Site: Evanston, Ill. (Anderson Field)
Result: #6 Michigan 4, Northwestern 2
Records: Michigan (41-6-1, 13-0 Big Ten); NU (24-22, 5-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game: Wednesday, April 21 -- vs. Michigan State (Alumni Field), 2 p.m. DH

Wolverines Complete Big Ten Series Sweep of Wildcats

EVANSTON, Ill. -- An offense-igniting home run and the return of an injured player keyed a 4-2 University of Michigan softball win at Northwestern University Sunday (April 18), keeping the Wolverines unbeaten in Big Ten Conference play.

No. 6-ranked Michigan (41-6-1, 13-0 Big Ten) posted its ninth straight Big Ten series sweep and won its 23rd consecutive regular-season league contest. The loss dropped Northwestern (24-22, 5-4 Big Ten) into a third-place tie with Iowa in the conference standings.

A two-run home run in the third inning by Catherine Davie (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake HS) gave the Wolverines a 3-0 lead and scored Kelsey Kollen (Cerritos, Calif./Mater Dei HS), who reached on an infield single. The blast to rightfield gave Davie 18 for her career and moved her to within one home run of tying the school record (19) held by Melissa Gentile (O'Fallon, Mo./Wentzville HS).

Out of action for the first 45 games of the year, Gentile returned to the Michigan starting lineup for the first time since May 23, 1998, filling the designated player role. The junior, playing a full game for the first time since November back surgery, stroked a one-run double to centerfield in the second inning to score Rebecca Tune (Aloha, Ore./Jesuit HS) for the Wolverines' first run. Gentile was intentionally walked with a runner on in the sixth.

Davie and Kollen finished with two hits each to lead a Michigan offense that collected seven hits and two walks off Wildcat pitcher Brooke Siebel (18-13). Michigan starter Kate Eiland (Fresno, Calif./Clovis West HS) allowed six hits over three and one-third innings while Jamie Gillies (Saugus, Calif./Saugus HS), who picked up the win in relief (13-2), gave up four hits and a walk. Northwestern's Tami Jones led all hitters with three singles.

Michigan returns to Ann Arbor for a doubleheader against second-place Michigan State Wednesday (April 21, 2 p.m.).

Maize 'n Blue Diamond Gems