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Wednesday, July 15, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTS

Softball stays busy over the 
summer in pros, world cup

Wagner, Romero 
among softball 
players on Team 

USA, NFPL.

By CHRIS CROWDER 

Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan softball team 

ended its 2015 campaign one 
win 
away 
from 
a 
national 

championship. There isn’t much 
improvement to be made, but with 
impact seniors like pitcher Haylie 
Wagner, catcher Lauren Sweet 
and possibly right-hander Sara 
Driesenga leaving the program, 
multiple 
Wolverines from 
last 
season’s 

successful team 
are playing this 
summer to hone 
their skills.

Rising senior 

infielder Sierra 
Romero 
and 

Wagner highlight the Michigan 
softball players’ summer plans. 
Among the returning players, 
Romero earned a spot on the USA 
National Team, trading in her 
maize and blue uniform to don the 
red, white and blue.

And Wagner, though graduated, 

is continuing her softball career 
with the Pennsylvania Rebellion in 
the National Pro Fastpitch League.

With 
every 
player 
playing 

softball in some capacity while 
school is out, The Daily recaps 
some of the Michigan softball 
players’ summer schedule, past 
and present.

In the 14 games the USA 

National Team has played this 
summer, seven have been against 
international competition. The 
United States have only lost one, 
to Canada, but still bounced back 
to win the World Cup of Softball 
with a 6-1 victory over Japan.

Wolverine 
alum 
Amanda 

Chidester hit a key two-run 
triple in the first inning of the 

championship 
game. 
The 

catcher, 
who 

graduated 
in 

2012, has only 
started in two 
games featuring 
international 
competition, 
but has reached 

base in each appearance. In a July 
1 battle against the United States 
Junior National Team, Chidester 
scorched a two-run homer in the 
second inning. The blast ended up 
being the difference, as the elder 
national team won, 3-2.

Romero played the first three 

games of the tournament, while not 
seeing action in the last four. She 
played well in her starts, knocking 
in six RBI, including three by way 
of a three-run-go-ahead homer 
in the first World Cup of Softball 
contest against Japan.

Romero also faced off twice 

against incoming junior third 
baseman Lindsay Montemarano 
and the New Jersey All-Stars, 
with 
Romero’s 
side 
winning 

both of the matchups, 3-1 and 
8-1, respectively. Montemarano 
batted once in each game and 
struck out both times. Romero 
played in the first matchup, 
batting three times, but recording 
zero hits.

The Stars and Stripes will take 

the field next in the Pan American 
Games starting July 15 in Canada.

As for Wagner, she is enjoying 

her time with the Rebellion, 
but has yet to record her first 
professional win in two starts. 
Her record stands at 0-3, but has 
a 2.14 earned-run average — good 
for 10th best in the league. Wagner 
does have a complete game and a 
save under her belt through five 
starts, so she is getting the hang of 
playing on the professional circuit.

Wagner tweeted Sunday night 

that she is “so content with life 
right now.” Softball fans can 
understand why. She’s living her 
dream, playing the game she loves. 

But as Wagner has learned in her 
rookie season, playing softball 
doesn’t get any 
easier 
after 

college.

“There 
is 

definitely better 
competition 
here,” 
Wagner 

said 
in 
an 

interview with 
the 
Observer-

Reporter. 
“It’s 

a lot harder. This is a higher step 
up.”

Wagner, Romero and the rest 

of the last Michigan squad are 

continuing to play high-caliber 
competition 
even 
during 
the 

offseason. 
And 

in 
Wagner’s 

case, even after 
their 
collegiate 

careers 
are 

over. 
Instead 

of 
summer 

being a time of 
relaxation 
and 

recovery, 
for 

the Wolverines, 

it’s another opportunity to put in 
work.

After all, the quest for a national 

championship never stops.

DELANEY RYAN/Daily

2015 graduate Haylie Wagner has posted a 2.14 earned-run average for the Pennsylvania Rebellion in her rookie season.

“It’s a lot harder. 
This is a higher 

step up.”

DELANEY RYAN/Daily

Rising senior infielder Sierra Romero is donning the stars and stripes for Team USA.

“There is 

definitely better 

competition.”

