BOWLING GREEN Constant cheers came from both dugouts yesterday, but surprisingly, the loudest chants weren”t from the winning team.
“They were annoying,” Stefanie Volpe said.
Yesterday, the Michigan softball team defeated Bowling Green 5-2 with unexpected stars emerging to cap the Wolverines” victory senior co-captain Melissa Taylor on offense and freshman Monica Schock on defense.
Taylor sparked Michigan”s hitting early in the first inning with a fly to center that left the Falcons scrambling. She slid into third and was then brought in to score by a line-drive by Volpe.
“The corners were playing me in, and the shortstop and second baseman, so I decided to swing away,” Taylor said. “The outfield was kind of shallow, so I wanted to get it over their heads and I did.”
Taylor, who was referred to by Michigan coach Carol Hutchins as one of her “three stooges” in batting, often bunts when at the plate.
“If the leadoff hitter gets on, then I try to slap them over, but I just bunt it because (pitchers) rarely throw me out,” Taylor said.
But in yesterday”s game, Taylor hit the triple in the first and a single to load the bases in the second inning.
Michigan”s remaining four runs came in the second with Volpe, Schock and Melinda Moulden batting runners home.
After that, Michigan was all defense much of it coming from Schock behind the plate. The catcher caught four pop flys and prevented any of Bowling Green”s runners from stealing.
“Mo did a great job today,” Taylor said. “She is a great catcher and has a lot of potential.”
The Falcons first scored on a single homerun by Lynsey Eble the 11th in her career, tying the school record in the fifth inning. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Liz Tuza hit Holly Franz in on a double.
“They are a team that just kept coming back,” Volpe said. “They never let their bats die, and they kept hitting the balls.”
Yet, even after Michigan had won the game, the Falcons cheered as if they were victorious.
“Really, the energy they had as a team is good for them,” Volpe said.