Softball overcomes weather, Penn State, for record start

When a team is on a hot streak, nothing can stop them. Whether it's subpar pitching, lack of hitting, baserunning errors trying to bring them down, it really doesn't matter. When a team is hot, it will win.

With its 18th consecutive victory, the Michigan softball team overcame a foe that doesn't tend to lose very often - Mother Nature. After a five-hour rain delay, the second-ranked Wolverines (5-0 Big Ten, 26-3 overall) swept Penn State in a doubleheader, winning 10-7 in the first game and overcoming the Nittany Lions 6-5 in an eight-inning nightcap.

While the 18-game tear is significant for Michigan, the victories over the Nittany Lions (2-3, 12-15-1) gave the Wolverines wins in their first five conference games for the first time ever. Michigan had started 4-0 many times, but had never been able to notch a fifth victory until last night.

With the weather and a stingy Penn State team, the record start didn't come without difficulty. The Nittany Lions forced the game into an extra inning in the second game when first baseman Shannon Salsburg smacked a two-run home run off starter Jaime Gillies. The homer scored second baseman Allison Medellin, who had singled earlier in the inning.

The Wolverines made sure there was no room for upset as they answered back with the game-deciding run in the eighth. After Penn State's Traci Kalp got the first two outs, rightfielder Kellyn Tate beat out a grounder to second base for a single. After a wild pitch - which advanced Tate to second - and a walk to Melissa Gentile, Sara Griffin laced a single into left field to drive in Tate for the winning run.

After coming up with the go-ahead RBI, Griffin replaced Gillies and retired the Nittany Lions in order to move her record to a perfect 15-0.

The first game was more of what the Wolverines were used to, as they surged past the Lions 10-7. The leader of the game was first baseman Traci Conrad. Conrad, the reigning conference player of the week, drove in three runs.

After bolting out to a 6-0 lead in the top of the third, Michigan saw the Lions score six runs of their own in the third and fourth innings to deadlock the game at six. Griffin, who came into the doubleheader with a 0.65 ERA, gave up six hits during the rally. The major contributor for the Lions was Laura Snee, who drove in three runs during the spurt.

Michigan was not bothered by Penn State's uprising though, as it finished off the game with three runs in the fifth. Centerfielder Lisa Kelley started things off with a bunt single. After a sacrifice and a walk to Tate, Gentile put the Wolverines up to stay with a single into center.

After a groundout, third baseman Pam Kosanke singled to left center. Penn State leftfielder Tanis Ambelang fuel the fired even more, misplaying the ball and committing a two-base error to bring in Tate and Gentile. Penn State never threatened again after that.

04-02-98