Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan
No. 15 Michigan Nips 'Cats Twice in Extra Innings
3/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 30, 2003
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Northwestern gave No. 15 Michigan all it could handle in both games of their doubleheader Sunday afternoon, but in the end, the Wildcats had no answer for Marissa Young once both games went into extra innings. The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year in 2002 did her damage at the plate, hitting a walk-off home run in the ninth inning of a 6-5 win in game one and then had a game-winning two-run single in the top the eighth of a 3-1 win in the nightcap.
The pair of heart-breaking losses dropped the Wildcats to 17-10 overall and 0-4 in the Big Ten. The Wolverines improved to 19-8 and 3-1 with the pair of victories.
The opening game proved to be a back-and-forth affair that the Wildcats appeared to be in charge of in the top of the eighth inning when Cindy Muran (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) doubled home a pair of runs, giving NU a 5-3 lead.
However, the Wolverines answered right back in the bottom half of the eighth, as Grace Leutele hit a two-run home run, the first of her career, off Northwestern starter Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro), knotting the score 5-5.
Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) entered the game two batters later and stranded a baserunner at second, sending the game to the ninth. After UM reliever Nicole Motycka held the 'Cats scoreless in the top half of the inning, Marissa Young ended the game with a one-out walk-off home run to give the Wolverines the win.
Michigan outhit the Wildcats 9-5 and left 10 runners on base, compared to five for NU.
The Wolverines got on the scoreboard first with a single run in the bottom of the third before the Wildcats took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth on a two-run home run to left by Schwendimann, her first of the season.
The Wolverines answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game 2-2. NU went back ahead in the top of the fifth as Jessie Wellnitz (Waterloo, Iowa/East) led off with a double to center, was bunted over to third and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill).
Michigan sent the game into extra innings with a single tally in the bottom of the sixth as Tiffany Haas' two-out single to center scored Jessica Merchant from third. Neither team scored in the seventh, before each team crossed the plate twice in the top of the eighth.
Game two was a pitcher's battle through the opening five innings of play, as Motycka and Brie Brown (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall) each allowed only two hits and three baserunners.
Michigan finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth as Haas started the inning with a double off the top of the fence in left-center, was bunted over to third and scored on a sac fly to right.
However, Northwestern evened the game back up in the bottom half of the sixth. Brett Nakabayashi (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) led off the inning with a hit, advanced to second on a bunt by Mobley and scored two batters later on an RBI single to left by Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill). The Wildcats then nearly took the lead as Muran singled to right, but pinch runner Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) was thrown out at the plate attempting to score from second.
NU had a golden opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the seventh, but was unable to convert. Schwendimann led off with a walk, and pinch runner Brown slid in safely at second on a bunt by J.C. Kira (Honolulu, Hawaii/Saint Francis). But Motycka retired the next three batters in order to send the game to extra innings for the second consecutive game.
Michigan took advantage of the Wildcats' missed chance in the top of the eighth. Haas reached on an error following a bunt on top of home plate and Megan Doe followed with a basehit. Both runners advanced a base on a sac bunt and came around to score two batters later on the two-run hit by Young.
Mobley led off the bottom of the eighth with a double, but Northwestern could do no further damage. Schwendimann took the loss in relief of Brown, falling to 5-4.
Northwestern is back in action at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday when it goes outside of the conference to take on Illinois-Chicago in the home opener.
