Softball takes "Fall Super Regional" from Kentucky
As usual, when we need something positive to think about around here, we look no further than the softball team. This weekend the team took on a strong Kentucky squad coming off a trip to the WCWS last season in a three game set that has been billed as a "fall super-regional", in reference to the high quality of the matchup. The Wolverines dropped the first game of the set 6-3. Most of the Kentucky runs came against highly-touted freshman Tera Blanco, who gave up 4 earned-runs in one rough inning - not a big point of concern, as this was her first look at elite college hitting.
Game two on Saturday looked much better for the Wolverines, as the bats came alive in a big way. Junior superstar Sierra Romero went two-for-two at the plate, going long both times for 5 RBIs (Romo continues to put up video-game numbers, with a 6-8 weekend at the plate that included 4 home runs - you read that right, she homered twice as often as she was retired). Lawrence, Sweet, and Blanco all homered as well, and Lawrence sparkled in her newfound role as the leadoff hitter. A .351 hitter last season, Lawrence went 6-for-12 on the weekend.
The rubber game was played earlier this afternoon, and the Wolverines did not disappoint. The long-ball was again the story, as Romo delivered her third and fourth blasts of the weekend, along with one each from Montemarano & Driesenga.
All told, a solid weekend against a very good opponent. We'll want to see more from the pitching/defense in the regular season, but with Hutch spreading around the innings to some extent, especially in the first game, there is nothing to worry about, especially with such a deep and talented staff.
Anyone go to the games & have insights to offer?
October 5th, 2014 at 6:01 PM ^
Softball in the autumn --- are those exhibition games or does the NCAA allow some games to be played in the autumn?
October 5th, 2014 at 6:17 PM ^
Just exhibitions, unfortunately. Often we just play a smattering of directional schools from the area, but this year we brought in an elite team. I'm really glad we did, especially for the benefit of the freshmen who have now had a chance to face some real top-quality opposition.
Edit: We have one more exhibition game this fall on Wednesday against EMU. Free admission!
October 5th, 2014 at 6:10 PM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 7:23 PM ^
I don't think the NCAA recap rule is right, although it could definitely be a Big Ten rule or an agreememnt Michigan makes/made with Kentucky.
The other thing about these being exhibitions is that these don't count for a potential redshirt. Redshirting in womens sports isn't as common as, say, football, but it is a good way to evaluate freshman with a semi-real opponent and no risk of burning it.
October 5th, 2014 at 8:58 PM ^
MGoBlue.com has recaps and box scores for all the games against Kentucky - that's where I got my info - so you're right that there's no rule against it. There usually is little to no coverage of these sorts of games, but they've been putting a bit of hype into this Kentucky matchup. My guess is that usually they assume that there's no interest in knowing the details of exhibition blow-outs of directional schools, so we don't hear much. Just goes to show how much our fandom exceeds all normal expectations!
October 5th, 2014 at 6:02 PM ^
Former player Ashley Lane is a volunteer coach for UK now.
Also, apparantly the softball games have been free admission. At least you have to buy Coke's to go to football games.
/s
October 5th, 2014 at 6:24 PM ^
As much as we mock Brandon, he has done a good job with softball and a lot of other non-revenue sports. It's fine to dislike his personality and his influence on and decisions regarding the football program, but there are plenty of threads to vent that frustration and softball ones maybe aren't the best place to do it.
October 5th, 2014 at 7:00 PM ^
Coach Hutch and the softball team were great before Brandon got here, as were a lot of other non-revenue sports. Are there any that have really improved under his tenure?
October 5th, 2014 at 9:11 PM ^
There are quite a few teams. Men's gymnastics has back to back national championships, women's soccer has improved a lot, among others. Maybe it's normal fluctuation, but there have been huge facility upgrades recently for non-revenue sports, including softball, which should bode well for the future.
October 5th, 2014 at 7:45 PM ^
The AD also gave out vouchers for a free bleacher seat for any game in the Spring(except MSU games). So Coke or Pepsi purchase required.
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October 5th, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
-sierra lawrence has been hitting at the leadoff spot..was leadoff in all 4 games last weekend
-romero still hitting in the 3 spot. right now hitting behind romero is lindsey montemarrano..who is by far the most improved player on the team. also have looked at tera blanco as possibility hitting behind romero but she didnt have a great series last weekend.
-tera blanco was very limited in pitching this fall..came in banged up from her summer team so is a bit behind.
-have four pitchers but in desperate need for catchers...but she stressed that 4 good pitchers does not equal one great pitcher in this game.
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October 5th, 2014 at 6:32 PM ^
Eat shit, Kentucky. And thanks, girls, because I really dislike that school.
October 5th, 2014 at 7:05 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 7:13 PM ^
One win over South Carolina, and everyone's on the bandwagon! According to them, they are about to TAKE OVER the SEC. And if they don't take over the SEC, it's only because of the SEC --- they'd clearly go 12-0 if they were in any other conference.
They're not nearly as publicized as Buckeye fans, but you and I both know --- UK fans are their own unique breed of "crazy."
October 5th, 2014 at 6:33 PM ^
Congrats, ladies.
October 5th, 2014 at 6:34 PM ^
Thanks for writing this up! The softball teams always have huge potential, but I think we'll see something very special over the next two seasons.
October 5th, 2014 at 7:49 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 9:41 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 11:21 PM ^
I think this may be one of Hutch's strongest teams in the last 3-4 years. Glad to hear they played up to it against UK.
October 7th, 2014 at 1:28 AM ^
I just noticed that the opponents for the pre-Big Ten Tournaments have been filled in on the 2015 Michigan Softball schedule.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-softbl/sched/mich-w-softbl-sched.html
Of note: (1) 2 games against national champ Florida; (2) 2 games against FSU (back-to-back); (3) 2 games against national runner-up Alabama; (4) 1 game against Baylor; (5) 3 games against ASU (one back-to-back with Florida at the Judi Garman Classic); (6) 1 game against San Diego State, (7) 1 game against USF (later the same day Michigan plays Florida at the USF Tournament).(8) 2 games against Lipscomb, and (9) 1 game against James Madison. So Michigan will be playing 7 games against 4 teams that appeared in the WCWS last year (Florida, Alabama, FSU and Baylor) including 4 games against the #1 and #2 finishers (Florida and Alabama) and 8 games against 5 teams that lost in the Regional round of the NCAA tournament last spring (ASU, San Diego State, USF, Lipscomb and James Madison). That’s a schedule that will determine Michigan’s seeding in the Regional and Super Regional tournaments next year.
A few comments on the Kentucky games.
(1) In the last 2 games Silo led off and Romo batted second. They both hit the ball extremely well. Romo now has 7 home runs in 7 Fall Ball games. She is an amazing player. Silo is pretty amazing herself. I expect that Hutch will keep Silo and Romo at the top of the order when the regular season starts with Monte batting third. I think Kelly will eventually make it into the clean-up spot (she batted 5th in Games 2 and 3 had 2 hard-hit doubles). Lauren batted 4th in Games 2 and 3, but will probably prove to be too inconsistent to remain the #4 hitter. I suspect Tera will be the eventual #5 hitter although she hasn’t hit particularly well so far this fall (just a home run against Kentucky and a couple of singles at TC).
(2) None of the freshmen have hit very well in Fall Ball. In Game 3, Amanda had two very hard-hit balls for outs and she lined out to short in Game 2. If she continues to make good contact, she will get some playing time. She played a good 2nd base in Game 3. Aiden still needs to work on her hitting. But I thought she looked very natural and comfortable playing first base. Taylor got just 1 hit against Kentucky. She started in right in Games 2 and 3 and 1B in Game 1. Tera, of course, hit a 2-run home run in Game 2. Tera started at 1B in Games 2 and 3 and Aiden subbed at the end of each game.
(3) Michigan’s 6-3 win in Game 3 was much more impressive than the 14-6 win in Game 2. Poor control in Game 2 by the starting Kentucky pitcher, Shannon Smith, allowed Michigan to score most of its runs. She gave up 5 hits, 4 of them home runs, and 8 walks. Before she settled down, Haylie gave up a lot of hits (5 hits and 2 earned runs in the 1st inning and 3 more hits and 1 more earned run over the next 3 innings). Megan gave up 2 home runs to Griffin Joiner which drove in 3 runs. In Game 3, Michigan faced one of the best pitchers in Div. I softball, Kelsey Nunley. In 3 innings, Michigan hit 4 home runs against Nunley to account for all 6 runs. Nunley had good control (only 1 walk). Michigan just hit her very well. Romo was 3-3 against Nunley with 2 home runs in Game 3 and a double in Game 1. After giving up a 2-run home run to Griffin Joiner in the first inning, Sara pitched a great game. From the 2nd through the 6th Sara gave up only 1 hit. She was on the top of her game. Except for the Joiner home run, Kentucky hit no fly balls to the outfield against Sara indicating that her drop ball must have been working very well. She had 9 strikeouts and gave up only 1 walk. After Sara gave up 2 hits (one a very hard-hit line drive to left), a walk, and a run in the top of the seventh, Haylie relieved to get that final out on a strikeout. This was a superior pitching performance by Sara against a very good hitting team.
(4) Megan pitched 6 innings, 3 in Game 1 and 3 in Game 2. Of the 18 outs she recorded against Kentucky, 16 were by strikeouts, an impressive performance. Over all, she gave up 4 runs on 7 hits. She also gave up 4 walks and 1 HBP. All 4 runs were scored on hits by Griffin Joiner (on a single and 2 home runs). While Megan could have been sharper, she still showed a lot of promise for the coming season. In addition to Monte, Hutch singled Megan out on WTKA the other day for her fitness and attitude on returning to Ann Arbor after the summer break. Hutch said Megan was "much improved, stronger, fitter, confident." Hail To The Blue said earlier that Megan could be the horse for Michigan this year. I think that’s right.