Site: Tampa, Fla.
Event: Speedline Invitational
Results: #14 Michigan 9, Mississippi State 3; #14 Michigan 5, Florida State 0
Records: U-M (11-5)
Next U-M Games: Saturday, March 6 -- vs. Hofstra (10 a.m.), Championship Playoffs (5 p.m., TBA) at Speedline Invitational (Tampa, Fla.)

U-M Continues March Win Streak at Speedline Invitational

TAMPA, Fla. -- No. 14-ranked University of Michigan softball kept its March win streak going with two second-day wins at Friday's (March 5) Speedline Invitational pool-play competition. The Wolverines, 11-5 and winners of their last six games, powered past Mississippi State University, 9-3, and Florida State University, 5-0.

After a slow start vs. Mississippi State in the opener, Michigan got its offense rolling, piling up nine hits against MSU. The Wolverines were held hitless until the fourth inning and trailed 3-1 going into the bottom of the fifth. In the fifth, Michigan took the lead for good, scoring three runs as Rebecca Tune (Aloha, Ore./Jesuit HS), Traci Conrad (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way HS) and Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Mater Dei HS) crossed the plate.

Michigan sealed the win in the sixth with five runs, including four courtesy of a career-first grand slam home run by left fielder Catherine Davie (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake HS). Starter Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South HS) won her third straight game (3-1).

Junior pitcher Jamie Gillies (Saugus, Calif./Saugus HS) threw her second straight shutout win (2-2) with the 5-0 complete-game victory vs. Florida State. Gillies got solid help from her defense with the Wolverines playing errorless defense. On the offensive side, Michigan outhit Florida State 9-6, with Conrad and Davie each recording a double and second baseman Kollen a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate.

Michigan completes pool play with a 10 a.m. Saturday game vs. Hofstra. Championship bracket play begins at 5 p.m. Saturday and continues into Sunday.

Linescores

Score by Innings		1	2	3		4	5	6		7		R	H	E
Mississippi State		1	0	1		0	1	0		0		3	6	3
Michigan (10-5)		1	0	0		0	3	5		x		9	9	4

MSU -- Anderson, Wilkerson (5) and McCallum. Michigan -- Marie Barda, Kate Eiland (7) and Kim Bugel. W -- Barda (3-1). L -- Anderson. HR -- Michigan, Catherine Davie (GS). 2B -- Michigan, Rebecca Tune.

Score by Innings		1	2	3		4	5	6		7		R	H	E
Michigan (11-5)		0	0	1		2	2	0		0		5	9	0
Florida State		0	0	0		0	0	0		0		0	6	1

Michigan -- Jamie Gillies and Karmen Lappo. FSU -- White, Malerick (4) and Edenfield, Lyons (5). W -- Gillies (2-2). L -- White. 2B -- Michigan, Traci Conrad, Catherine Davie.

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