Gentile sweeps back on to scene

Patience is a virtue - a virtue that Michigan softball catcher Melissa Gentile has had to learn this season. But her patience has begun to pay off, as she returned to the lineup in this weekend's sweep of Northwestern.

Gentile batted in Rebecca Tune for the first run in Michigan's 4-2 win yesterday. The All-America catcher was forced to sit out the beginning half of the season while recovering from back surgery in November.

She saw her first action as a pinch-hitter for Karmen Lappo in Saturday's 10-3 victory in the first game of the doubleheader. Gentile walked and was immediately replaced with pinch runner Mary Conner as soon as she reached base.

Starting as the designated hitter yesterday, Gentile no longer had to be quite as patient.

Neither did the rest of Michigan's squad as they jumped out to 3-0 lead off Catherine Davie's two-run shot to right, scoring Tune from first. Pam Kosanke finished out Michigan's scoring, reaching home plate on a sacrifice fly from Chrissy Garza.

DANA LINNANE/Daily Melissa Gentile returned to the Michigan softball lineup, helping Michigan to a four-game sweep of the Wildcats.

Jaime Gillies (13-2) earned her second win of the series in a relief appearance for Kate Eiland. Eiland went 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run before the durable Gillies finished out the game.

Saturday's results were much the same - as Michigan swept the doubleheader against Northwestern. Gillies pitched a four-hit shutout for the Wolverines, who won the nightcap, 2-0.

Michigan did its scoring in the second inning. After a wild pitch that scored Kosanke, Garza hit a long fly ball to left field. The sacrifice fly scored Tammy Mika for the last run of the game. It was Gillies' sixth shutout of the season.

Earlier in the afternoon Marie Barda (17-1) provided Michigan with another complete game, leading the Wolverines to a 10-3 victory.

The sophomore went all seven innings, stranding six Northwestern batters on base.

Never letting an inning get out of hand, Barda allowed no more than one run per inning.

Scoring four runs in the fifth and two runs in the second, third and sixth, Michigan's bats beat Northwestern into submission.

Big Ten hit leader Traci Conrad led all hitters with three, also scoring on three occasions.

But it was Kosanke's second-inning rocket homerun to left field that started the Michigan slaughter. The two-run shot completed Michigan's scoring in the inning.

04-19-99