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Wolverines blast by Rockets in doubleheader

Michigan shortstop Kathryn Gleason demonstrated yesterday that it doesn't take a home run or a double to the outfield wall to permanently shift the momentum of softball game.

The No. 10 Wolverines (8-2 Big Ten, 31-10 overall) swept Toledo, winning 7-2 and 10-0 at Alumni Field. And the key moment came on Gleason's mighty ... bunt.

A bunt?

The game was tied at two in the fourth with Jen Smith on first when Gleason blooped a bunt a few feet down the first base line -- literally.

Rockets catcher Lori Vargeson stood over it at the foul line, waiting for it to roll just another inch, or centimeter -- anything.

It stopped.

Vargeson picked it up and Gleason was standing on first.

Toledo coach Cheryl Sprangel, believing the ball had rolled foul, thoroughly discussed the matter with home umpire Mary Taylor and was told to watch the rest of the game from the parking lot.

"We were right in the game until we got the bad umpire's call, and that took us right out of it," Sprangel said. "We didn't pick up the ball, because we were waiting for it to go foul. And when it did, we picked it up. That turned the game."

Two outs later, a wild pitch by Rockets pitcher Desiree Abrego (8-10) moved the runners to second and third. Traci Conrad singled Smith home and advanced to second on the cut-off throw.

With first-base open, two runners on and two out, some managers would have elected to give one of the Wolverines' best hitters, Sara Griffin, a free pass to first to set up a force play at any base.

But Toledo elected to pitch to Griffin, who proceeded to rip a double to center field, driving in two runs.

The Wolverines notched two more runs in the fifth when Conrad grounded to second with the bases loaded for what should have been the third out. But first baseman Leslie Preston couldn't handle the throw, and two runs crossed the plate.

Kelly Holmes (13-5) picked up the win for the Wolverines and struck out eight just one day after she was pulled in the fourth inning of a 6-4 loss to Michigan State.

"(Against the Spartans), my off-speed wasn't working that great, so I wasn't keeping them off-balance," Holmes said. "Today I just tried to work all the pitches more, throwing them my curves and my rise a lot more."

After two and a half scoreless innings in the nightcap, Michigan sent ten players to the plate in the third and took advantage of two errors to rock Rockets' pitcher Amy Lukowski (4-8) for six runs.

Leftfielder Tracy Taylor was granted first when Preston obstructed the bag and second baseman Lisa Kelley reached on base on Lukowski's errant throw to first. Taylor moved to third on the error.

Taylor and Kelley usually are reserves, but Michigan coach Carol Hutchins used the non-conference doubleheader as a chance for everyone to play.

Kellyn Tate, whose 11-game hitting streak ended in the opening game, drove in Taylor and stole second.

This set up another situation with runners on second and third for Griffin. This time there was only one out, but the result was the same.

The Rockets pitched to her rather than setting up a force with an intentional walk, and she knocked in two more runs.

"We know (Griffin's) a good hitter but we know there's good hitters behind her too," Sprangel explained. "We threw a change-up hoping that'd work and she hit it."

Senior Tracy Carr continued the Wolverine third with her school record-tying 37th double, followed by singles from Cathy Davie and Cheryl Pearcy.

When the dust cleared, it was 6-0, and Michigan had sent the Rockets to the moon. The contest ended in the bottom of the sixth when Pearcy knocked in the Wolverine's 10th run, instituting a mercy rule.

Griffin (18-5) picked up the win, as she and Carr combined for a two-hit shutout.

Michigan next travels to Wisconsin for a three-game series Saturday and Sunday.