Worthy's Homer Propels U-M Into Regional Title Game

Saturday, May 19

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

45-11

Louisville

37-24

Michigan

Louisville

5/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior catcher Tiffany Worthy (Yorba Linda, Calif./Lutheran HS) knocked out her second home run in as many days, launching a three-run shot over the leftfield fence to cap the No. 10-ranked University of Michigan softball team's 6-3 victory over Louisville on Saturday (May 19) in day-two NCAA Regional play in front of 943 fans at Alumni Field.

Worthy continued her torrid pace in NCAA postseason play, going 2-for-3 at the plate to extend her NCAA tournament hitting streak to seven games, including hits in U-M's last two regional contests and all three super regional games in 2006. Her fifth-inning home run was her sixth of the year and her fifth in her last six NCAA contests.

Senior Lorilyn Wilson (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS) earned her second win of the weekend, fanning nine batters and allowing three hits -- two of which were solo home runs -- to improve her season record to 24-11. Freshman Nikki Nemitz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) entered in relief with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning and sat down four of five batters faced -- striking out three -- to claim her third career save.

Louisville took the game's first lead as shortstop Courtney Moore took a 2-2 pitch deep in the bottom of the first inning, driving a two-out home run -- her second of the tournament -- over the fence in leftfield. It was the lone blemish for Wilson in the frame admidst an otherwise perfect opening four frames.

The Wolverines responded in their next turn at the plate, manufacturing two runs off of three base hits and a Louisville error in the top of the second. With two runners in scoring postition after back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, freshman second baseman Molly Bausher (Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley HS) sent a shallow blooper down the leftfield line that was misplayed by Louisville third baseman Audrey Rendon, allowing junior pincher runner Michelle Weatherdon to sneak behind her and slide in safe at home plate. In the next at-bat, sophomore shortstop Teddi Ewing (Olathe, Kan./East HS) smacked a base hit through the gap in the middle to score freshman third baseman Maggie Viefhaus (Eureka, Mo./Eureka HS) from second base and give her team its first advantage.

Worthy's home run came as part of a two-out Michigan rally in the top of the fourth inning. After Louisville quickly dispensed of the Wolverines' leadoff two, U-M put three straight batters on base with a walk and back-to-back base hits from the Findlay sisters -- junior first baseman Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) and freshman rightfielder Angela Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS). The latter, Angela's lofted shot centerfield, allowed senior leftfielder Rebekah Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) to come home from second base. Worthy went deep in the subsequent at-bat, returning to the plate after fouling a ball off her thigh, to drive a 2-2 pitch into the opposing team's bullpen beyond leftfield. The three-run shot would prove the eventual game-winner.

Louisville chipped away at the Wolverines' advantage, tallying a run a piece in the fifth and sixth innings to pull within three on the scoreboard. Cardinal designated player Kassie Stanfill led off the fifth with a solo home run down the leftfield line -- just her second of the season -- as the ball narrowly sneaking inside the foul pole. Louisville loaded up the bases in the next frame after a hard base knock to shortstop and a pair of hit batsmen. The latter induced a Michigan pitching change, bringing Nemitz to the circle to face the game-tying run. The Cardinals picked up a run on a sacrifice fly, but the U-M rookie retired both batters she faced to end the threat.

With U-M holding a three-run cushion after six-and-a-half innings, Louisville kicked off the bottom half of the frame with single down the rightfield line. Nemitz, however, quickly dispensed of the next two batters with back-to-back strikeouts before forcing a easy grounder to third base for the final out.

The Wolverines must await the consolation of today's two loser-bracket contests to learn their opponent for Sunday's (May 20) NCAA Regional championship final. The game is slated for a 1 p.m. start at Alumni Field.

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 764-4423