Driesenga's Gem Sparks UM Victory 2-1
Sara Driesenga was given the ball again today against #25 LSU in the Tiger Classic. Sara scattered 3 hits over 7 innings. She gave up 1 ER on 3 hits, walked 3 and struck out 2. Coach Hutch gave her a break and had Ashley Lane bat for her.
Bree Evans had the hot bat today. She went 3 for 4 with a run scored. Freshman Lauren Sweet kept her hot bat moving as well by going 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. Nicole Sappingfield had a good day as well going 3 for 4.
Coach juggled the line up a little today. She had Mandy Gardner playing first base. I think Mandy will be the 1st baseman on a regular basis. Mandy had a quick hands and strong pop in her bat
Overall it was a good test for the youngsters who are proving themselves early. We are getting hits from everyone in the lineup, which is great in softball. The lineup from top to bottom is very strong. I am so looking forward to this season.
February 11th, 2012 at 4:25 PM ^
Got home just in time to turn on the live stats with two outs to go. Pretty impressive. But one question: Is it me, or do these colors look more like LSU's? (In the continuing debate of truth in maize & blue.)
[This is Taylor Hasselbach from yesterday's game, via MGoBlue.com.]
February 11th, 2012 at 4:26 PM ^
I don't like them at all. And while I'm at it, I don't like how only the catchers wear wings on their helmets. Come on girls, offseason project: Operation Paint Wings Onto Helmets*.
*just watched Imaginationland last night and was looking for an unimaginative operation name.
February 11th, 2012 at 4:53 PM ^
look exactly like the road Unis from years past. I cant tell by this picture but it is the traditional road gear. The home gear has the light top. I would prefer a Maize pant with the blue top.
I like the fact that the catches (SB and BB) wear the winged helmet. It is a brand for the University of Michigan, not just football team.
February 11th, 2012 at 5:10 PM ^
You know what it is? It's the blue undershirt that threw me off*. Same uniforms, but they're almost always done wearing cold-weather stuff by the time I can actually see them play. Including the undershirts, it's too much blue and not enough maize, IMO. Then again, I don't know that Adidas actually makes women's maize cold-weather gear.
I agree about the helmets, but I wish the batting helmets would use the wings as well. In the regional last year it was very odd seeing M/ND without wings and gold.
Also, from the last thread, what would you like to hear from her? I might be able to persuade her to write something later tonight (they lost to Auburn 2-0, killing their chances of the tournament championship. She didn't pitch this morning but she'll be starting against BGSU tomorrow morning.). If/when Auburn beats Appalachian State, and she beats up on BGSU, they'll have come out in second place, which isn't terrible when the champion is an SEC team that selected its own opponents.
*also, you can't see the maize pant stripe in this picture either.
February 11th, 2012 at 5:31 PM ^
give us a narrative of her thoughts about the tourney and what she thought while on the mound. Sort of like "things gone right and things gone wrong"
Most people do not appreciate the dual between softball pitcher and hitter. The pitcher has the advantage but if she out thinks her pitch, opps.
February 11th, 2012 at 5:36 PM ^
The team joke is that she does calculus problems on the mound. After dating her for eighteen months, that honestly wouldn't surprise me much. Random thought: softball pitchers would make good hockey goalies or football kickers.
I'll send her over to this thread, though; I'm sure she has some insight softball readers would like to hear.
February 11th, 2012 at 5:21 PM ^
February 11th, 2012 at 5:29 PM ^
is her name. I dont think she is injured. Coach is putting the Freshmen out there to see what they are made of. I think that Sara is doing a good job and could win the starting job full time. However, only time will tell.
Coach always uses a 2 platoon system. This year with Sara, Haylie and Stephanie (along with Hilary) will make it very interesting.
February 11th, 2012 at 5:36 PM ^
February 11th, 2012 at 7:41 PM ^
SS started the second game. Hutch probably just wanted to give La Tech a diferent look tonight.
February 11th, 2012 at 7:48 PM ^
Coach is mixing it up.
February 11th, 2012 at 6:35 PM ^
Good to see Dreisenga get her M career off to a good start. That's a very solid performance against ranked opposition - definitely the sort of thing we can win with, since we've got a line-up that should be good for some decent production.
February 11th, 2012 at 7:06 PM ^
February 11th, 2012 at 7:13 PM ^
K to BB ratio. K = great control and BB = poor control. So as long as a pitcher has more Ks than BB, all is good. Now if there are 9 and 9 in a game, there are other things wrong...like personal issues and concentration is a factor.
I could always tell if any of my pitchers were fighting with their boyfriend. Focus is the key.
February 11th, 2012 at 9:50 PM ^
M won the second game against La Tech 5-4. M had a 4-3 lead in the top of the 7th, but wild-pitched a runner to 3rd with 1 out and eventually gave up the tying run. Chidester then hit a dinger to open the bottom of the 7th and that was that.
These freshman pitchers should improve as the season goes on. For now the offense is the strength of the team.
February 11th, 2012 at 9:57 PM ^
certainly improve, they have the best Coach in the country to guide them.
February 11th, 2012 at 10:37 PM ^