Michigan Shuts Out Illini in Doubleheader Sweep

Sunday, April 6

Ann Arbor, Mich.

12:00 PM

Michigan

31-4, 6-1

Illinois

20-19, 2-3

Illinois

Michigan

4/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Scores: #5 Michigan 8, Illinois 0 (5 innings); #5 Michigan 5, Illinois 0
Records: Michigan (32-4, 7-1 Big Ten), Illinois (20-20, 2-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday (April 8) -- vs. Central Michigan (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.

Game 1 Boxscore | Game 2 Boxscore | Notes & Quotes| Photo Gallery

ANN ARBOR , Mich. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan softball program earned back-to-back shutouts en route to an 8-0 (five innings), 5-0 doubleheader sweep against Illinois on Sunday (April 6) in front of 1,107 fans at the Wilpon Softball Complex, home to Alumni Field. The Wolverines extended their shutout stretch to three straight games and six of the last seven.

Freshman Jordan Taylor(Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS) and sophomore Nikki Nemitz(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) guided the Wolverines from the pitching circle. The pair, who boasted a nation-low 0.63 ERA entering the weekend, allowed no runs on just four totals hits and a pair of walks split evenly between them. Nemitz fanned three in game one, while Taylor, just a day removed from a career-best strikeout count, matched it with 14 in the second game, including the first seven batters she faced. Taylor extended her shutout streak to 39 consecutive innings.

The Wolverine batters backed up the pitching display with an exceptional day at plate as five different U-M players registered three hits or more in a combined .383 (18-for-47) performance. Sophomore third baseman Maggie Viefhaus(Eureka, Mo./Eureka HS) and sophomore catcher Roya St. Clair(Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) set the tone with four hits apiece. Viefhaus knocked out the first U-M home run at the Wilpon Softball Complex and drove in three runs in the first game, while St. Clair tallied a double and two RBI in each contest.

Michigan earned the only lead it would need in the first game on a fielding error in the second inning. St. Clair initiated a two-out rally, sending a line drive into the gap in left-centerfield for a stand-up double, and, after junior rightfielder Allison Kidman(Tarpon Spring, Fla./Countryside HS) earned a free pass, sophomore shortstop Molly Bausher(Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley HS) -- who moved to the position after junior Teddi Ewing(Olathe, Kan./East HS) was spiked in the second inning and came out of the game-- played a grounder that slipped under the Illinois shortstop's glove, allowing St. Clair to score on the miscue.

Wolverine batters scorched the Fighting Illini with four runs in the bottom of the third. Viefhaussparked the offense with a runner on base, launching a full-count delivery over the wall in centerfield to pad her team's lead to three runs. The two-run blast marks her fourth home run of the season and the ninth of her career.

The Michigan rally continued as Nemitzwalked and moved to second following a base hit from freshman first baseman Dorian Shaw(Burke, Va./Robinson SS). St. Clair singled to right-center, plating senior pinch runner Michelle Weatherdon(Marquette, Mich./Marquette HS) and advancing Shaw to third. Kidmanlaced a pitch over the Illini second baseman to bring in Shaw and record her first RBI of the season.

The Wolverines maintained the momentum at the dish, supplying a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Michigan earned a walk and two infield hits to load the bases for Shaw, who swung and dropped a blooper just inches in front of the plate to score sophomore leftfielder Angela Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS).St. Clair followed suit, ripping an RBI single -- her third hit of the game -- up the middle.

Michigan notched one run in the home half of the fifth to establish its eight-run lead and bring an immediate end to the opening contest. The Wolverines held first and second when a wild pitch advanced the runners one base, putting an important run in scoring position for Viefhaus, who ripped a grounder through the infield to drive in her third run of the game.

In the late game, the Wolverines again claimed the only advantage they would need in the second inning. With runners on the corners, Shawcrushed a liner past the Illini shortstop for a double -- her third of the season -- to score Viefhaus, who had reached via a leadoff double of her own from third base.

After carrying the narrow one-run cushion through much of the contest, Michigan tacked on four runs in the sixth to make its lead more comfortable. With two on after a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt from senior Samantha Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS), Nemitz got ahold of a high pitch to drill an RBI double to leftfield. When the Illini intentionally walked Shaw to load the bases, St. Clair made them pay with a hard-hit double to right-centerfield, bringing in Nemitz and Viefhaus from scoring position. Kidman wrapped up the Wolverines' scoring with an RBI groundout to second base for her second RBI of the afternoon.

With the U-M lead in check, Taylor retired three straight Illini batters on just six pitches to close out the contest.

Michigan will return to action on Tuesday (April 8) for a 4 p.m. non-conference slate against intrastate rival Central Michigan at the Wilpon Softball Complex.

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423