4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - April 9, 2001 Quote of the weekend "They don't stop a baseball game they don t stop football when we re a head 40 to nothing." Michigan coach Carol Hutchins on the mercy rule in NCAA softball. SATURDAY'S GAME Indiana 0 Michigan 2 YESTERDAY'S GAME Indiana 3 Michigan 15 Player of the Weekend Kelsey Kollen Kollen provided the Wolverines with strong leadoffhitting and RBIs in crucial situations. In four games, she went 10-for-I7 with S RBIs and 5 runs scored. 4.. '. i iy ry .r.., ? ) ; TEAM STATISTICS Through April 9, 2001 Player G BA AB RBI HR Taylor 31 .480 100 6 0 Kollen 33 .360 111 16 0 Moulden 33 .310 100 23 4 Doe 29 .273 77 4 0 Volpe 31 .275 80 21. 2 Tune 33 .296 98 10 1 Mack 21 .200 5 0 0 Young 30 .253 79 8 2 Bugel 20 .273 34 2 0 Schoc k 29 .229 70 1. 0 Betley 16 .156 32 3 0 Churchill 17 .176 17 4 1 Garza 24 .174 46 4 0 Elsner 6 .100 10 3 0 Conner 18 .000 8 0 0 Murdock 5 .000 2 0 0 Prichard 5 .000 0 0 0 ERA leader (12 innings pitched) Young 1.20 Strikeout leader Young 111 Save leader Young 1 Pitching staff a two-headed monster. By Jeff Phillips Daily Sports Writer On Friday, sophomore Marissa Young pitched nine of 14 innings in Michigan's doubleheader against Purdue. The next day she pitched a complete game shutout against Indiana. This has become the life for Young and senior Marie Barda, now that the Big Ten season has begun. "It is a little tougher just because you are " -."sore from pitching the night before," Young said. "But I kind of anticipated that, .:{ :} " " so you get our mindset to get ready for a today." Barda and Young have pitched every game of Michigan's current nine-game win streak with the only exception being Kate Eiland's brief appearance yesterday against ":d"::::J In iana. In past seasons, the Wolverines have used a three-pitcher rotation for the confer- ence season. But as Eiland recovers from a hip injury, Michigan has been forced to use just Barda and Young. Neither pitcher has a problem with pitching on little rest. "For me, I can keep sharp with my pitching - I don't have to sit out a couple BRAD QUINN/Daily days before I get to pitch again," Young Sophomore Marissa Young has shouldered much of the pitching load for said. Michigan in addition to playing first base in her non-pitching games. "Our arms don't really get sore," Barda Wolverines have coach to thank for winnn streak said. "We ice (our arms) after the game and the next day we feel fine." Barda and Young have been the only two pitchers during the season but now have to pitch nearly every-other day -- sometimes even more. They have respond- ed well to the pressure of playing many games in a short stretch. The nine-game win streak has included three shutouts, and the two pitchers have allowed just 12 runs, nine earned during the streak. "I think they are doing an excellent job. You really couldn't ask for anything more," Eiland said. Yet early in the season, the two pitchers' confidence was shaken with unexpected losses. After going 18-4 last year, Young lost six of her first 12 games, before win- ning the past five. Barda also had struggled in the beginning, losing her first three starts of the season. Since then, she has gone 8-1. Despite this, Hutchins knows that her pitchers' confidence is still shaky. "Marissa struggled a little bit on Friday with her confidence, Barda struggled a lit- tle bit today with her confidence- not throwing like I think they can," Hutchins said. "We're still a work in progress." On the entire Michigan roster, there are only five pitchers and only Barda and Young have seen much action. Sophomore Melinda Moulden has gotten one start but has started every game at either first base or in the outfield.:Freshman Meghan Ritter also has just one start. This has put the pitchers in a position to rely on each other as much as possible. "We are comfortable with each other, and we play well together," Barda said "She helps me out, and I help her out." Hutchins is bringing Eiland along slo ly as she recovers from injury and has bee giving her time whenever she can - Eiland pitched against DePaul and an inning against Indiana. "I am definitely trying to work my way (into the rotation)," Eiland said. Eiland knows that as Michigan makes a push toward the postseason, her opportuni- ties to play will be fewer. "It is hard to get time during the Big T season," she said. "I haven't proven that can get it done myself - you don't want to risk it in Big Ten games." Michigan's schedule doesn't get any.. easier and the Wolverines will need Bardax and Young to continue their strong pitch-.. ing leading into the Big Ten and NCANAl Tournaments. "I think Barda and I have done a really good job with it - it has worked for us," Young said. MICHIGAN 15, INDIANA 3 MICHIGAN INDIANA Player AS R H BI Player Kolen 2b 4 2 3 2 Suca 2b Taylorrf 2 1 1 0 Mattkess Elsner ph 1 0 0 0 Monroe c Volpe 3b 3 3 3 3 Hanson Churchill ph/3b 1 0 0 0 White dh Schock dh 2 2 1 1 Narewski Moulden If 3 1 1 2 Stark pr/ Betley ph/If 1 0 0 0 Cook If/rl Tune ss 4 2 3 1 Stillians:1 Young b 4 0s0 1 Bullock Murdock pr/1b0 1 0 0 Ramynke0 Bugel c 3 12 2 Doe cf 2 1 0 0 Garza ph/cf 1 1 0 1 Totals 31151413 Totals cirf r(if rf 1b cf iph AB R H BI 3 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 0102 2 00 0 20 120 21 3 6 3 E - Tune 2. Mattke 2, Hanson, cook. DP - None. LOB - Michigan 9, Indiana 5. 2B5- Kolen, Volpe, Tune, Bugel. HR - Ramynke. KSO iKllen. SH - Taylor 2, Mattke, White. By Nathan Linsley Daily Sports Writer Michigan Banda Eiland Indiana Cooke Smith IP H R ER BB so 4.0 5 3 2 0 4 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 3.1 9 8 5 3 1 1.2 5 7 4 3. 0 At: Alumni Field Attendance: 507 Start: 1:00 p.M. Time: 1:47 WEEKEND LEADERS Hits - Kelsey Kollen, 10 Runs - Stefanie Volpe, 6 RBIs - Kollen, Volpe, Melinda Moulden, 5 Walks - Volpe, 5 Atibats - Kollen, 17 Extra-base hits - Volpe, Kollen, 2 Sacrifices - Melissa Taylor, 5 j Stolen bases - Kim Bugel, Rebec-j ca Tune, 2 Pitching Innings - Marissa Young, 15.1 StrIkeouts- Young, 20 Wins - Young, Marie Barda, 2 BIG TEN STANDINGS "There's a little softball etiquette that we all need to learn. In the middle of the game, when it's a no- hitter, nobody says, 'hey, it's a no-hitter.' You don't talk about a streak when you're on it," Michi- SOF-TBALL gan softball coach Carol Hutchins said when asked Commentary about the Wolverines' cur- rent nine-game winning streak. "Softball supersti- tion is huge." With apologies to Hutchins, the Wolverines' streak is newsworthy not because of the number of games they have won, but because of the way they have won them. In nine games, the Wolverines have outscored their opponents 53-12 while collecting 88 hits. Michigan scored only 78 runs in its first 24 games. After an embarrassing tie against Western Michi- gan and then two disappointing losses against then- No. 10 DePaul, the Wolverines found themselves at 12-11-1 entering Big Ten play. While only the team and coach Hutchins know what was said on the bus ride from Chicago to Champaign, something sparked the Wolverines before last Saturday's game against Illinois. Michigan dominated that game, evoking the mercy rule in a 10-2 victory. The next afternoon, it came back and won a close game, 2-0, and the streak had begun. While Hutchins would likely point to the increased confidence of her team, one of the biggest reasons for the Wolverines' turn-around has been the lineup change that the coaching staff decided on before the Illinois game. Stefanie Volpe, who had been the DH for most of the season, was moved to third base and freshman Monica Schock was inserted as the new DH. Schock, a left-handed hitter, was placed in the fourth position in the order, creating a stretch of five consecutive left-handed Wolverines - Meghan Doe, Kelsey Kollen, Melissa Taylor, Volpe and then Schock. Melinda Moulden, Michigan's power threat, was moved to the fifth slot. "It's tough for any pitcher to face five lefties in a row. We switched it like that last week in Illinois," Hutchins said. "It puts Moulden in the biggest RBI slot of all, and she's been our best RBI hitter. And it's worked pretty well." The increased offense has lightened some of the load for the Michigan pitching staff, which currently consists of only two regular pitchers. Marissa Young and Marie Barda, who have been tough all year, no longer have the pressure of holding the opposition to one or two runs every game. One of the reasons for the increased success at the plate has been a more aggressive approach, especial- ly by Doe, Kollen and Taylor - "The three stooges" according to Hutchins. The "Stooges" had been prone to bunting or slap- ping at each at-bat, but now they are swinging away more often, keeping the defense on its heels. During the streak, Kollen has turned herself into a legitimate RBI threat, and Taylor had a rare triple against Bowling Green. Volpe, who might be the Wolverines' best all- around hitter, has become more patient at the plate and has been a threat to start rallies and drive in runs. Hutchins still dismisses the idea that her team is playing up to its potential. "We're still a work in progress but I'm really pleased and I think we've gotten better every week, and that's important right now," Hutchins said. "A good time to get going and playing good ball is in April." The Wolverines' schedule has also played a part in the team's recent success. Early in the season, Michi- gan found itself taking the field against a ranked team on 10 occasions -- games that prepared the Wolverines for the grind of the Big Ten schedule. "We had a really tough preseason and now it is starting to pay off," senior Rebecca Tune said. "We're playing well, we are coming together as a team, and more than anything, now that we are win- ning and putting everything together, we have confi- dence in ourselves and each other." Carol Hutchins would dismiss her role in her team's streak, but the Wolverines would not be where they are today - 21-11-1 and leading the Big Ten - without her coaching moves and her desire to play the best competition early in the season. Conference Team W L Michigan 6 0 Iowa 7 1 Wisconsin 4 4 221 Northwestern 4 4 Ohio State 3 3 Penn State 3 3 Illinois 3 5 Purdue 3 5 Michigan State 2 4 Minnesota 2 6 Indiana 2 6 Overall W L 21 11 30 7 22 16 13 15 29 12 21 15 33 17 26 15 15 26 23 15 12 25 il t F, REMAINING SCHEDULE Date Oponent Time April 11 Central Michigan 2 p.m. April13 at Minnesota 2 p.m. April 14 at Wisconsin 2 p.m. April 15 at Wisconsin 1 p.m. April 20 at Penn State (2) 2 p.m. April 21 at Ohio State 2 p.m. April 22 at Ohio State 1 p.m. April 27 Northwestern (2) 2 p.m. April 28 Iowa 2 p.m. April 29 Iowa 1 p.m. May 2 at Eastern Mich. (2) 3 p.m. May 5 at Mich. State 2 p.m. May 6 Michigan State 1 p.m. May 10-12 Big Ten Toum. TBA May 17-20 NCAA Regional TBA May 24-28 World Series TBA NFCA TOP 25 As of April 4, 2001 first-place votes in parentheses Team Record Pts Pvs 1. UCLA (27) 37-1 672 1 2. Arizona 38-2 646 2 3. Alabama 341 609 4 3. tinabama7 BRAD QUINN/Daily Junior Stefanie Volpe has benefitted from her increase patience at the plate. Yesterday against Indi- ana, Volpe notched two hits on a full-count. I Blowin' Up The Michigan softball team had a slow start to its season, but since then has seen a tremendous improvement in its hitting, espe- cially when the Wolverines need it most - during the Big Ten season. On March 31, the Wolverines mercied Illinois 10-2 in Champaign. Michigan pounded out 14 hits, including two home runs - one each for Stefanie Volpe and Marissa Young - and four doubles.The Wolverines won the second game, 2-0. Four days later, Michigan returned home to victimize Oakland, 7-0. The Wolverines were consistent, pounding out nine singles. Again, the follow-up was not as spectacular, but got the job done. Since then, Michigan has not had fewer than nine hits in each of the past five games. The streaktculminated this weekend with a 15-3 thrashing of Indiana. HOOSIERS Continued from Page 1B "I think I was upset at myself because I let the ball play me rather than coming and getting it," Tune said. "Once I saw it was rough on the other shortstop as well, I made the decision that I had to come in and get it - I couldn't be timid." On Saturday, Indiana was a dif- ferent team, with solid defense and pitching that held Michigan score- less for the first five innings. In the bottom of the sixth, Michi- gan loaded the bases with nobody out only to see pinch hitters Court- ney Betley and Chrissy Garza hit hard line drives right at Indiana fielders. "We came through with some good cuts, and Betley had a great cut at the ball - I mean, what else can you do," Hutchins said. Michigan pitcher Marissa Young had one of her best outings of the season on Saturday, allowing only four hits and striking out 11 in the shutout. "Marissa was awesome today. I told her, 'You're the durable one,"' said Hutchins of her All-America who also pitched a total of 8.1 innings on Friday night. Purdue presented more of a chal- lenge on Friday evening, especially in the first game. Sophomore pitcher Leighann Burke allowed only one earned run in over four-and-two-thirds innings. Burke uses an unorthodox angled delivery and grunts o every pitch, providing an extra dis- traction for the hitters she faces. Yet Hutchins was happy with the way her team handled Burke, who likes to throw a lot of pitches out of the strike zone and force hitters to chase balls. BRAD QUINN/Daily Monica Schock and Michigan struggled early in the season... . v... :a ... ...........:........................r.J.-1.....t... :1_"ti::wVi::?nVXX : n. ','. ,''. ti'.....,::tijt\V:!: