The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Sports
Wednesday, March 16, 2016 — 7A
2016 Softball Preview
Managing the burden of expectations
The No. 2 Michigan softball
team is no stranger to high
expectations.
With 18 Big Ten conference
titles,
11
Women’s
College
World
Series
appearances
and
a
2005
national championship to its
name, the program has been a
model of consistent success ever
since head coach Carol Hutchins
took over the reins in 1985.
However, this season is a bit
different. Despite a 60-8 campaign
in 2015 in which the Wolverines
captured
both
the
Big
Ten
regular-season and tournament
titles, last year is remembered for
something else.
Falling to No. 1 Florida in Game
3 of the Women’s College World
Series in Oklahoma City remains
the lasting memory of a season in
which everything else seemed to
go right.
With the return of four All-
Americans
—
senior
second
baseman
Sierra
Romero,
outfielders Kelly Christner and
Sierra Lawrence and junior right-
handed pitcher Megan Betsa —
and all but one starter from last
year’s lineup, the Wolverines
entered the season ranked No. 2
and have remained firmly planted
in that spot through the first
month of this 2016 season.
The only way for Michigan to
improve, of course, is by winning
the national title. However, the
Wolverines refuse to buy into the
championship or bust mindset,
and frankly, they shouldn’t.
“It’s a bust to everyone else,”
Romero said. “To us, we trust
our preparation, we trust the way
that we’ve trained and we don’t
change anything. We’re starting
over. Last year doesn’t matter.”
For better or worse, what
people love about sports is that
anything can happen. A standout
freshman can be trapped in a
sophomore slump. A loaded team
can be decimated by the injury
bug. And a group accustomed
to success can fall victim to
complacency.
On the other side of the coin,
an under-the-radar player can
make a surprise showing. A run-
of-the-mill team can go on a tear.
And an underdog can overtake a
seemingly superior opponent.
None of these situations can
be planned for in the preseason
rankings,
or
even
midway
through the year. Yet, any one
of these circumstances could
change the course of an entire
season.
Rankings seem to be awarded
much significance, which is a bit
puzzling given what they really
are — attempts to combine past
performances
with
personal
predictions
regarding
player
progression and future results.
A valiant but often futile effort.
For example, Michigan was
ranked No. 8 at the start of the
2015
season,
behind
several
SEC teams. But the Wolverines
marched all the way to the World
Series, beating many of them in
the process.
By the same token, any number
of factors could cause a regression
from their No. 2 ranking.
No psychic, metric or keyboard
warrior can predict the outcome
of a season — not in February,
March, April, May or June.
So much is conditional, so
much up to fate. No matter the
expectations, nobody knows what
will happen until it happens.
Nothing can be taken for granted.
Nothing is a given, nothing is
guaranteed.
In truth, rankings are just
numbers with someone else’s
opinion attached.
That’s the mentality Michigan
has adopted this season given
its high expectations because, to
Hutchins, the only opinions that
matter are the ones in her locker
room. In her mind, rankings are
meaningless.
“This team has that burden of
expectation that I frankly don’t
have,” Hutchins said. “We don’t
spend one minute on it. Nobody
knows who was ranked second
last year in the preseason, but
clearly they were wrong.”
Though the Wolverines may
have all the pieces in place to
make a strong postseason run, in
reality, the season has just begun.
There’s no telling how, when or
where their season will end.
“You don’t just go to the World
Series, it’s not on our schedule
card,” Hutchins said. “You have
to earn it. Making it is a big deal.
It’s hard to get there. ... How you
respond to (challenges) is the key
to success.”
Only Michigan’s play on the
field in every game will determine
the Wolverines’ fate this season.
For better or worse, it’s in their
hands.
BETELHEM
ASHAME
On Softball
DELANEY RYAN/Daily
Michigan hopes to improve on its national runner-up finish last season.
Big Ten preview:
2016 season won’t
be a two-horse race
By TYLER COADY
Daily Sports Writer
The
Michigan
softball
dominance over the Big Ten
is akin to that of the Romans
over the Mediterranean under
Augustus:
It
is
long-lasting
and filled with triumph. For
30 years, the Wolverines have
dominated the Big Ten, claiming
18 conference championships
and racking up 556 wins.
While No. 2 Michigan (20-2)
enters this conference season
as the clear favorite to hoist the
title in May, a more competitive
season beckons as a bevy of new
challengers aims to dethrone
the Wolverines.
No. 22 Minnesota and No.
23 Nebraska are the most
formidable
contenders
to
Michigan, as they both are
coming off NCAA Tournament
appearances
in
2015
and
successful
non-conference
results this spring. Ohio State
and Illinois are off to solid starts
and both have received votes for
the top-25 rankings this season.
Michigan
State,
Indiana,
Purdue and Wisconsin also aim
to make some noise as they all
enter Big Ten play with winning
records.
If 2015 was a two-horse
race between Michigan and
Minnesota, 2016 promises a
different story.
The Daily broke down all the
teams that should factor into the
Big Ten race.
No. 22 Minnesota (16-7)
Having
made
last
year’s
NCAA Tournament regionals,
the Golden Gophers were on
the cusp of a Women’s College
World Series berth, only to see it
ruined by perennial powerhouse
Arizona. Fast forward a year,
and Minnesota is once again
poised to challenge for a Big
Ten championship and a World
Series appearance.
In non-conference play, the
Golden Gophers went up against
numerous
top-25
opponents,
earning several wins over the
likes of No. 12 Georgia, No. 13
Oklahoma and No. 21 Arizona
State but also falling twice to
No. 10 Florida State and once to
No. 8 Washington.
When it comes to personnel,
Minnesota relies heavily on
right-hander Sara Groenewegen
to keep them in games, eat up
innings and provide a boost at
the plate. Groenewegen has not
lost her step in the circle so far
this season, as she enters Big
Ten play with an 11-3 record and
1.80 ERA.
In the batter’s box, outfielder
Kayla Wenner, infielder Sam
Macken and infielder Danielle
Parlich make up an imposing
trio. They all hit over .300, with
Wenner hitting a staggering
.400.
If the Golden Gophers are able
to find a reliable second pitcher
to back up Groenewegen and
take advantage of a conference
schedule that does not include
Michigan, expect this team to
make a run at the Big Ten title.
No. 23 Nebraska (15-6)
Cornhusker junior infielder
MJ Knighten is putting up
numbers that rival those of
Michigan’s Sierra Romero. The
California native is second in
the nation with 12 home runs
and is hitting an eye-popping
.435. Her teammates aren’t far
behind, as Nebraska boasts six
other hitters who average over
.300. Senior outfielder Kiki
Stoves is hitting .403 with 19
runs scored and senior infielder
Alicia Armstrong has knocked
in 20 RBI.
Couple this prolific lineup
with a pitching rotation that
consists of junior right-hander
Cassie McClure (8-2, 2.51 ERA)
and senior right-hander Emily
Lockman (5-2, 2.82 ERA), and
the Cornhuskers seem ready
to take the next step from last
year’s conference tournament
runner-up into the Big Ten elite.
Ohio State (11-6)
The Buckeyes played all over
the country to start their 2016
campaign and came away with
moderate success. A win over
No. 21 Arizona State is the high
mark of the Buckeyes’ season to
date, while losses to No. 9 James
Madison and No. 23 Nebraska
keep them out of the top 25.
Ohio State’s strength derives
from the fearsome top half of
its lineup. Alex Bayne, with her
.364 batting average and six
home runs, leads the way while
Cammi Prantl is hitting .370 and
Erika Leonard sits at .339.
For the Buckeyes, a best-case
scenario puts them in the upper
echelon of the Big Ten, but a
serious challenge to Michigan,
Minnesota, and Nebraska at
the top is unlikely due to an
inconsistent pitching staff.
Illinois (13-7)
The Illini surprised many
last season when they recovered
from a 12-18 start to go 14-9 in
the Big Ten and 26-27 overall.
A weak schedule left Illinois
with few quality opponents in
the opening stages of 2016, but
a win over No. 10 Florida State
signaled its improvement.
The Illini rely heavily on
their lineup to score runs, as
pitcher Jade Vecvanags is prone
to walks and pitcher Breanna
Wonderly to home runs.
Luckily for Illinois, Kylie
Johnson is hitting .389, Allie
Bauch has knocked in 15 runs,
and Nicole Evans and Carly
Thomas have combined for eight
home runs.
Like Ohio State, the Illini
are capable of posing a serious
challenge to the Big Ten elite,
but a more likely outcome places
them fighting to be the best of
the rest.
Michigan State (14-10)
Buoyed by the strong play
of Lea Foerster (.451 average)
and Celeste Wood (18 RBI),
Michigan State seems to have
erased the memory of last year’s
disastrous season and looks
primed to play a major part in
this Big Ten campaign.
So far, the Spartans lost to
No. 21 Arizona State and No. 12
Georgia by slim margins and
have yet to record a victory over
a ranked opponent.
Indiana (14-9)
An arduous non-conference
slate posed problems for the
Hoosiers, who lost to No. 11
Texas A&M, No. 3 Auburn
and No. 15 Kentucky. Despite
problems
against
SEC
opponents, Indiana played all
of those teams close and took
Auburn to extra innings.
Indiana’s strength is in its
arms, as Tara Trainer and Josie
Wood make up a menacing duo
and form the backbone of the
Hoosiers’ hopes for a top-half
Big Ten finish.
Purdue (13-10)
February and March brought
the Boilermakers all over the
country, with an inconsistent
outcome to show for it. At times,
Purdue played well, with a
win over then-No. 25 Central
Florida. But on other days, the
Boilermakers were blown out,
suffering a 11-1 loss to No. 18
Arizona.
If Purdue aims to better its
11th-place finish of last season,
the continued hot hitting of
Kristen Hoppman and Katie
Harrison
is
of
the
utmost
importance.
Wisconsin (12-11)
Heading into Big Ten play
last season, Wisconsin held a
16-14 record. But conference
matchups proved unfruitful for
the Badgers, who stumbled to a
5-17 Big Ten record.
A similar start to this season
gives the Badgers hope that
things will be different, and
with Kelsey Jenkins and Chloe
Miller having combined for
eight home runs and 42 RBI to
date, Wisconsin’s hopes hinge
on continued production from
those two.
Michigan will rely on veteran lineup
By AVI SHOLKOFF
Daily Sports Writer
Veterans anchor the No. 2
Michigan softball team’s lineup
from top to bottom. Eight of the
nine players who regularly start
for Carol Hutchins’ Michigan
team also had prominent roles for
last year’s Women’s College World
Series squad.
These
veterans
will
lead
the
Wolverines
into
their
first homestand and into the
beginnings of the first part of
their Big Ten schedule.
The
Daily
looks
at
how
Michigan stacks up position by
position.
Pitchers:
Fifth-year senior right-hander
Sara Driesenga and junior right-
hander Megan Betsa have stepped
up to fill the void of two-time
All-American
Haylie
Wagner,
who graduated last season. Betsa,
while erratic at times — she has
walked 38 batters — has thrown
a whopping 87 strikeouts in 55
innings, good for 11.1 strikeouts
per seven innings, the third
highest in the nation.
After losing last season to
injury,
Driesenga
leads
the
Wolverines in innings pitched
this year and also has compiled
a 10-0 record. Sophomore Tera
Blanco gives the Wolverines a
much-needed third starter and
after a rough first start against
Florida, she recovered to throw
two complete games and now
boasts a 2.33 ERA. Hutchins also
may choose to utilize freshman
right-hander Leah Crockett as
both a starter and reliever as well.
Her only appearance came in one
inning against Virginia Tech.
Catcher:
Michigan starts freshman Alex
Sobczak behind the plate, and she
has performed well at bat thus
far, hitting two home runs and
driving in 13 runs, while striking
out just four times, the second-
fewest on the team. She will look
to improve in the field, however,
as she has six passed balls and two
errors through her 19 games as
catcher. She has caught only one
of 16 runners attempting to steal,
an area she’ll need to focus on
going forward.
Freshman Katie Alexander and
sophomore utility player Aidan
Falk will also see some time
catching for the pitching staff.
Falk has homered three times to
begin the year and has added 14
RBI. She will look to cut down on
her strikeouts, though, as she has
11, the second-most on the team.
First base:
Blanco starts at first base, as
she did last year, in addition to her
role in the circle. She has gone on a
tear this season for the Wolverines,
hitting .426 with 24 RBI, second-
best on the team in both categories.
She slugs a fantastic .607 and has
remained errorless in the field.
Falk and freshman Faith Canfield
have also received some playing
time at the position.
Second base:
For the past three years, the
Wolverines’
infield
has
been
anchored by Sierra Romero, and
this season is no exception. After
spending her first two years
at shortstop, Romero began a
successful transition to second
base last year and commands
the position again. Romero is
currently in the midst of a 14-game
hitting streak and leads Michigan
in every triple crown category.
Additionally, she leads the team
in runs, slugging percentage and
total bases.
Shortstop:
For her third straight year,
junior Abby Ramirez will look to
continue to start double plays in
the infield. Thus far, she leads the
Wolverines with five as well as
37 putouts. Offensively, Ramirez
ranks third on the team in batting
average with a solid .413 and has
adjusted well to her new spot in
the lineup as the number two
hitter.
Third base:
Despite
junior
Lindsay
Montemarano’s hitting struggles
— her batting average is .153 —
she still has a substantial hold on
the third-base position. Early-
season
slumps
have
become
commonplace
for
the
junior,
but her defense has remained
consistent with a .944 fielding
percentage.
Canfield has also garnered
time at the hot corner this
year, and if she improves her
hitting, she could see even more
chances.
Sophomore
Amanda
Vargas continues to impress at
the plate, hitting two pinch-hit
home runs, and she may see more
opportunities in the field.
Outfield:
Michigan is led by three top
veteran
outfielders,
including
two
All-Americans
in
junior
Kelly
Christner
and
senior
Sierra Lawrence. Rounding out
the outfield is senior Kelsey
Susalla, who also had a breakout
performance last season.
Along with Romero, Lawrence
is the only other player to have
started all four years. Lawrence
had an on-base percentage of .625
and stole two bases last weekend,
in a time when many Wolverines
struggled
at
the
plate.
She
continues to thrive in the leadoff
spot, leading the team in stolen
bases — stealing nine in nine
attempts — and ranks fourth on
the team in batting average.
Susalla has maintained her
previous
season’s
offensive
prowess, hitting five home runs,
good for second-best on the team.
Christner, while still hitting a
solid .324, has cooled off a bit
from her superb All-American
performance last year. She hopes
her movement in the batting
order from the third to the sixth
spot will continue to improve her
hitting.
DELANEY RYAN/Daily
Sophomore infielder Terra Blanco will see time both in the circle and at first base during the 2016 season.