The Michigan Wolverines Softball team entered the Big Ten Tournament as defending champions, but this time, they were on the road at Sharon J. Drysdale Field on the campus of the Northwestern University Wildcats. That would not affect them as the Wolverines claimed their second straight Big Ten Tournament Championship in convincing fashion behind the dominant pitching of senior Jennie Ritter. She finished the entire tournament with her 39th, 40th, and 41st shutouts of the year.

Weather was played into effect in Evanston, Illinois as it led to a postponement of the first day’s games which included Michigan’s first round game against Michigan State. The game with the Wolverines and Spartans was slated for Friday (May 12) at 9:00 AM. The early start time did not cause the Michigan bats to perform in a sluggish manner. Michigan enjoyed a barrage of homeruns including a back-to-back performance in the bottom of the first by Samantha Findlay and Becky Marx. That pair of blasts put Michigan up 2-0.

The Michigan third inning continued in the hit frenzy from the defending national champions. Michigan scored on a Findlay single to score Rebekah Milian, followed by Alessandra Giampaolo single to score Michelle Weatherdon to push the cushion to 4-0 in favor of the Wolverines. Another homerun came to the surface as Stephanie Bercaw hit a three run homerun to begin the crushing blow to the Spartans, 9-0. Another hit from Becky Marx brought in more runs, on her single up the middle to score two, 11-0.

Jennie Ritter sustained her shutout as she recorded four strikeouts through the fourth, she would finish with six. Michigan would only need three more runs for the NCAA Softball mercy to come into effect. Michigan would deliver as another homerun went over the fence for the Wolverines. Angie Danis hit a three run homerun to put Michigan up 13-0 and subsequently securing the win for the Wolverines. The Spartans would remain scoreless in the top of the fifth for Michigan to win their first round game and advance to the second round match against Indiana, who beat the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first round a few hours later. Michigan improved to 38-13 all-time in the postseason and 23-8 in the Big Ten Tournament.

Michigan returned to action the next morning in their quest to reach the championship game. The Wolverines enjoyed the small ball approach from their offense as Becky Marx doubled to drive in Tiffany Haas in the top of the first to allow Michigan to gain a 1-0 advantage. Tiffany Worthy singled in the top of the sixth to drive in Giampaolo to put Michigan up 2-0. Michigan also scored another in the sixth as Stephanie Bercaw doubled to drive in Worthy from first to put Michigan up 4-0.

Jennie Ritter would not allow Indiana to have another base runner for the rest of the game as she struck out six straight batters to finish the game and lead Michigan to their 11th championship game in 13 years. Michigan now faces Northwestern, the host of the Big Ten Tournament, at 2:00 for the Big Ten Championship game. The Wolverines and Wildcats split the season series in Ann Arbor earlier in the year.

The championship game approached and the damp weather and fatigue of both teams were in check. Michigan would take advantage of numerous Northwestern defensive errors. In the third, Teddi Ewing advanced to second of a Tiffany Haas ground ball. It looked to be prone to a double play but a throwing error by Northwestern’s Ashley Crane. Tiffany Worthy then singled to apparently advance both runners. Giampaolo advanced to third, but another throwing error allowed her to drive all the way home to put Michigan up, 1-0. Tiffany Haas singled once more to drive in Grace Leutele to add to the cushion, 2-0. Jennie Ritter had a two hitter going through the sixth, where she found some extra help from the Wolverine offense. Michigan capitalized on another throwing error to score Giampaolo in the bottom of the sixth after a Tiffany Worthy single, 3-0. Tiffany Haas singled again to drive in Grace Leutele, 4-0. Rebekah Milian later doubled to drive in two more in Tiffany Haas and Michelle Weatherdon, 6-0. Both runs were registered as unearned runs due to the fact of the two throwing errors.

That would be all the Wolverines would need as Jennie Ritter won her third straight Big Ten Tournament win in a span of two days to improve to 27-6. She finished with only allowed two hits and struck out nine. In her combined three starts in Evanston, Illinois, she surrendered no runs. She was also named MVP of the Big Ten Tournament. She was joined in the All-Big Ten Tournament team with Becky Marx, Samantha Findlay, Tiffany Haas, Rebekah Milian, and Tiffany Worthy.

Michigan now will await the NCAA Softball Selection show which will be aired on ESPN News at 3:30 tomorrow (May 14).

Final Scores- Michigan 13 Michigan State 0 | Michigan 4 Indiana 0 | Michigan 6 Northwestern 0 | 2006 Big Ten Tournament Championship.

Go Blue!

Alex Brooks