Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 — 7A
Michigan at
Michigan St.
Matchup:
Michigan 29-4;
Michigan
St. 20-19
When:
Wednesday
4:30 P.M.
Where:
Alumni Field
TV/Radio:
BTN Plus
MICHIGAN
MICH. ST.
5
11
BASEBALL
Michigan falters in
sixth inning of loss
By NATHANIEL CLARK
Daily Sports Writer
EAST
LANSING
—
The
Michigan baseball team was
engaged in a pitcher’s duel
through
the first five
and a half
innings
of
its contest with Michigan State.
But that low-scoring game was
a fleeting memory one inning
later, after the Spartans put up
eight runs in the bottom of the
sixth en route to defeating the
22nd-ranked Wolverines, 11-5.
The loss for Michigan (3-2 Big
Ten, 21-9 overall) marked its third
in a row, its worst losing streak
since a four-game skid in March
last season.
“We’ve certainly hit our share
of adversity the last seven days,”
said Michigan coach Erik Bakich.
“It happens in sports. It certainly
happens in baseball. You just
got
to
stay
positive.
We
look forward to
playing
better
tomorrow.”
The
score
was tied at two
in the bottom
of
the
sixth
when Michigan
State (5-1, 22-6)
loaded
the
bases with no outs. The situation
prompted Bakich to replace junior
left-hander Brett Adcock — who
had just come on in relief of senior
left-hander Evan Hill — with
junior right-hander Mac Lozer.
Unfortunately
for
the
Wolverines, Lozer was unable to
escape the jam.
Right fielder Kris Simonton,
the first batter Lozer faced, hit a
single to center field that drove in
two runs. Third baseman Justin
Hovis followed up with a sacrifice
fly to right field to put the Spartans
ahead, 5-2. Catcher Matt Byars
then hit an RBI double to extend
Michigan State’s advantage to
four. After shortstop Royce Ando
grounded out, it appeared that
Michigan might end the sixth
down by a manageable four runs.
But a fielding error on the next
at-bat let the Spartans tack on
yet another run. First baseman
Jordan
Zimmerman
further
rubbed salt into the Wolverines’
wounds with an RBI single of
his own. One batter later, Bakich
replaced Lozer with sophomore
right hander Jayce Vancena.
“(For) guys who pitch in those
high-leverage situations, there
are going to be days that are just
not their day,” Bakich said. “They
have to have a short memory.
They have to have amnesia, and
we’re going to count on (Lozer) to
make big pitches in big spots again
this weekend, if not tomorrow
(against Eastern Michigan).”
Vancena, too, was victimized
by a fielding error that widened
Michigan’s deficit to seven. While
Vancena allowed an RBI single on
the ensuing at-bat, the carnage
was ended when senior catcher
Harrison
Wenson
whipped
the ball to freshman shortstop
Michael Brdar, who tagged the
runner at third to finally get the
Wolverines out of the inning.
“It’s always a relief to get off the
field after a long inning like (the
sixth),” said senior outfielder Matt
Ramsay. “It was great to get back
in the dugout, because everyone
looked at each other and we were
like, ‘It’s go time.’ There wasn’t any
doubt on anyone’s faces.”
Before
the
sixth-inning
collapse, it was Michigan who
scored first.
With two outs in the third
inning, Ramsay stole third and
scored on a throwing error, and
the Wolverines then mustered a
pair of two-out singles. But they
were unable to extend their lead.
“I think we were hitting the
ball pretty well as a team,” Ramsay
said. “But I think what wasn’t
happening was that we weren’t
getting those timely hits — those
hits with runners in scoring
position.”
With
the
bases
loaded
on one out,
the
Spartans
struck
back
in the bottom
of the third
by driving in
two runs off
a single and a
fielding error,
but Hill limited the damage to
just that.
“I thought our defense played
sloppy
today,”
Bakich
said.
“Pitching and defense has been a
staple of our success in the early
goings, and it needs to continue to
be a cornerstone of our success.
We just gotta be better in those
two areas to be the best team that
we can be.”
The
Wolverines
remained
down, 2-1, until the top of the fifth,
when they put runners on second
and third with no outs. Junior
right fielder Carmen Benedetti
brought the tying run home
when he grounded out to second,
scoring sophomore infielder Jake
Bivens. That left Ramsay on third
with only one out.
But Michigan was unable to
take the lead, as Wenson struck
out and senior outfielder Cody
Bruder grounded out to finish the
inning. The score remained tied
until the deluge of the sixth frame.
“We had some spots in the
early innings where we weren’t
able to capitalize,” Ramsay said.
“It’s good to get early runs.”
The Wolverines did show some
life in the top of the ninth when
they trailed, 11-3. Senior catcher
Dominic Jamett roped a bases-
loaded, two-run double to left
field to cut the deficit to six. But
the Wolverines’ rally was quickly
extinguished when Bruder lined
out and Benedetti was thrown out
at second base.
“We just got our bats and
continued to put quality at-bats
on,” Ramsay said. “It’s a sign of a
good team that even after getting
punched in the face, we were still
able to put together some quality
at-bats together after that.”
“We’ve certainly
hit our share of
adversity the last
seven days.”
SOFTBALL
Wolverines face struggling Spartans
By TYLER COADY
Daily Sports Writer
Averaging more than eight runs
per game, the No. 2 Michigan
softball team’s offense scores in a
prolific manner
and
receives
abundant
production from
top to bottom.
In their first
two conference
series,
the
Wolverines
scored 65 runs
in six games and
notched a 5-1
record.
Junior
third baseman
Lindsay
Montemarano
emerged
during
that
stretch
as Michigan’s most potent bat,
setting a new career high for
home runs in a season. Senior
second baseman Sierra Romero
also upped her batting average to
.500, good for fourth in the nation.
Then, in last weekend’s series-
opening game against Nebraska,
the Wolverines’ offense went
missing. Facing Cornhusker ace
Cassie McClure, Michigan struck
out just twice, but registered a
meager four hits.
“I think you have to credit their
pitching,” said Michigan coach
Carol Hutchins. “(McClure) was
on her game.”
Frazzled
by
McClure’s
prowess in the circle, Romero,
Montemarano and junior left
fielder Kelly Christner were all
kept hitless in Michigan’s 1-0 loss.
“To give up one run and lose,
that’s not because of the pitching,”
Hutchins said. “We were all trying
too hard, and trying too hard is as
bad as not trying at all.”
On Saturday and Sunday, the
Wolverines’ lineup — revitalized
and eager to move beyond the
previous
night’s
goose
egg
— reemerged in commanding
fashion. Sierra Lawrence homered
in each game, and Sunday’s two-
run blast was the culmination of
a late Michigan comeback that
propelled the Wolverines (7-2 Big
Ten, 29-4 overall) to their second
win of the weekend.
For Michigan, a chance to
improve
upon
its
offensive
numbers and record another
conference win presents itself
Wednesday in the form of a
struggling Michigan State team.
The Spartans (2-7, 20-19), who
entered conference play with a
winning record but without a win
against a ranked team, have won
only one of their last six games.
That lone win came against fellow
Big Ten cellar dweller Maryland.
However,
Michigan
State
possesses
ample
offensive
talent and is sure to challenge
the
Wolverines’
inconsistent
pitching staff led by fifth-year
senior Sara Driesenga and junior
Megan Betsa. Ebonee Echols, Lea
Foerster and Sarah Gutknecht
each hit over .350, combined for 61
RBI and have totaled nine home
runs, which pales in comparison
to Michigan’s power hitters.
But
a
Spartan
pitching
staff
marked
by
youth
and
inconsistency is sure to be a boon
for the Wolverines’ prospects. Dani
Goranson has been plagued by a
tendency to give up home runs and
walks, as she has given up 10 and
18, respectively. Kristina Zalewski
logs the majority of innings and
enters the game with a 9-10 record.
Despite its recent skid and
evident shortfalls, Michigan State
has played close with top teams this
year and nearly recorded an upset
win in Ann Arbor last season. The
Spartans will be a testing opponent
for Michigan, one sure to relish the
chance of potentially knocking off
their in-state rival. Meanwhile,
the Wolverines hope their offense
paves the way to a routine win.
‘M’ dominates Niagara
Wolverines snap
three-game skid,
get back on track
with blowout win
By MIKE PERSAK
Daily Sports Writer
It had been a tough stretch for
the Michigan women’s lacrosse
team going into a home game
against
Niagara on
Tuesday.
The Wolverines were coming
off a three-game losing streak,
which included a blowout loss to
No. 16 Northwestern.
For a moment against the
Purple
Eagles
(2-2
Metro-
Atlantic Athletic Conference,
6-6 overall), it looked as though
it might be another tough outing
for the Wolverines (0-2 Big Ten,
6-8 overall). Their offense came
out sputtering, and nearing the
midpoint mark of the first half,
they were still scoreless. Then,
with 16:02 remaining in the
half, junior attacker Tess Korten
struck first and Michigan never
looked back, winning 13-1.
“I
think
(this
win
is)
incredibly important for our
program and for these women
who work hard every single day,”
said Michigan coach Jennifer
Ulehla. “It always comes back
to us trying to grow from every
experience and get better every
single day. When you’re building
a program, it’s not easy and it
takes time. It’s a journey. It’s not
a sprint, it’s a marathon.”
Korten was at the center of
Michigan’s offense all game,
with three goals and one assist.
The offensive production didn’t
stop with her, though. Seven
different players scored goals for
the Wolverines, including junior
attacker Kelly Schlansker, who
matched Korten’s goal output.
The pair finished as the game’s
highest scorers.
“I was just really happy with
the offense in general,” Ulehla
said. “So many different people
had
opportunities
and
took
advantage of them and scored.”
Not to be outdone by the offense,
Michigan’s
defense
stepped up as
well. It forced
20
turnovers
and
held
Niagara
to
only one goal.
The
effort
matched
the
best defensive
output in the
history of the Wolverines’ three-
year-old program.
“Defense has got to be a
strong unit, and they didn’t
play individually today,” Ulehla
said. “There was a little bit of
a breakdown at one point, but
then they regrouped. I thought
that the 77 defense was strong,
the goalie performances were
strong and I thought we did
a great job in our transitional
defense as well.”
The tough stretch prior to the
game
wasn’t
the
first
of
the season for
Michigan,
as
it had another
three-game
losing
skid
from
March
4
to
March
18, eventually
halted
by
a
9-4 win over
Duquesne.
Now, the focus turns to
maintaining
this
momentum
and stringing together some
wins. But the schedule doesn’t
get easier for the Wolverines.
They will host No. 12 Penn State
on Sunday before No. 1 Maryland
comes to Ann Arbor the week
after.
“(The win) definitely was
important for the team morale
and to get everyone back on the
same page, to know we have
something to work towards,”
Korten said. “We have two,
three big games coming up and
then the Big Ten playoff season
to look forward to.”
Added Ulehla: “(It’s) just great
for camaraderie, and (we can)
feel the big pressure off our back.
We know what’s coming this
weekend: Penn State. We know
we’ve got to get back to business.”
If the Wolverines are able
to get back to business and fire
on all cylinders like they did
Tuesday, perhaps they may earn
their first win over a ranked
team in program history.
MAZIE HYAMS/Daily
Junior attacker Tess Korten led Michigan’s offensive output Tuesday with three goals and an assist against Niagara.
NIAGARA
MICHIGAN
1
13
“It always comes
back to us trying
to grow from
every experience.”