Softball beats OSU 5-3, 19th straight win over OSU, Betsa records 12 Ks
Incredible weather today for the final game in this series against OSU in front of a sold out Alumni Field crowd. The 3rd in a row.
#2 Michigan was predictably in for a battle today and it sure was one.
Megan Betsa got the start today after two consecutive shutouts and two consecutive 13-strikeout affairs. She did not cool off today.
In the first inning, Michigan scored a run on an OSU throwing error when the catcher's throw to the charging pitcher went between her legs and trickled out into the circle, allowing Si-Lo to score and put Michigan up 1-0. Michigan's first run actually occured before their first hit in the game.
In the 3rd inning, with Betsa already having 5 Ks, Michigan went up 2-0 on a Tera Blanco sac fly, scoring Si-Lo for the second run of the game.
In the 4th, OSU would respond with their first non-fluke run of the weekend, though. Their leadoff hitter hit a first-pitch HR to cut Michigan's lead to 2-1.
OSU would take the lead in the next inning on a 2-RBI double to make the score 3-2 in their favor. Betsa struck out the next batter and the one after her popped out.
Michigan would not trail for long. Bottom of the 5th, top of the order up with the sold out crowd getting loud. Romero and Susalla both walked with the crowd growing louder with each ball OSU threw.
A long conference inside the circle took place when it was a 2-0 count on Blanco. This conference included all 3 umpires and took at least 3 minutes in delay, drawing boos from the crowd for trying to stop the momentum swing.
Turns out that conference did harm to OSU's cause. The very first pitch after the meeting inside the circle, Blanco crushes it to center field for a 3-run shot to put Michigan up 5-3.
Michigan only trailed for a half-inning. Betsa went 1-2-3 in the final two innings, striking out 4 of 6 OSU batters and giving her 38 strikeouts in 3 games this week.
Michigan wins 5-3 and sweeps OSU. The Wolverines have now beaten the Buckeyes 19 straight times.
Michigan moves to 33-4 and 11-2 in the B1G.
OSU sucks.
All the squawking about them being in first place last week was funny.
Everyone who actually follows the sport knew better. They played absolutely no one in conference coming into this weekend.
Sure, OSU is getting better. We beat them by a combined score of 46-2 last year in Columbus. 18-4 is an improvement.
That doesn't make them on the level of Nebraska or Minnesota who have actually won some games and have been to the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan moved a lot closer after Purdue's win over MSU today. Only a half game behind first place MSU with 3 games against them in 2 weeks. That will be an epic series--easily the biggest M-MSU baseball series since 1979.
As far as softball is concerned, they keep a half game lead over Minnesota & Penn State. A win over MSU on Tuesday would move that to a full game lead with 9 to go. Penn State isn't a concern, because they are on Michigan's schedule, but Michigan just needs to keep piling up the wins to stay ahead of Minnesota because the teams don't meet in the regular season.
The good news is that Nebraska comes calling in Minnesota next weekend. I don't think they've got mcuh chance to contend with us & Minny for the B10 crown, but they definitely have the ability put the whammy on the top teams if they bring their A game. If they could even steal one game (2 or 3 would be even better!) from the Gophers, that would be a huge boost to our position.
To be fair, that ump was terrible. As you commonly can expect in any B1G sport.
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Big win, big sweep. Getting all 3 Ws this weekend was essential, and we got the job done. Not entirely pretty today, but we did what we had to do.
Play of the game was definitely Blanco going yard on the first pitch after OSU's hour-long conference in the circle. Whatever message their coach was trying to convey, clearly the eternity she spent out there wasn't long enough to get it across! Even better that it flew straight over the head of their outfielder who kept doing that smug finger-wag every time she made a catch (in fairness, she made some nice ones today). Bet she's not feeling so smug going home 0-3 on the weekend, though!
It was a big deal for them. Leading us for a half inning.
I'm not even sure the last time they had a lead on us prior to today. Certainly wasn't last year during 46-2.
Closing in on the top seed. Very nice.
Need to root for whoever Florida is playing for the rest of the season.
and M's hard schedule should reward them............nobody is that intimidating that they haven't already seen or played..............
If it dropped she would have made it to 3rd easily anyway, but it didn't, and since she wasn't ready to tag she was stuck at 2nd. Hutch is definitely a tough love type of coach, which is why they love her, and that convo didn't seem pleasant. I see your point about Christner probably thinking she would want to be able to score if it dropped, but if she had tagged, she likely would have scored from third on the next play. That's what Hutch was wanting, it seems like.
Speaking of in game chats, did anyone notice when the OSU girl was claiming she got hit with the pitch (it clearly fouled off of her bat)? It looked like while the girl was recovering from whatever by her dugout Betsa was covering her mouth and smiling talking to Ramirez--it looked like she said 'bitch, please' which got a pretty good chuckle out of me.
if it dropped, with Christner between 2nd and 3rd almost undoubtedly scores.
If Christner stays on the 2nd base bag to "tag", she easily can make 3rd base if the ball is caught; but if it is dropped she makes 3rd crawling and likely still scores due to how deep the ball was hit.
In short, if Christner stays on the 2nd base bag either scenario puts Christner at 3rd base at worse, and the likelihood of scoring barely compromised. I am guessing that is what Hutchinson was upset about.
Thanks for the update WD, but fergodsakes man, find a different way to say "today" or leave it out altogether!
Huh?
Of course it was today. That's how weekend series work.
I understand - I also understand how weekend series work. I'm just laughing at your journalistic endeavour. You repeated the word "today" multiple times in just a few sentences. Kind of reminded me of the Freep output only without the lies!