Site: Tampa, Fla.
Event: Speedline Invitational
Results: Semifinals -- #14 Michigan 4, Mississippi State 3
    Championship -- #14 Michigan 8, #13 South Carolina 0 (5 inn.)
Records: U-M (15-5)
Next U-M Games: Thursday, March 18 -- vs. Baylor at Capital Classic (Sacramento, Calif.), 5 p.m. PST

Michigan Wins Speedline Invite, Stays Perfect in March

TAMPA, Fla. -- The month of March has been a good one for the University of Michigan softball team. The No. 14-ranked Wolverines ran their string of victories to 10 games and captured the South Florida Speedline Invitational championship with a five-inning 8-0 victory over No. 13 University of South Carolina Sunday (March 7). Earlier Sunday, Michigan (15-5) advanced to the title game with a 4-3 win vs. Mississippi State in the semifinals.

The Wolverines set the tone early in the championship game vs. South Carolina. In the first inning, USC pitcher Joyce McMillin walked in Michigan's first run, then watched as junior catcher Karmen Lappo (Muskegon, Mich./North Muskegon HS) drilled a two-out, 0-2 pitch for a grand slam home run -- her first career home run as well as first grand slam -- to put U-M ahead 5-0. Michigan added two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth.

Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South HS), who earned a career-first save in the semifinal win vs. Mississippi State, held South Carolina to two hits in posting her fifth win of the year (5-1).

Michigan's closest game in its title run came vs. Mississippi State in the semifinals. The Wolverines took an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run by Rebecca Tune (Aloha, Ore./Jesuit HS) in the second inning. U-M built its advantage to 4-1 when Lappo's fourth-inning double scored Pam Kosanke (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central HS) and a Tammy Mika (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) fifth-inning double scored Traci Conrad (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way HS) and Catherine Davie (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake HS).

Barda relieved winner Jamie Gillies (Saugus, Calif./Saugus HS) in the seventh with no outs and runners at first and second and shut down MSU for the save.

After enjoying a weekend off, the Wolverines will head to Sacramento, Calif., for the Capital Classic March 18-21.

Linescores

Score by Innings		1	2	3		4	5	6		7		R	H	E
Michigan (14-5)		0	1	0		1	2	0		0		4	8	0
Mississippi State		0	1	0		0	0	1		1		3	6	2

U-M -- Jamie Gillies, Marie Barda (7) and Karmen Lappo. MSU -- Kayla Calvert, Autumn Anderson (4) and Keri McCallum. W -- Gillies (3-2). L -- Anderson. S -- Barda (1). HR -- Michigan, Rebecca Tune. 2B -- Michigan, Tammy Mika, Karmen Lappo, Pam Kosanke.

Score by Innings		1	2	3		4	5		R	H	E
Michigan (15-5)		5	0	0		2	1		8	7	0
South Carolina		0	0	0		0	0		0	2	3

U-M -- Marie Barda and Karmen Lappo. USC -- Joyce McMillin, Samantha Russian (2) and Adrienne Genovese, Adrianna Baggetta (5). W -- Barda (5-1). L -- McMillin. HR -- Michigan, Karmen Lappo (grand slam).

Maize 'n Blue Diamond Gems