Michigan
Wisconsin
Wolverines Blank Wisconsin in Game One, Await Game-Two Finish
4/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Site: Madison, Wis. (Goodman Softball Complex)
Score: #9 Michigan 10, Wisconsin 0
Records: U-M (33-9, 9-2 Big Ten), Wisconsin (13-34, 2-11 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 26 -- at Wisconsin - begins in bottom of the sixth (Wilpon Softball Complex), 1 p.m. CDT
Boxscore: Game 1 | Game 2
Highlights: Game 1 | Game 2
MADISON, Wis. -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan softball team battled through cold and wet conditions and several rain delays to claim a 10-0 win at Wisconsin on Saturday (April 25) at the Robert and Irwin Goodman Softball Complex. The Wolverines started the second game of the series and established a 5-0 advantage through the top of the sixth before it was called due to rain. They will resume play in that game at 1 p.m. CDT tomorrow (Sunday, April 26).
Junior lefthander Nikki Nemitz(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) earned her fifth shutout of the season in game one, striking out nine Wisconsin batters while allowing five hits and no walks. With the victory -- her eighth in the row -- Nemitz improved to 20-5 on the season, becoming the first pitcher in Wolverine program history to register three consecutive 20-win seasons.
Michigan's top third of the lineup -- freshman second baseman Stephanie Kirkpatrick(Plainfield, Ill./Central HS), freshman leftfielder Bree Evans(Bloomington, Calif./Rialto HS) and junior rightfielder Angela Findlay(Lockport, Ill./East HS) -- posted one hit and two RBI apiece, while the middle of the lineup -- junior catcher Roya St. Clair(Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS), junior third baseman Maggie Viefhaus(Eureka, Mo./Eureka HS) and Nemitz -- all posted multi-hit efforts.
Michigan did not get on in the board until the fifth, scoring the entirety of its runs in the final three frames, but both teams threatened in the early inning. Kirkpatrick took the second pitch of the contest over the head of UW centerfielder Jennifer Krueger for her sixth double of the season, but U-M could not capitalize, leaving a runner stranded in each of the opening two innings before Evans was caught stealing to end the third frame.
Wisconsin threatened as a slight rain started in the home half of the third, stringing three base hits together to load the bases with one out. UW rightfielder Ashley Hanwewich registered the Badgers' first hit of the game, blooping an infield hit just over the glove of a leaping Nemitz before pitcher Leah Vanevenhoven and Krueger used back-to-back shallow bunts to reach safely and put the first run just 60 feet away. Nemitz did not need any help to get herself out of the jam, however, fanning consecutive Badger batters to end the inning.
U-M took advantage of a Wisconsin miscue to break the scoreless tie in the fifth. Nemitz connected with the 1-1 pitch for a leadoff double -- her seventh two bagger of the season -- off the centerfield fence. Junior pinch runner Kristin Larsen(Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS) replaced her on second base and promptly advanced on a wild pitch before coming home on a blown pick-off attempt. UW catcher Dana Rasmussen fired the ball to catch Larsen off the bag, but shortstop Katie Soderberg could not handle it as the ball glanced off her glove and dribbled down the line, allowing the Wolverine baserunner to race home. The run became earned when Ewing laced a single through the left-side gap in the next at bat.
With Ewing on second after a stolen base and just one out, the game broke for a brief rain delay. When play resumed 14 minutes later, Vanevenhoven appeared to have lost considerable control from the circle. Ewing quickly advanced on a passed ball before coming home when the Badger ace went wild just a couple pitches later. Vanevenhoven issued a pair of five-pitch walks, and another UW fielding error loaded the bases, but the Wolverines could not take capitalize, stranding all three.
Michigan scored eight more runs in the final two frames to pull away from the Badgers. Three tallies came in the sixth inning as U-M took advantage of three straight walks -- along with a pair of base hits -- to produce its runs. With one down, Nemitz knocked a high fly ball into leftfield that dropped in for her second double of the game when the Badger leftfielder went right as the ball carried left. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for the Wolverines and induced a UW pitching change, bringing in Letty Olivarez, who promptly walked Kirkpatrick to bring in a run. Evans singled in the next at bat, connecting with a 1-0 pitch and ripping it back up the middle to drive in two more.
U-M took advantage of a combination of hits and walks again in the seventh. The Wolverines quickly loaded the bases on a St. Clair shallow poke to right center, Viefhaus double to the leftfield fence and Nemitz walk, before sophomore first baseman Dorian Shaw(Burke, Va./Robinson SS) smacked an RBI single just past the glove of a diving Soderberg on a first-pitch check swing. With the bases still loaded, Michigan used a walk and a groundout to bring in runs in the next two at bats and, after a quick flyout, Findlay ripped a two-RBI single up the middle to wrap up the game's scoring.
Wisconsin tallied a base hit in the fifth and sixth innings, but Nemitz made little work of the remainder of the Badger lineup, responding to the latter knock by retiring Wisconsin's final five hitters on 13 pitches.
The Badgers' miscues carried into game two as Wisconsin posted recorded two errors, five wild pitches and a passed ball -- along with four walks -- and Michigan took advantage, scoring three of its five runs unearned.
Just as it did in game one, rain halted the second slate, causing a 31-minute delay just four pitches into Kirkpatrick's leadoff at bat. The Wolverine rookie accepted a walk upon the game's restart, and Evans soon joined her on base, reaching on a fielding error on the Badger second baseman. After Ewing advanced both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, freshman utility player Amanda Chidester(Allen Park, Mich./Cabrini HS) secured her team-leading 33rd RBI of the season on a deep sacrifice fly to rightfield. St. Clair sent a stand-up double to the same spot to bring home another run, and Viefhaus followed suit, knocking an RBI single through the right-side gap to pad U-M's lead to three.
Michigan took advantage of another error in the second as Shaw reached on a fielding error from the leadoff spot when the Badger shortstop bobbled the grounder and lost the ball between her legs. Senior pinch runner Megan Gregory(Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) took her place on the basepath, advancing on a wild pitch and Ewing sac hit before coming home when Kirkpatrick smacked a chopper to third base.
Shaw scored herself in the fourth inning after a series of Badger mistakes. The Wolverine sophomore reached when the 3-1 pitch struck her, and after advancing on two wild pitches, raced home to score on a passed ball.
While Wisconsin's lone hit in the opening five frames came in the first inning from leadoff hitter Krueger, the Badgers' best scoring opportunity came in the fourth when UW took advantage of a walk and a subsequent error to challenge with runners in scoring position. Taylor responded by striking out the final hitter of the frame.
The skies opened up in the bottom half of the sixth, bringing the day's third rain delay. After 45 minutes and several lightning strikes, the game was suspended for the evening.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
