Softball blows out Wisconsin after major lineup overhaul
The slump continued last night unfortunately. Michigan dropped a 1-0 game at Wisconsin in 11 innings. Megan Betsa had a no-hitter through the entire regulation of the game, but the offense could not push a run across.
Michigan had been shut out for the 2nd time in the last 7 games. The third loss in the B1G has left the 9 years and counting streak of winning the B1G Regular Season Championship in critical condition.
As a result, Hutch made a MAJOR lineup shakeup today.
Here was Michigan's lineup today-
- Abby Ramirez (Sr.)
- Madison Uden (Fr.)
- Faith Canfield (So.)
- Taylor Swearingen (Jr.)
- Katie Alexander (So.)
- Alex Sobczak (So.)
- Courtney Richardson (So.)
- Haley Hoogenraad (Fr.)
-
Natalie Peters (So.)
P: Leah Crockett (So.)
Hutch benched Tera Blanco (P), Aidan Falk (1B), Kelly Christner, Lindsey Montemarano and Amanda Vargas at DP.
That's sending a message.
#19 Michigan took on Wisconsin today at 2pm in Madison.
The first inning was the same story as yesteday offensively, nothing much.
Leah Crockett, in her first career start, got into some trouble in the 1st inning. Bases loaded on a 3-2 count, but she popped out the UW batter to escape.
The second inning would not be as kind. After two straight walks, she was replaced by Tera Blanco in the circle. Blanco would walk a runner to load the bases and Wisconsin would take a 1-0 lead on a sac fly.
One inning later, a new face would step up for the Wolverines.
Freshman Madison Uden drove in Abby Ramirz on an RBI single to tie the game. Uden would then score just a few pitches later when Faith Canfield drove her in on an RBI double to put Michigan up 2-1.
The lineup would cycle through by the time the 4th inning came around. A Wisconsin throwing error to 1B on a routine play scored Natalie Peters to make it 3-1 Michigan.
Uden then knocked in two more runs to give her 3 RBI on the day in her first career start to make it 5-1 Michigan. Canfield would then belt a 2-run shot over the wall to give Michigan a commanding 7-1 lead.
Wisconsin got one back on a single in the bottom of the inning that scored a runner from 2nd, but Michigan would put it away in the 5th.
Kelly Christner came in and pinch hit a 3-run blast to give Michigan a 10-2 win in 5 innings.
MESSAGE. RECEIVED.
Michigan is now 33-10-1 and 13-3 in the B1G.
Michigan will take on Wisconsin tomorrow in the rubber game of the series at 2pm.
Why not!
I love it. Hutch has stated that nobody has really stepped up as a leader this season. Clearly, she feels that's still true as of today. B1G regular season title is probably lost this season but we host the tournament this year. Hopefully, they get the offense on track and take the B1G tournament.
is sending a message...The regular lineup just isnt getting it done on the offensive end..If they cant get the job done give the new kids a shot and it Worked!..The reg season title is probably lost..They are fighting for a regional host which is in doubt right now..
They need to close out the season STRONG host the Big 10 tourney ad get a banner that way...We knew this year wouldnt be quite what were used to but they still have a chance to do big things
Good response to a disappointing Friday game. Hopefully the team will sustain the progress - a few weeks ago, they made some good strides, but have back-slid since. We need a strong finish - even if it doesn't lead to a B10 Regular Season crown, it can put us on the right path for the B10 tourney & NCAAs.
Also, poor damn Megan Betsa. She's having an outstanding year, and with a slightly better O around her, could be carving out a legendary space in M softball history. Real fans will always remember her of course, but it's a little disappointing to see the team struggling while she's playing so well as a senior.
Crockett had pitched a total of 3 innings for the whole season prior to today, so that was quite a suprise start. Blanco did a nice job in relief.
How did we lose to Maryland, which is 2-12 in conference?
The same way #1 Florida lost to them. But really, our offense stagnated and a 7th inning rally fell short.
The Wisonsin pitcher who beat Betsa was the same pitcher who shut out Minnesota for 12 innings during the week and she shut us down Friday because she's that good. Good pitchers can do that to good teams.
We were damn lucky we didn't get buried the first two innings today when Crockett filled the bases the first inning then left with runners on second and third in the second when Blanco relieved her. Whatever the "message" to Blanco was, it was shortlived.
Finally, the bats boomed, not because of some message delivered and received, but because eventually she reinserted Blanco, Falk and Crockett and mostly because we were now facing the same pitcher who lost to Minnesota 12-1.
Frankly during our slump Hutch's lineups seem random and weird. Late in games she constantly pinch hits for some of our better hitters with players who have played very little this year. For instance, in our 2-1 loss to Maryland in the last inning we have runners on 2nd and 3rd and two out and she pinch hits Uden for Peters. At the time Peters is batting .350 and Uden had less than ten at-bats for the season. Sending a freshman with little experience up to the plate in that situation baffles me
We left bases loaded twice last night in back to back innings.
One stinking run wasn't impossible.
April 22nd, 2017 at 10:14 PM ^
It's not just about last night's game. They've been unable to plate runs on a pretty consistent basis lately. We can get on base but just can't seem to get the runners home. 2 innings in a row, the bases were left loaded prior to Wisconsin's walkoff homerun. We're actually outhitting teams but can't seem to get the runs batted in except on mishandled balls and errors. And that's been a pretty consistent story the last few weeks. Last night's game was probably just a last straw and Hutch felt the need to shake things up. A
And the statement that the bats boomed because she reinserted Blanco, Falk and I assume you mean Christner because Canfield started isn't true at all. There were 10 hits in today's game, 1 was made by a benched player on Christner's pinch hit homer in the 5th. There were 10 RBIs in the game, 7 of which were made by the starting lineup (only Christner's 3 came from the bench). The underclassmen came up big today. Against a lesser pitcher? Sure. But we lost a Megan Betsa 2 hit gem on a walkoff after outhitting Wisconsin and loading the bases twice in the last 2 innings. I think Hutch just felt it was time to shake things up.
If the team is going to make a run this year, some players are going to have to step up and some leaders will need to emerge. According to Hutch, that hasn't happened yet so maybe she's trying to facilitate.
April 22nd, 2017 at 10:37 PM ^
My main point was meant to be that the bats boomed because Wisconsin was using their #2 pitcher who is nowhere near as good as their #1 and not because of some "message" was delivered. Monty has struggled a lot and I have no issue giving Uden a chance, although I would have put her in the infield instead of DH, but benching Christner, Falk and Blanco for Swearingen, Hoogenraad and Crockett made no sense.
I'm sorry. I am going to have to go with the hall of fame coach who hasn't lost a step over some random Internet guy. She changed the lineup and we scored 10 runs.
Big results. Go Blue!!!