Michigan
26-3, 0
Indiana
7-20, 0
Wolverines Roll Past Indiana in Big Ten Opener
3/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (IU Softball Field)
Score: #6 Michigan 10, Indiana 2
Records: U-M (26-3), Indiana (7-20)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 29 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), 1 p.m.
Boxscore
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan softball team scored at least one run in five innings, including each of the final four, to cruise to a dominant 10-2 decision over Indiana in its Big Ten Conference opener on Friday (March 28) at the IU Softball Field.
Seven different Wolverine players recorded hits, but it was sophomore pitcher Nikki Nemitz(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) who highlighted the Wolverines' offensive efforts with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate and the game-winning RBI single in the fourth inning. Sophomore rightfielder Angela Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS) boasted a pair of doubles, driving in a run in the sixth, while sophomore third baseman Maggie Viefhaus(Eureka, Mo./Eureka HS) tallied her third home run of the season with a three-run bomb in the fifth frame.
Nemitz also paced Michigan from the pitching circle, registering her third double-digit strikeout performance of the season with 10 against the Hoosiers. The Wolverine ace allowed just three hits -- two for extra bases -- and a pair of single-run frames en route to her eighth consecutive victory.
Despite the lopsided end result, the Wolverines trailed early in the contest after giving up a two-out solo home run in the home half of the first. It was only the fifth home run allowed by a U-M pitcher this season -- the second by Nemitz. Indiana earned its other run on an RBI double in the fourth inning.
Junior shortstop Teddi Ewing(Olathe, Kan./East HS) gave her team its first and final lead in the top of the second, lobbing a base hit to rightfield with a pair of runners in scoring position, while Nemitz drove in the eventual game-winning tally two innings later on a single to the opposite field. Senior Samantha Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS) reached base via an Indiana error to lead off the fourth frame and, after advancing on a sacrifice bunt, raced home from second on Nemitz's base hit.
Michigan's four runs in the fifth inning all came with two outs. After a pair of hits and a fielder's choice put two runners on for Samantha Findlay, the Wolverine senior ripped an RBI single to centerfield to bring home fellow senior captain Alessandra Giampaolo(Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS) from second base. Viefhaus wasted little time before clearing the bases, knocking out her three-run homer over the fence in leftfield.
The Wolverines tacked on three more runs between the final two innings, scoring one on Angela Findlay's two-out double down the leftfield line before adding runs on a hit batsman and sacrifice fly in the seventh.
The Wolverines will wrap up its two-game series with Indiana tomorrow (Saturday, March 29) in Bloomington, Ind. The game is slated for a 1 p.m. star at the IU Softball Field.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nemitz, Nikki (12-1)
L: Wright, M. (4-8)
Batting:
2B: Findlay, Angela 2
HR: Viefhaus, Maggie 1
RBI: Bausher, Molly 1 ; Findlay, Angela 1 ; Findlay, Samantha 1 ; Viefhaus, Maggie 3 ; Nemitz, Nikki 1 ; Powers, Marley 1 ; Ewing, Teddi 2
SH: Bausher, Molly 1 ; Viefhaus, Maggie 1 ; Shaw, Dorian 1
SF: Bausher, Molly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Giampaolo, Alessandra 1 ; Findlay, Angela 1 ; Findlay, Samantha 2 ; Viefhaus, Maggie 3 ; Nemitz, Nikki 1 ; Weatherdon, Michelle 1 ; Ewing, Teddi 1
SB: Findlay, Samantha 1
CS: Ewing, Teddi 1
HBP: Powers, Marley 1
Batting:
2B: Yamaguchi, T 1
HR: Bergeson, E. 1
RBI: Bergeson, E. 1 ; Yamaguchi, T 1
SF: Yamaguchi, T 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bergeson, E. 2
