Stanford 4 No. 1 seed

vs.

Michigan 5 No. 2 seed

Score by Innings		1	2	3		4	5	6		7		R	H	E
Michigan (44-15-1)		1	0	4		0	0	0		0		5	5	2
Stanford (45-18)		0	0	4		0	0	0		0		4	6	2

Boxscore and Play-By-Play

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Event: NCAA Regional 8 Softball Championship (Game 4)
Result: #14 Michigan 5, #9 Stanford 4
Records: Michigan (44-15-1); Stanford (45-18)
Next Michigan Game: Saturday, May 20 -- vs. Illinois-Chicago, 12:30 p.m.
Next Stanford Game: Stanford eliminated from regional with 0-2 record

Michigan Eliminates No. 1 Seed Stanford with 5-4 Win

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Following a disappointing 8-0 loss to DePaul in the first round, Michigan rebounded with a hard-fought 5-4 win over top-seed Stanford on Friday (May 19) in the NCAA Regional 8 Championship. Michigan scored five runs in the first three innings to break a 21-inning NCAA Regional scoreless drought and then held on as freshman pitcher Marissa Young retired the last 11 batters she faced en route to her 17th win of the season (17-3).

Michigan got on the board first with a run in the top half of the first on a Pam Kosanke RBI groundout. The run was set up by a one-out walk to centerfielder Melissa Taylor, who advanced to third on a double by Stephanie Volpe. Volpe advanced to third on Kosanke's groundout, but was stranded there after Young popped out to first to end the inning.

The Wolverines appeared ready to turn the game into a rout with four runs in the top of the third, spurred by three hits and aggressive baserunning. Michigan leadoff hitter Kelsey Kollen drew a one-out walk to start the rally and was pushed to second after Taylor punched a single through the hole between short and third. Volpe followed with her second double of the game, this one down the leftfield line, to score Kollen and put runners on second and third with one out. Kosanke then collected her second RBI of the game when she laid down a bunt single to score Taylor from third, prompting Stanford to make a pitching change and bring ace Dena Sorensen out of the bullpen.

Still with one out, Kosanke and Volpe executed a perfect double steal, with Volpe scoring on a close play at the plate thanks to a textbook slide. Following a walk to Young, Michigan kept the pressure on the Cardinal as Kosanke took off for third on a steal attempt and ended up scoring on a throwing error by Stanford's catcher. Sorensen retired the next two Wolverines to strand Young on second base, but the damage had been done and the Maize and Blue held a 5-0 lead.

However, Stanford would not go away and quickly answered with a four-run third of its own, paced by a three-run homer off the bat of Pac-10 Player of the Year Jessica Mendoza. A bunt single by Stanford leadoff hitter Ramona Shelburne and a line-drive single to left-center by Robin Walker, who was 3-4 for the game, set the stage for Mendoza's shot deep over the rightfield fence.

Following Mendoza's home run, Young plunked Cardinal cleanup hitter Sarah Beeson, putting her on first, with still nobody out. Following a forceout at second and one of Taylor's nine strikeouts on the game, Stanford third baseman Jenni Shideler drew a two-out walk to put runners on first and second. Cassi Brangham proceeded to bang a double into left-center to score Kellie Wiginton and cut Michigan's lead to one run at 5-4. With runners on second and third, Jaime Forman-Lau came off the bench to pinch hit for Stanford, but was sent down swinging by Young to end the inning.

Young used the momentum from that inning-ending strikeout to settle down as she allowed just one baserunner the remainder of the contest. Cardinal shortstop Walker collected a one-out single in the fourth and stole second, but was stranded there after Beeson lined out to first base. Young then proceeded to set down the Cardinal 1-2-3 in each of the final three innings. She logged four strikeouts, including one of Mendoza in the seventh, to secure the win.

Michigan will continue its tournament run with a contest tomorrow (Saturday, May 20) at 12:30 p.m. against Illinois-Chicago, while Stanford ends its season with a 45-18 overall record.

Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins
On the play of her ballclub ... "I thought it was a pretty gutsy performance by Marissa (Young). We had a great rebound by my kids; we really came out to play in the second game. The first game (an 8-0 loss to DePaul) could have been the death of us and I thought our kids really responded. We were both -- us and Stanford -- fighting for our lives, and we came out and got some key hits. They have a great team and it was a great win for us."

On Wolverine pitcher Marrisa Young playing on an injured ankle ... "I had some concerns, but Marissa has had to gut out the whole season playing through pain and I thought she gave it her all. That's all I ask from any of my kids."

On how the team came back to win the second game ... "They had one of two choices: let it kill them or come back. They took the high road. We got some offense going and that was critical. We had some steal plays that worked. We really needed to make some things happen. The squeeze in the third and the steal was huge. That just fired up our team and executed our offense."

Michigan Pitcher Marissa Young
On Cardinal Jessica Mendoza's home run and then striking her out in the seventh inning ... "I made a mistake on a pitch to Jessica Mendoza and she did what she was supposed to do. She is a great hitter. I obviously wasn't going to let her do what she did again. So we mixed it up a little bit on her and it was a big out for us."

Stanford Head Coach John Rittman
On the season-ending loss ... "As a team and coaching staff we're disappointed, but we did have an outstanding year. As far as this weekend's tournament we didn't play our best softball of the year and at this time of the year you have to bring your 'A' game. It's a testament to our team, the way we fought back. A lot of teams would have folded. It's kind of a reflection of how our team has played all year. We've battled adversity on and off the field. We're very proud of our team, but still a little disappointed about the outcome."

On defensive mistakes ... "Defensively execution-wise we made a lot of mistakes. We didn't get the timely hits, but we could have played bettered defensively."

"I tip my hat to Michigan; they were really aggressive."

Stanford Centerfielder Jessica Mendoza
On hitting a three-run homer and then striking out in the seventh ... "She (Marissa Young) mainly pitched me away and up. She came in once and that's when I connected. The last time I was up I was trying to be calm, not putting too much in my head. I actually was trying to do anything to get on base, it just didn't work out that way."

N O T E S

• This is the second year in a row that Stanford has gone 0-2 in the regionals. . . . Jessica Mendoza's home run in the third inning was her 13th of the season.

Last updated: Friday, 19-May-2000 22:12:38 EDT