Michigan Softball: Michigan beats Penn State - Share Big Ten Title

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/softball/article.aspx?id=136672

Wolverines Blank PSU, Claim Share of Regular-Season Title

May 4, 2008
Site: State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion Field)
Score: #6 Michigan 3, Penn State 0
Records: Michigan (48-5, 18-2 Big Ten), Penn State (34-22, 6-12 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game: Tuesday, May 6 -- vs. USA Softball (Wilpon Softball Complex), 7 p.m.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan softball team used solid pitching and a pair of home runs to defeat Penn State, 3-0, claiming a share of the Big Ten Conference championship Sunday (May 4) at Nittany Lion Field. The regular-season title is the 11th in Wolverine program history -- at least five more than any other Big Ten school -- as U-M wrapped up league play with its best record in nine seasons (18-2).

The Wolverines will share the crown with Northwestern, which defeated Michigan State 6-1 today to complete its respective weekend sweep. The Wildcats will host the 2008 Big Ten Tournament next weekend (May 8-9) after winning the coin-flip tiebreaker last week. Michigan will receive the tournament's No. 2 seed.

Senior second baseman Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) paced the Wolverines with a 2-2 effort from the plate, including her third home run in as many games. The fourth-inning leadoff solo shot gave the U-M captain her 21st bomb of the season, matching her own single-season record in the category. Freshman first baseman Dorian Shaw (Burke, Va./Robinson SS) snagged the game winner two innings earlier, knocking out a two-run jack with two out in the second.

Freshman pitcher Jordan Taylor (Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS) earned the complete-game shutout -- her 12th of the season -- with a sound performance from the circle. The Wolverine rookie struck out five while allowing five hits and a pair of walks to claim her second win of the weekend and improve her record to 27-2.

After waiting until the 10th inning to push a pair of runs across in Saturday's (May 3) series opener, the Wolverines wasted little time in doing so today. With Samantha Findlay aboard in the second after a leadoff bean ball, Shaw took a solid whack at the 3-0 pitch and drove it about 15 yards beyond the fence in left centerfield for her ninth home run of the season.

Although the Wolverines could do nothing with it, senior leftfielder Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS) ripped a one-out double to right centerfield in the third, legging out the hit to narrowly beat the throw to second for her 11th two-bagger of the season. The extra-base hit moved Giampaolo second place among Michigan's all-time leader in doubles, just two away from recordholder Catherine Davie (61, 1996-99).

Samantha Findlay made good on her next turn at the plate -- again from the leadoff spot -- with her wind-assisted solo shot that just snuck over the fence in left centerfield. The home run -- Michigan's fourth of the weekend -- induced a PSU pitching change as ace Ashley Esparza came in and shut down the Wolverine offense, allowing just two hits through the remaining three innings.

The Nittany Lions threatened in the bottom of the fourth and the sixth with a pair of runners on. Esparza singled up the middle with one out in the former frame, but junior Teddi Ewing (Olathe, Kan./East HS) single-handily retired her pinch runner in the subsequent at-bat, laying out to snag a hard grounder before extending to tag the base. After another base hit to put runners on the corners, Ewing fielded another grounder to throw out the final out.

After a leadoff walk in the home half of the sixth, Esparza doubled down the leftfield line -- off an 0-2 pitch -- to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Taylor got herself out of the jam on just 12 pitches, forcing a ground out before fanning the inning's final two PSU batters.

The Wolverines (48-5, 18-2 Big Ten) will host an exhibition contest against the USA Softball squad on Tuesday (May 6). The game is slated for a 7 p.m. start at the Wilpon Softball Complex, home of Alumni Field.