Sunday, March 28, 2004

Valparaiso ended its weekend road trip on Sunday afternoon dropping a pair of games to 11th ranked Michigan 10-0 and 7-0 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Michigan struck first in the opening game, as Grace Leutele tripled home Nicole Motycka with one out in the second. The Wolverines broke the game open in the third, scoring nine runs, eight after two were out, capped off by a three-run homer by Stephanie Bercaw.

The Crusaders managed just two hits off of starter Jennie Ritter. Taylor Callahan singled in the second and Kelly Silvey beat out a bunt in the third. Silvey added another single in the fifth against reliever Meghan Ritter, while Michigan pounded out 11 hits for the game. Brittany Atteberry started and took the loss for the Crusaders.

Michigan scored in the second inning of game two as well. Monica Schock doubled home Jennifer Olds with two outs to drive in the first run of the game. The Wolverines added four runs in the third, all with two outs on back-to-back singles by Mtoycka and Schock.
Olds added a home run in the bottom of the fifth for Michigan (25-6) to start a two run inning off of Crusader hurler Ashlee Blankenbaker.

Valpo managed just a single by Monica Rowan in the third inning and back-to-back singles by Karen Constien and Megan Carroll to lead off the fourth as Lorilyn Wilson registered the shutout for the Wolverines. Jessica Schultz added Valpo's fourth hit of the game, lacing a pinch hit single into right field in the seventh for the Brown and Gold. The single was Schultz's first of her career.

Valparaiso (4-13) will return home on Wednesday afternoon for a 3 p.m. doubleheader against Northern Illinois at the Valparaiso University Softball Field.