Softball sweeps PSU with 12-0, 13-3 mercy rule wins in doubleheader
After a 4-2 win yesterday in which Michigan needed 3 runs in the top of the 7th to break a 1-1 tie, today was an interesting pair of games to see how we'd respond.
First thing to note is that due to bad weather slated for Sunday in University Park, tomorrow's game was moved to today and it was determined that Michigan would play PSU in a doubleheader beginning at 2pm.
Whatever Hutch said after yesterday's tight game got the team's attention.
Top of the first inning, with Si-Lo, Blanco and Susalla on base, Aidan Falk smacked one over the fence for her first career grand slam to give Michigan a 4-0 lead.
In the 2nd, a Si-Lo single scored Monte from second to give Michigan a 5-0 lead. Abby would score Falk with a single through the gap in the next frame to make it 6-0 Wolverines.
With Si-Lo leading off the 4th inning, she sent one over the fence for her second HR in as many days at Beard Field to give Michigan a 7-0 lead.
In the 5th inning, Michigan would plate a run on a throwing error to make it an 8-0 lead and put the game in run rule territory. Then, with bases once again loaded, freshman Katie Alexander stepped to pinch hit for Romero, the all-time grand slam leader in college softball.
Well, Katie would give herself her first career grand slam in pinch-hit fashion. Michigan hits TWO grand slams in one game for the SECOND TIME THIS MONTH!
Sara Driesenga collected two Ks in the bottom of the 5th to give Michigan the 12-0 win in 5 innings in game 1. A complete destruction.
Game 2 of the doubleheader that followed 20 minutes after started off much like game 1 did.
Again in the top of the 1st inning, Michigan took a 3-0 lead via a sac fly by Susalla and doubles by Falk and Blanco.
After an RBI single by Romero in the 2nd, Michigan would add 5 runs in the 3rd inning on a 2 RBI double by Monte, an RBI double by Romero and a 2-RBI single by Susalla. The game was in run rule territory just 1.5 innings in with Michigan up 9-0.
Michigan would score 3 more runs in the 4th inning on singles from Si-Lo, Romero and Natalie Peters to go up 12-0, the final score of game 1.
PSU scored two runs on an RBI single and a passed ball in the bottom of the 4th.
Michigan would respond with a Monte sac fly RBI to make it 13-2. PSU would add one more run in the bottom of the 5th, but Betsa would collect the final two outs to get the Michigan win early once again.
Michigan wins game 2 of the DH, 13-3 in 5 innings.
Michigan sweeps the weekend series against PSU and outscored them 25-3 on the day and 29-5 on the weekend.
Michigan is now 41-4 and 18-2 in the B1G.
They'll face Rutgers at home next weekend for the final regular season series with the first game being on Friday at 6pm.
Happy!
Of course the game Romero goes 4 for 4 with 3 RBIs would have no video feed. Figures. At least I got to see the 2 grand slams in the previous game.
Strong weekend against a PSU team that's been hanging around in the Big Ten standings. Definitively put them away here! Now we just need to get by a struggling Rutgers to lock up that Big Ten crown!
As a Saline alum, I was also especially delighted today to see Katie Alexander get the grand slam! Go Hornets!
Hey South Bend Wolverine, want to get in touch with you about an article---what's the best way to reach you? Shoot me an email at Fuller@mgoblog if you see this. Thanks!
the baseball team could play with the determination and intensity that the softball team does!
Big sweep...3 games left 1 1/2 game lead ..at home..can win their 9th straight conference title and lock up the national 2 seed with still a shot at #1 if Florida slips up.
I like this freshman Cannfiled she looks to be a real slugger ..
Betsa,,shes great but sometimes I wish she could be more donminant like Wagner, Nemitz or Ritter or Jordan Taylor who were bulldogs at the mound ..Betsa isnt that type and Im afraid as we go further into the tournament (assuming we do) that Betsa isnt going to be tough enough.Shes prone to walks and hit batters and gets flustered easily...Hard to say that after striking out 16 yesterday but lets face it Penn St isnt Florida or Oklahoma or UCLA etc. There are alot of good power hitting teams out there
Canfield....
And yes, she's really turned it on lately. She's moved up in the order, too.
Aidan Falk had the lowest average heading into today. The PSU student U commentator made a snide comment about her being the weak spot in the lineup.......and then she hit a grand slam.
She did outstanding today. Hopefully that continues.
The wording was that she was the only one in the line-up who was batting under 300. In other words, complimenting the team as a whole.
Of course, that didn't make the grand slam any less delightful.
Also an important note, Michigan will return to Beard Field in two weeks for the B1G Tournament.
Important because we played 3 games at last year's tournament site during the regular season and outscored OSU 46-2. Then we followed that up with a 31-2 combined score in 3 B1G Tournament games for a grand total of outscoring opponents 75-4 at the B1G Tournament site.
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