Softball run rules Wisconsin, 8-0
Michigan scored 10 runs yesterday against Wisconsin in a 10-2 after Hutch made a massive lineup overhaul that included benching almost half of the starting lineup.
It really worked.
#19 Michigan took on Wisconsin today in the rubber game of the series.
Michigan returned to offensive form that was last seen at the start of B1G play back in March.
The Wolverines jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a 3-run blast in the top of the 1st inning by Tera Blanco.
Michigan tacked on another run in the next inning when the new starter at 3B--Alex Sobczak--doubled in a run to make it 4-0 Michigan.
A few innings later, Aidan Falk's first-pitch RBI single and a wild pitch with bases loaded put Michigan up 6-0.
Katie Alexander has rounded into an impact catcher. After last year's roller coaster experience behind the plate where multiple players had time, Michigan has finally found their catcher.
Katie had two pick offs at 2B today. In addition to that, she had a leadoff triple and then a 2-run double to put the game into run rule territory in the final inning.
Megan Betsa of course got the Ks in the bottom of the 5th, and that was that. An efficient, Michigan Softball style win.
Michigan beats Wisconsin 8-0 in 5 innings. The first back-to-back run rule wins since the PSU series which were Michigan's last run rule wins prior to yesterday.
After only 18 runs scored in a 7 game stretch the last 3 weeks, Michigan has scored 18 runs in the last 24 hours.
That's why Hutch is the greatest of all-time.
Michigan is now 34-10-1 and 14-3 in the B1G. The Wolverines FINALLY return home to Alumni Field next weekend for a series with Indiana. It will be senior weekend and the first home series for Michigan in a month.
Just Madison Uden at DP and Alex Sobczak at 3B.
Good bounce-back over the course of the weekend. Unfortunately, the loss probably takes us definitively out of title contention - we now need Minny to drop 2 of their remaining 6 B10 games, which are against bottom-feeders Purdue & PSU. One loss we might have gotten lucky with, but 2 is probably too much to ask. Fortunately, we host the B10 tournament, so we may want to make that our focus going forward. Hopefully Blanco can win us the round 1 game there, and then have Betsa go back-to-back on championship day.
Assuming we keep winning, I'd be very surprised if Betsa didn't pitch the first and third games. Tough day to pitch two games in one day with Minny being the second game. It may have happened but I don't ever remember her pitching two full games in a day.
That's definitely a way you could go, especially depending on match-ups. I've certainly seen pitchers for other teams throw multiple games in the same day, esp. come tourney time. Not sure if I can recall an occasion of M doing so, but then, for pretty much the whole time I've been following the team closely, we've had 2 tournament-quality starters. Maybe senior Jordan Taylor at some point?
I'm happily surprised how much better Alexander is throwing this year from the catcher position. It's pretty rare to see that much of an improvement at that age. If you remember in the B1G tournament last year they ran on her successfully all the time, so much so that it was hard to play her.
I'm really happy about Alexander's development, too. Lauren Sweet was the graduation I thought would cause the most trouble going forward (yes, that includes last season's offensive exodus). 2016 proved that fear true so I'm really glad she seems to have locked down that position with her defense. Especially with Betsa's spin which can get a bit wild both by design and by accident, she's really stepped it up behind the plate.