Thanks a Milian: Wolverines Down Seminoles, Matadors

Friday, March 16

Fullerton, Calif.

9:00 AM PT

Michigan

22-1

Florida State

21-10

Florida State

Michigan

3/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Fullerton, Calif. (Anderson Family Field)
Event: Judi Garman Classic
Scores: #9 Michigan 4, #24 Florida State 2; #9 Michigan 8, Cal State-Northridge 0 (5 innings)
Records: U-M (23-1), FSU (21-10), CSUN (11-9-1)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Mar. 17 -- Bracket Playoffs vs. TBA at Judi Garman Classic (Fullerton, Calif.), Time TBA

Boxscores: Game 1 | Game 2

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Senior leftfielder Rebekah Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) went 6-for-7 with three runs scored and three driven in to lead the No. 9-ranked University of Michigan softball team to a pair of wins Friday (March 16) at Cal State-Fullerton's Judi Garman Classic.

Milian set career highs with four hits and three RBI against the Matadors.

Milian was 2-for-3 and scored two runs in the Wolverines' 4-2 victory over No. 24 Florida State, and she followed that with career bests of four hits and three RBI in U-M's 8-0, five-inning rout of Cal State-Northridge to close out pool play in the 16-team tournament.

Senior pitching ace Lorilyn Wilson (Salem, Ore./Sprague) picked up the win in each contest to improve to 14-1 on the season. Wilson threw 2.2 scoreless innings in relief in the opener, replacing freshman Nikki Nemitz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina) with the score tied in the top of the fifth inning, and she allowed two hits and two walks while striking out six in the shortened second contest.

Michigan downed Florida State for the ninth time in a row after trading runs early before sealing the game with two runs in the fifth inning. Michigan got on the board first on a pair of passed balls that allowed Milian to go station-to-station home from second base. Florida State responded quickly with a pair of doubles off the bats of Yuruby Alicart and Brittany Osmon.

The Wolverines struck back with a run in the bottom of the second to retake the lead, 2-1. Freshman second baseman Molly Bausher (Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley) connected on a three-base hit to drive in freshman third baseman Maggie Viefhaus (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) from first.

Florida State tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth on a bases-loaded walk. Nemitz was lifted with runners on second and third in favor of the veteran Wilson. Wilson intentionally put on Veronica Wootson to face LaShaun Davis, but the move did not pan out as Davis patiently took a bases-loaded walk to bring the game back to a deadlock.

Aggressive baserunning once again paid off as Michigan took control in the home half of the fifth on two singles and strong execution of the double steal by pinch runner Michelle Weatherdon (Marquette, Mich./Marquette) and Milian.

Milian led off the inning with a hit to leftfield and moved to second on a single to rightfield from freshman Roya St. Clair (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson). Weatherdon came on to run for the catcher and give Michigan the speed it needed to execute the double steal. As Milian charged toward third base, Seminoles catcher Robin Ahrberg's throw floated past the third baseman and into leftfield, allowing Milian to speed past third base and score. Another error and a passed ball allowed Weatherdon to come in and give the Wolverines an insurance run.

The Wolverines made quick work of Cal State-Northridge in the second game, scoring four runs in the first inning, three more in the second, and a game-ending single tally in the bottom of the fifth.

Junior centerfielder Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic) led off U-M's half of the first with a double and scored on Milian's single up the middle. Senior catcher Tiffany Worthy (Yorba Linda, Calif./Lutheran) added an RBI single, and Viefhaus capped off the inning with a two-run homer, the second round-tripper of her rookie season.

Giampaolo drove in a run with a double to centerfield, Milian had an RBI single, and Worthy added a sacrifice fly during Michigan's three-run second inning, and Milian ended the game with a two-out RBI single in the fifth that scored Bausher.

The Wolverines advance to the championship bracket and will play Saturday (March 17). Opponent and game time will be determined once pool play concludes Friday night.

N O T E S

Alessandra Giampaolo had her hit streak halted at nine games with an 0-for-4 performance against Florida State, but her two doubles against Cal State-Northridge raised her career total to 41 two-baggers, moving her past Tracy Carr (40, 1993-96) into eighth place on U-M's career list.

Rebekah Milian set career highs with four hits and three runs batted in against Cal State-Northridge. Her previous highs were three hits (on five occasions) and two RBI (twice).

Molly Bausher set a career high in hits with her 3-for-3 showing in the opener that included her first career extra-base hit.

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423