Bowling Green State University
MICHIGAN
#12 Michigan Uses Long Ball to Down Falcons, 3-0
March 28, 2006 | Softball
March 28, 2006
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The host University of Michigan broke a scoreless deadlock with back-to-back homeruns in the fifth inning, providing all the scoring in a 3-0 win over the Bowling Green State University softball team Tuesday afternoon (March 28). The non-conference game was held at Alumni Field.
With the win, the Wolverines, the defending national champions, improve to 18-9 on the season, while the Falcons drop to 17-9.
Michigan's Samantha Findlay, the hero of last year's national-championship game, hit a two-run homer to snap a scoreless tie, and Becky Marx followed with a round-tripper to nearly the same spot.
U-M pitcher Lorilyn Wilson threw a four-hit shutout for the victory, striking out 10. For her part, Falcon freshman Hayley Wiemer pitched admirably. Wiemer allowed eight hits in a complete-game effort, striking out a pair of batters without issuing a walk. Wiemer and Wilson hooked up in a scoreless duel for the game's first four-and-a-half innings before the hosts broke through.
 Michigan's Samantha Findlay scrambles back toward second base as junior Megan McPherson awaits the throw (photo by Amir Gamzu, Wolverine Photo)  |
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The Falcons got singles from sophomore Allison Vallas and Wiemer in the second inning, but a double play and a groundout kept the game scoreless.
 U-M's Alessandra Giampaolo offers at a pitch from Hayley Wiemer (left) as catcher Abby Habicht awaits the pitch (photo by Amir Gamzu, Wolverine Photo) |
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Neither team advanced a runner as far as second base until the Michigan half of the fourth. Findlay led off with a single to rightfield, and took second base on a Marx sacrifice bunt. Wiemer struck out Stephanie Bercaw, but Bercaw reached when the ball bounced away from BG catcher Abby Habicht. Habicht threw to second in an attempt to get Findlay, who had strayed off of second base, but Findlay was able to scramble back to the bag ahead of the tag.
The next U-M hitter, Leutele, singled sharply to leftfield, loading the bases with one out. But, Wiemer responded by striking out Worthy, then getting Milian to ground out to second base.
In the U-M fifth, however, the Wolverines exploded for three runs. Teddi Ewing led off with a single, before Wiemer got a pair of outs. Then, though, U-M clubbed the aforementioned back-to-back homeruns, as Findlay and Marx each hit a ball over the right-field fence. Findlay's homer was her fourth of the year, while Marx hit her team-leading eighth round-tripper of the spring.
From there, Wilson kept the Falcons from mounting a rally. The U-M junior retired the side in order in each of the final four innings.
Findlay led the way with two hits and two RBI for the hosts, while Leutele also went 2-for-3 on the afternoon.
The Falcons are right back at it Wednesday (March 29), heading to Indiana for a 5:00 p.m. game with the University of Notre Dame.
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