Softball to Face Sixth-Ranked Michigan in Big Ten Showdown this Weekend

First place in the conference is at stake this weekend.

April 13, 1999

EVANSTON, Ill. - First place in the Big Ten is at stake this weekend as the second-place Northwestern softball team (24-19, 5-1 Big Ten) hosts a three-game series against first-place and sixth-ranked Michigan (35-5-1, 8-0 Big Ten). Play begins with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and concludes with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. The games will be played at Anderson Field, located adjacent to Ryan Field and Welsh-Ryan Arena. Admission is free.

Northwestern relies on its speed and timely hitting. The Wildcats lead the Big Ten with 97 stolen bases and have two of the top five individual theft leaders in Mikie Chambers (1st, 27 stolen bases) and Tami Jones (tied for 4th, 20). On the other hand, Michigan has used an explosive offense and solid pitching to earn their No. 6 national ranking. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten in hitting (.328) and average 5.5 runs per game.

The series will feature two of the Big Ten's best overall players, Brooke Siebel of Northwestern and Catherine Davie of Michigan. Siebel is second on the Wildcats with a .353 batting average, and has already established a new Northwestern single-season record with 29 RBIs. With an 18-11 pitching record, Siebel is also the workhorse of the Wildcat pitching staff. She leads the Big Ten with 172 innings pitched and is tied for the conference lead in wins. Davie is second in the Big Ten in hitting with a .410 average. Additionally, she leads the league in RBIs (42), runs scored (41) and doubles (17), and is third in hits (55).