4B - April 14, 2014 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom 19 and counting:'M' sweeps By JAKE LOURIM Daily Sports Writer EAST LANSING - All weekend, it seemed the Michigan softball team had held back. Two runs in one inning, one run the next. The result was two mercy victories, but the runs never poured on. Until the seventh inning of the final game - the last chance to erase all doubt. In that frame, the Wolverines (12-0 Big Ten, 33-6 MICHIGAN ST. 1 overall) MICHIGAN 9 scored 10 runs and MICHIGAN ST. 0 hit three MICHIGAN 8 home runs, finishing MICHIGAN ST. 0 off a 14-0 MICHIGAN 14 victory at Michigan State (2-12, 9-28) for their 19th straight win. The bats had been fairly sluggish in the first six innings Sunday, managing just three runs on six hits. Sophomore shortstop Sierra Romero went 1-for-3, and sophomore outfielder Sierra Lawrence's three-run homer in the third inning represented the team's only earned runs. Four innings later, it was Lawrence who got the ball rolling once again, and it didn't stop rolling until Michigan State had nothing left. "Our hits were feeding off, each other, we were feeding off each other's energy," Lawrence said. "It was alot of fun." After Lawrence's RBI single, junior catcher Lauren Sweet and freshman third baseman Lindsay Montemarano hit back- to-back home runs. Romero followed four batters later with a two-run single. Then, with the bases loaded and the game long since decided, junior right-handed pitcher Sara Driesenga stepped up for her 21st at-bat of the season. She drilled a grand slam to right-center field, adding SOFTBALL Freshmen make splash in rivalry By KELLY HALL baseman Kelly Christner singled Daily Sports Writer to center field. Christner also doubled to EAST LANSING - What the right-center field to start off the Michigan softball freshmen lack final frame on Sunday and scored in experience, they make up for when sophomore outfielder in impact. Sierra Lawrence doubled. All four freshmen had a part It wasn't just Ramirez's in the combined 31-1 clobbering impressive at-bats that stood out of Michigan State this past against Michigan State. In the weekend. Michigan coach Carol first inning of Saturday's game, Hutchins has expected them to Ramirez caught a line drive contribute from the start, and and doubled a Spartan runner LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily Sophomore Sierra Lawrence blasted a three-run shot Sunday as the Michigan softball tearn dominated the Spartans. insult to injury. "They were all loosened up and swinging well," Hutchins said. "It's good to see we know the game is seven innings, not five. "We weren't in it the whole game - early in the game, I didn't think we were." In one inning, the series finale had gone from competitive pitcher's duel to blowout. The Wolverines won the series by a total score of 31-1 - and it wasn't their most lopsided Big Ten series of the season. After the game, Hutchins was pleased with the seventh-inning outburst because Michigan played a complete game, which hasn't happened much in the past month. While the bats took time to get going, freshman right- hander Megan Betsa kept the lead comfortable with a six- inning, four-hit shutout. "I don't think I had my best performance today, but it's giving the best that I have, and that's what I did," Betsa said. "My defense was there to work behind me." For the second straight weekend, the freshman got the nod in the series finale. She scattered seven baserunners over six shutout innings, lowering her season earned-run average to1.89. Betsa did, however, struggle early for the third straight weekend. After retiring the first two batters, she gave up a single to Michigan State third baseman Sara Gutknecht and walked designated player Stephanie Sanders to bring Hutchins out to the circle. "She looks like she tries too hard, or maybe she gets nervous that the hitter is going to hit it, I don't know," Hutchins said. "But it's not sharp. Her change- up is her best pitch, and it bounces in too often for me." But after that, she struck out catcher Lindsey Besson and retired nine of the next 10 as well, finishing with a six-pitch, 1-2-3 fourth inning. Betsa negated Michigan State's strong defense and pitching early in the game. Senior outfielder Nicole Sappingfield was thrown out at home in the first, and senior designated player Taylor Hasselbach was robbed of a home run at the right-field wall in the second. The Wolverines let Michigan State hang around and play all seven innings for the first time of the weekend. But in the seventh, the Wolverines kept piling on, leaving no doubt. they have. "I tell them, we don't bring you here to be a freshman, we brought you here to help us win," Hutchins said. "That's been my motto every year. Youc a freshman or yo help us win. It's make." Against tI freshman th Lindsay Monten solo home runs started off the f a long fly ball. sparked more teammates that freshman seconc Ramirez to scor the game with tl a mercy-rule vic "Us freshman small class, s close and all from sophomoi have really taker wings and show Montemarano s Montemarano only freshman Ramirez got on throughout t Saturday, she sin inning and wa home plate with final run when off first to help take the "W e brought junioreright you here to help hander Sara Driesenga. Freshman US Win. right-hander Megan Betsa credited can choose to be Hutchins' tough practices. One ru can choose to drill that Michigan practices a decision you . repeatedly puts the pitcher in a pressure situation with the bases he Spartans, loaded and a full count. Betsa ird baseman also points to the psychological narano hit two practice as a reason for her . Saturday, she confidence with runners onbase. ifth inning with On top of that and her drive The home run to come in and throw even when hitting by her practice isn't being held, it's no allowed fellow surprise that she allowed just d baseman Abby four hits on Sunday - all of them e and finish off singles - through six innings. he eighth run in She still wasn't completely tory. happy with her performance. n have a pretty "I don't think I had my best o we're really performancetodaybutit'sgiving the older girls the best of what I have and that's res to seniors what I did," Betsa said. n us under their Betsa and Ramirez were back- ed us the way," to-back Big Ten Freshmen of the aid. Week in February, and it's been isn't the obvious why since then. Double who can hit. that with the more active roles base four times Montemarano and Christner he weekend. have been growing into, and ogled in the fifth Michigan has a class of players s able to cross that will not only make an the eighth and impact late this season, but for freshman first the next three to come. BASEBALL Bottom of order provides impact Michigan takes series over Illinois By BEN FIDELMAN Daily Sports Writer CHAMPAIGN - Michigan baseball coach Erik Bakich likes players who are on a hot streak. It has been a consistent theme to this 2014 campaign: No matter if it's a hitter or pitcher, if a player's numbers are trending up, Bakich doesn't bat an eye at throwing him in the lineup. This weekend ,followed suit, as the Wolverines replaced the bottom two hitters in the lineup Saturday after the 7-8-9 slots put up an abysmal .154 batting average over the last few weeks. and took advnntage of it." Sunday, the duo put together multiple quality at-bats, which is something the previous starters couldn't do. Jacobson came through in the top of the ninth with a single in the seven spot and came around to score an insurance run with two outs to secure the 4-2 victory. "(The bottom of the lineup) is critical," Bakich said. "We've gotten consistent production from the top four guys, and that was the challenge from the team Friday night. The top four hitters in the lineup had way more quality at-bats than the rest of the Junior second baseman Eric Jacobson, freshman right fielder Jackson Lamb and freshman catcher Harrison Wenson had all seen much of the spots as of late. team was shut o 1-0, in the openir Illinois series, the a change - and it Bakich moved third baseman Hr and right fielder into the lineup ft games of the serie The two n the lineup fit ri Saturday's 26-run 6-for-12 and cont bottom three spot driving in six runs "We've been spark, and they that," Bakich said been working real swing and have Both haven't go playing time as th have hoped, nor h the results that th hoped for early in both got opportu lineup, and we needed more consistency in "W e needed all spots, one through nine. more consistency "When you can have an in all the spots." entire lineup that produces, then you have a chance to time in those be dangerous offensively. That's But when the what we saw yesterday when ut last Friday, everybody was having quality ng game of the at-bats." I coaches made Many of the players that paid off have been shuffled in and out of two freshmen, the lineup this year have been ector Gutierrez freshmen. In the second year Johnny Slater, under Bakich's lead, the team r the final two is heavy with freshmen and s. sophomores eager to earn their ewcomers to way into the lineup. ght in during One of those freshmen that contest, going took advantage of this "hot-bat" ributing to the mindset was third baseman s in the lineup, Trey Miller. The freshman s. had a go-ahead two-RBI hit looking for a in the eighth inning of a game provided just in the Iowa series, and shortly "They've both thereafter was selected to ly hard on their replace starting third baseman been patient. Ramsey Romano, who suffered a tten as much broken wrist. ley both would Though he struggled after that ave they gotten hit - hitting just .067 through iey would have four starts - it only reinforced the year. They the notion that this is Bakich's nities to start plan, and he's sticking to it. By JASON RUBINSTEIN Daily Sports Writer CHAMPAIGN - Cole Martin had struggled at the plate nearly all season. But his slump ended this weekend, as the senior captain knocked in the go-ahead run in the eighth ILLINOIS 1 inning MICHIGAN 0 Sunday to close out ILLINOIS 9 a series MICHIGAN 17 victory- over ILLINOIS 2 Illinois. MICHIGAN 4 Led by _ Martin's two hits Sunday, the Michigan baseball team beat Illinois, 4-2, to win the weekend series, 2-1. Martin's timely hitting, both Saturday and Sunday, spelled doom for the Fighting Illini. Before the weekend, Martin was hitting .205, but he upped his average to .252 after tallying six hits. "(Martin) played like a senior and a leader," said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. "This was his coming-out party offensively. He was swinging the bat well in practice and the hits weren't falling for him earlier in the year." Illinois (6-3 Big Ten, 18-13 overall) wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, when David Kerianripped aline drive to center field, scoring Will Krug. The center fielder hit a frozen rope to right field on the game's first pitch and used his speed to advance to third on a fielder's choice. Michigan, though, kept an aggressive approach at the plate. Sophomore shortstop Travis Maezes lined a double to deep left field and scored on junior outfielder Jackson Glines' sacrifice fly. Michigan (6-6, 16-19-1) took its momentum to the fifth inning, when Maezes reached base on a fielder's choice before stealing second and third. Junior first baseman Kyle Jusick knocked Maezes home on a sacrifice fly to take the lead, 2-1. Fifth-year senior Logan McAnallen took the mound for the Wolverines, making his first Big Ten start. The left-hander pitched to contact early, and he benefited from the strong defensive play behind him. McAnallen threw five innings and allowed only one run. "We weren't sure in the early part of the game because he was getting behind in counts," Bakich said. "But he battled back and competed. He's one of our tough guys, and we needed to him to pitch tough - and he pitched tough." McAnallen also used a steady pickoff move to keep the Illini grounded on the base path. In the fourth inning, the southpaw picked off Reid Roper for the first out of the inning. McAnallen wasn't the only Wolverine having success picking off runners. In the seventh inning, freshman left-hander Brett Adcock picked off the go-ahead runner, and in the eighth, sophomore right-hander Jacob Cronenworth added a pickoff of his own to end the frame. Cronenworth's snipe was ""r"an'c cythofthezprp Prior to the weekend, Illinois had only been picked off once. Junior second baseman Eric Jacob rounded out the Wolverines' scoring when Maezes doubled to left. Cronenworth found his rhythm early on the hill and closed out the game, earning his seventh save. "We took advantage of some mistakes, which, in a close game, are magnified," Bakich said. "We showed some toughness in a lot of spots. "When we needed our guys to come through in big spots, our guys came through in big spots - in all facets of the game." What happened Friday: After losing the series to Minnesota last weekend and falling to Notre Dame on Wednesday, Michigan needed any spark it could get. But the Wolverines couldn't find their footing, losing to Illinois, 1-0. Sophomore left- hander Evan Hill surrendered only one run but was tagged Hill, who had tossed 12.2 consecutive scoreless innings before Friday, found his rhythm early, throwing seven strong innings. It wasn't enough, though, as he got no run support. What happened Saturday: Michigan came out as a completely different ball club on Saturday in Champaign. Rallying behind Cronenworth's two home runs, and a season- high 23 hits, to dismantle the Fighting Illini, 17-9. Michigan saw production from multiple hitters. Freshman outfielder Johnny Slater went 4-for-6, while tallying 2 RBI, by far his most offensive production this season. Freshman designated hitter Carmen Benedetti matched Slater, also going 4-for-6, while also garnering three doubles. Freshman Jackson Lamb finished out the game for Michigan on the mound, striking out one and sealing the victory. It was the first time Lamb LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily Senior catcher Cole Martin had been out since April 2 with tightness in his elbow, but he went 2-for-4 on Sunday.