power Michigan Past Bruins at WCWS

Tuesday, June 7

Oklahoma City, Okla.

6:30 PM CT

Michigan

64-7

UCLA

40-19

Michigan

UCLA

Jessica Merchant

6/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score Notes and Quotes

By: Rich Marion

Site: Oklahoma City, Okla. (Hall of Fame Stadium)
Event: Women's College World Series (Championship Series Game 2)
Score: #1 Michigan 5, #12 UCLA 2
Records: U-M (64-7), UCLA (40-19)
Next U-M Event: Wednesday, June 8 -- vs. UCLA at Women's College World Series (Oklahoma City, Okla.), 6:30 p.m. CDT

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- The No. 1-ranked University of Michigan softball team is now one win shy of its first national championship after forcing a deciding third game of the Women's College World Series championship series with a come-from-behind 5-2 victory over 12th-ranked UCLA tonight (Tuesday, June 7).

The Wolverines (64-7) went back to the long ball in the fifth inning when Becky Marx (St. Joseph, Mich./Stevensville-Lakeshore HS) drove a two-run home run over the fence in leftfield to erase a 2-0 Bruin lead. The blast ignited a four-run fifth inning for the Maize and Blue.

Already with their backs against the wall, the Wolverines fell behind early as UCLA broke the scoreless tie in the third inning. The Bruins took advantage of an error by Michigan second baseman Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) on a ground ball off the bat of Lisa Dodd. One batter later two were out and Dodd was on second when UCLA leadoff hitter Andrea Duran stroked a triple up the gap in right-center.

Marx (25) received a warm greeting after circling the bases on her game-tying home run in the fifth inning. (AP Photo)

UCLA then appeared poised to claim its 11th NCAA title when Caitlin Beyi touched Michigan starter Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) for a home run to leftfield in the bottom of the fourth. The Bruins entered tonight 28-1 on the season when leading after four innings.

Michigan had just one hit vs. UCLA starter Anjelica Selden through the first four innings after being held to four hits the night before. Michigan third baseman Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena HS) opened the fifth-inning fireworks with an infield single. Stephanie Bercaw (Wooster, Ohio/Hillsdale HS) reached on a fielder's choice to set the stage for Marx's heroics. Marx's sixth home run awoke the Michigan offense as Rebekah Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) followed with a hit and Haas hustled out a bunt, forcing a throwing error on Selden.

Two batters later, Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) came to the plate with a pair of runners in scoring position and delivered a gap shot to score both Haas and Milian and give the Wolverines their first lead of the championship series. The double that rolled all the way to the wall was Merchant's first extra-base hit of the WCWS and gave her team a 4-2 edge.

Michigan struck again in the seventh on a Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) RBI double that scored Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS) from second and put the Wolverines up 5-2.

The Wolverines once again got a solid outing from Ritter, who gave up just two runs on four hits while striking out five and walking none. Ritter seemed to get better as the game wore on and was energized by the late offensive production from the Wolverine lineup. The first-team All-America selection allowed just one baserunner after the fourth inning.

Michigan and UCLA will square off in a deciding Game 3 of the championship series tomorrow (June 8) at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT, and the game will be televised live on ESPN.