Nemitz, Taylor Toss Back-to-Back Shutouts Against Gophers

Sunday, April 13

Minneapolis, Minn.

1:00 PM CT

Michigan

37-4, 0

Minnesota

21-11, 0

Michigan

Minnesota

Nemitz, Taylor Toss Back-to-Back Shutouts Against Gophers

4/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Jane Sage Cowles Stadium)
Scores: #6 Michigan 5, Minnesota 0; #6 Michigan 5, Minnesota 0
Records: Michigan (38-4, 11-1 Big Ten), Minnesota (21-12, 4-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Games: Wednesday, April 16 -- vs. Eastern Michigan (Wilpon Softball Complex), 6 p.m.

Game 1 Boxscore | Game 2 Boxscore

MINNEAPOLIS , Minn. -- Headlined by its stellar pitching duo, the No. 6-ranked University of Michigan softball team picked up a pair of shutout victories in a 5-0, 3-0 doubleheader sweep against Minnesota on Sunday afternoon (April 13) at the Golden Gophers' Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. The sweep is Michigan's third straight in Big Ten Conference competition, and, combined with a Northwestern loss, moved the Wolverines' to the top of the league standings.

Sophomore Nikki Nemitz(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) and freshman Jordan Taylor(Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS) led U-M from the pitching circle, combining for 22 strikeouts and just three hits allowed in the twinbill. Nemitz claimed her third decision of the weekend -- improving her record to 18-2 -- with the two-hit performance in the first contest, while Taylor, just two days removed from seeing her 48.1 shutout-inning streak end, began anew with her 10th shutout win of the season. Her one-hitter in game two also netted the U-M rookie her 20th win of the season, making her just the fourth Wolverine freshman in program history to reach the milestone.

Senior leftfielder Alessandra Giampaolo(Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS) earned a pair of hits in each game to extend her streak to a career-best 14 straight games. The Wolverine captain batted 4-for-7 on the afternoon with her second home run of the season, three RBI and three runs scored. Senior second baseman Samantha Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS) and sophomore centerfielder Molly Bausher(Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley HS) posted multi-hit effort in the first game, while sophomore leftfielder Angela Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS) tallied two base hits in the second.

The Wolverines' runs in the opener came early and often as U-M pushed three across home plate in the first inning and two more in the third. Giampaolo and Bausher led off the contest with back-to-back base hits, and, with the former on third base, Angela Findlay knocked an RBI ground out to second base, providing her team the only lead it would need. After Bausher advanced to third base on a wild pitch, Samantha Findlay picked up her 10th RBI of the weekend on a hard single to centerfield before racing home herself -- after back-to-back walks -- on another RBI ground out from sophomore catcher Roya St. Clair(Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS).

With one out in the third frame and Samantha Findlay on second -- after a leadoff single and subsequent stolen base -- freshman first baseman Dorian Shaw(Burke, Va./Robinson SS) lined a base hit to centerfield to score the U-M captain. Minnesota pitcher Briana Hassett again tossed back-to-back walks to load the bases for Giampaolo, who sent a hard knock up the middle to close out the Wolverines' scoring in the contest.

For her part, Nemitz struck the side in the opening frame and five of the first six batters she faced. The Gophers threatened with runners in scoring position in the third and seventh innings. With two on and one out -- after a leadoff walk and a U-M error -- in the bottom of the final frame, Nemitz set down the last two batters she faced to close the game.

Giampaolo contributed to all of Michigan's runs in the finale as U-M spread its tallies over three innings. The game-winner came as a result of a Gopher error in the opening frame. After leading off with a single down the rightfield line, Giampaolo advanced to second on a sacrifice hit before racing home when Minnesota second baseman misplayed the ball following an Angela Findlay base hit.

The Wolverine captain drove in the second run on a one-out sacrifice fly in the second. With junior pinch runner Megan Gregory(Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) in scoring position after a sacrifice bunt and a rightfield single from junior shortstop Teddi Ewing(Olathe, Kan./East HS), Giampaolo lofted a high fly ball to the same location to allow her team to trot home from third base. Giampaolo capped her performance with a leadoff home run to rightfield in the seventh frame.

With the Wolverine advantage in place from the outset, Taylor grew stronger as the game wore on, boasting 1-2-3 innings in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings. The U-M rookie struck out the side to wrap up the game in the final frame.

The Wolverines (38-4, 9-1 Big Ten) will come for a midweek non-conference slate against Washtenaw County rival Eastern Michigan on Wednesday (April 16). The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start at Alumni Field within the Wilpon Baseball and Softball Complex.

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423