The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SportsMonday
March 20, 2017 — 3B

Wolverines sweep Kent State

Thirty 
strikeouts. 
Fourteen 

innings pitched. No runs and only 
one hit allowed. It was nothing 
short of a monumental weekend 
for Michigan’s senior right-hander, 
Megan Betsa.

After earning her fourth career 

no-hitter Saturday, the ace showed 
no signs of slowing down in the 
circle Sunday afternoon, allowing 
a sole hit and underscoring the 
Michigan softball team’s standout 
home-opening weekend.

The 19th-ranked Wolverines 

(17-7-1) captured their first series 
sweep of the season (3-0) after 
collecting two more wins over 
Kent State (8-13) in a doubleheader 
Sunday at Alumni Field, with an 
11-3 run-rule victory followed 
by a 3-0 shutout. The weekend’s 
successes became all the more 
sweet when Michigan coach Carol 
Hutchins — already the winningest 
softball coach of all time — netted 
her 1,500th coaching win from the 
day’s first slate.

“First of all, it just feels great 

being home with our home fans, 
that’s always fun,” said senior 
centerfielder 
Kelly 
Christner. 

“And I think we really did come 
together as a team this weekend. 
It was cold and there were a lot 
of other factors and variables that 
you can turn into negative things. 
But I think we stayed together and 
stayed positive, so it’s really great 
coming out with these wins.”

Though Saturday’s matchup was 

an offensive disappointment for the 
Wolverines — with just two hits on 
the day against the Golden Flashes 
— Michigan remedied its struggles 
at the plate in Sunday’s first game. 
The Wolverines cranked out 11 
runs on 11 hits from seven separate 
players, with eight RBI. 

Junior first baseman Aidan 

Falk proved herself essential, 
maintaining composure in high-
pressure situations throughout 
the day, posting five of Michigan’s 
eight RBI including a two-run 
double in both games.

The 
Wolverines’ 
ballooning 

offensive production in the first 
game of the day was a major 
break through for a team whose 
season so far has been marred by 
offensive woes, from stranding 
runners on base to staying too 
tight at the plate.

“I know how well these kids 

can hit, I watch them every day,” 
Hutchins said. “And they’ve been 
tight endlessly throughout the 
season … and it’s not working for 
us. So they really need to just relax 
and believe that their swings are 
good enough. And I thought we 
got better this weekend. I thought 
we were better.”

While Michigan ended up 

dominating the first game, Kent 
State got off to a dangerous start. 
In the top of the first frame, the 
Golden Flashes blasted a two-run 
homer, making junior right-hander 
Tera Blanco appear nervous and 
inconsistent in the circle.

However, 
the 
Wolverines 

quickly answered Kent State’s 
efforts. By the end of the first 
inning, Michigan had taken the 
lead, 6-2, and had already forced 
Golden Flashes’ starting right-
hander Madi Huck out of the 
game. 

An atypical fielding error by 

Christner in the top of the fourth 
gave Kent State the only other 
run it would see all day, with 
the Wolverines still maintaining 
an 8-3 lead. While Michigan 
committed just this one error 
in the game, the Golden Flashes 
struggled defensively, with five 
errors.

After a rocky first frame, Blanco 

posted a solid complete-game 
win, demonstrating composure 
as she struck out 10 batters while 
walking only one.

Though 
the 
Wolverines’ 

offensive production in the latter 
slate did not match the 11 runs in 
the first, Hutchins attributed this 
in part to Kent State right-hander 
Ronnie Ladines’ prowess in the 
circle. Ladines, who pitched the 
first game of the series as well, 
only allowed Michigan two hits 

Saturday and six Sunday.

“(Ladines) is outstanding, she’s 

good,” Hutchins said. “So we had 
to come up with a game plan to try 
to take away her best pitch.”

Ladines’ Sunday appearance 

started off as more of the same, 
giving Betsa a run for her money. 
The game was a pitcher’s duel 
from the onset, with Betsa and 
Ladines both posting 1-2-3 frames 
in the first inning. It wasn’t until 
the bottom of the second that 
either team recorded a hit, as 
Blanco broke the ice with a base 
hit, her only of the day.

Heading into the bottom of 

the fourth, Michigan was yet to 
put a run on the scoreboard, and 
Hutchins was not pleased. She 
held a team huddle that proved 
effective as the Wolverine offense 
finally put the pieces together, 
earning all three runs of the game 
in a single inning.

“We decided on a game plan (in 

the huddle) and they executed it,” 
Hutchins said. “Faith started it all 
off with that fantastic rope, and 
hitting is contagious. That gave us 
some confidence. Kelly had a great 
at-bat, swung well, and I think that 
confidence started to grow.”

With Canfield at second and 

Christner at first, Falk slammed 
a hard ball down the left-field 
line, earning a two run double, 
finally putting numbers on the 
scoreboard. Minutes later, senior 
shortstop Abby Ramirez drove 
in Michigan’s final run on a gap 
double, widening the lead to 3-0.

The 
home 
opening 
series 

was a big break through for 
the 
Wolverines, 
from 
seeing 

no losses, to consistency in the 
circle, to production at the plate. 
In Hutchins’ eyes, Michigan was 
successful in all areas because they 
kept it simple.

ANNA MARCUS
Daily Sports Writer

‘M’ takes doubleheader

Drew Lugbauer stepped up 

to the plate in the bottom of the 
ninth inning looking at game-
winning runs on second and 
third base with two outs. The 
junior had gone 0-for-4 so far, 
but with the game on the line, 
Lugbauer had a chance to save 
his day. With a full count, he did 
just that, launching the ball over 
the right-field wall for a walk-off 
three-run home run.

The No. 21 Michigan baseball 

team (15-4) took on the Northern 
Illinois Huskies in a doubleheader 
Sunday, capping off a four-game 
bout this weekend that resulted 
in a 3-1 record in favor of the 
Wolverines.

Michigan 
entered 
the 

doubleheader 
Sunday 
coming 

off an 8-5 loss in which a late 
spur in offense was not enough. 
However, the team clearly did 
not dwell on its performance, as 
the Wolverines won both games 
against the Huskies, 7-4 and 8-3, 
respectively.

“I liked the starting pitching, I 

liked the defense,” said Michigan 
coach Erik Bakich. “We did 
enough offensively and got some 
big hits.”

Junior right-hander Michael 

Hendrickson took the mound 
for 
Michigan, 
and 
after 
a 

scoreless 
first 
inning, 
the 

Wolverines struck first as senior 
centerfielder 
Johnny 
Slater 

powered through an RBI triple 
to the right-field gap. He would 
ultimately make it home on a 
sacrifice fly from junior first 
baseman Jake Bivens.

Slater would repeat exactly 

what he did in the third inning 
with a two-run triple, increasing 
the Michigan lead to four.

“We were just sticking with it, 

and knowing that we were going 
to come through at some point,” 
Slater said. “I think everybody 
goes up there knowing that they 
are going to have a quality at-bat.”

Northern 
Illinois 
did 
not 

simply keel over, though, as a 
four-run fifth inning categorized 
by two walks, a ground-rule 
double over the left field line and 
a two-run RBI single forced its 
way back into competition.

After the four total runs from 

Michigan in the second and third 
innings, it would not score again 
until the bottom of the ninth, 
when Lugbauer launched his 
walk-off home run. Its late game 
surge propelled them to a 7-4 
victory over the Huskies. 

“We 
probably 
had 
more 

quality at-bats than we’ve had 
in a long time,” Bakich said. “ … 
I don’t know how many times 
we’ve lined out, but that was as 
good contact as we’ve made all 
season.”

The Wolverines’ mid-game 

hitting 
woes 
clearly 
sorted 

themselves out in the second 
game of the doubleheader as 
they had just three scoreless 
innings. 
Junior 
right-hander 

Alec Rennard was slated for the 
matchup, and went six innings 
forfeiting just four hits.

Michigan scored two runs 

in the fourth, fifth and sixth 
innings, respectively, highlighted 
by Lugbauer’s solo home run in 
the bottom of the third inning.

Freshman 
right 
fielder 

Dominic 
Clementi 
had 
a 

breakout 
performance 
this 

weekend as he was a late addition 
to the lineup, going 3-for-3 with 
an RBI. Senior catcher Harrison 
Wenson also played his role to 
near-perfection, going 1-for-3 
with three RBIs.

“We were doing it in a variety 

of ways, a couple home runs, 
a couple stolen bases, bunts, 
moving runners,” Bakich said. “ 
… We scored in multiple frames.”

The versatility shown from 

players like Lugbauer – who 
switched from catcher to first 
base in the second game — and 
the numerous relief pitchers that 
saw live innings is a signal that 
the Wolverines have significant 
depth that could carry them far 
into the season.

ROBERT HEFTER

Daily Sports Writer

WOMEN’S SWIMMING
Michigan finishes 11th

In Indianapolis this weekend, 

the Michigan women’s swimming 
and diving team did something 
it has yet to do this millennium. 
The Wolverines scored their most 
points at the NCAA national meet 
since 1999, finishing 11th with 159 
points. 

The four-day meet kicked off 

with a historical performance by 
Michigan’s 800-yard freestyle 
relay, which finished third, with 
a time of 6:53.63. The team, 
comprised of sophomores Siobhan 
Haughey, Rose Bi, and juniors 
G 
Ryan 
and 

Gabby 
DeLoof, 

became the first 
Michigan relay to 
earn NCAA All-
American honors 
in any of the five 
relays in the last 
10 years.

Michigan 

coach 
Mike 

Bottom 
noted 

how strongly his 
team responded to the intensity of 
the meet.

“We 
are 
showing 
an 

understanding of how to get 
better through a difficult process,” 
Bottom said. “That’s what life is 
all about.” 

A grand total of 12 Michigan 

school records fell at the national 
meet as well. Of the 13 student 
athletes sent to the national meet, 
eight individuals and three relays 
earned All-American honors. 

One of those All-Americans 

was junior Clara Smiddy. Smiddy 
placed in the 200-yard backstroke 
for the second year in a row, and 
further bested her school record 
to 1:50.71. 

After a scratch by Tennessee’s 

Maddy Banic in the 100-yard 
butterfly on Friday, Michigan 
freshman Vanessa Krause, the 
first alternate, capitalized on the 
last-minute opportunity to score 
for Michigan. Smiddy recalled the 
support received by Krause.

“There’s always this sense of 

unity,” Smiddy said. “We had a 
sudden change where Krause had 
to swim a 100-yard butterfly with 
only a 300-yard warm up. That is 
really difficult to do, and she did 
a really good job by scoring. We 
were all behind her, cheering her 
on, there was a really strong sense 
of the team.” 

Freshman 
diver 
Kristen 

Hayden and senior diver Allie 
Murphy each contributed points 
to Michigan’s 11th place finish 
by scoring in the platform and 
three-meter, respectfully. Their 
accomplishments 
mark 
the 

first time since 1994 that two 

divers 
have 

scored 
at 
the 

national 
meet. 

Coach 
Bottom 

commented 
on 

the performance 
of 
the 
three 

divers 
that 

scored points for 
Michigan. 

“We are really 

united,” Bottom 
said. “We are 

really excited that divers scored. 
It’s exciting to see them practicing 
and stepping up and scoring.”

Reflecting upon the weekend’s 

highs and lows, Bottom said 
he wanted to recover from the 
intensity of the week and look 
towards the future.

“It was an exhausting four 

days,” Bottom said. “It was 
exhausting, but we are still 
standing.” 

And standing they are. The 

Wolverines will be back in the 
pool on Monday, and, next 
week, the men’s team heads to 
Indianapolis for its national meet.

Looking towards the future, 

Bottom discussed how he felt 
building unity was important 
when gearing up for the future. 

“We are going to continue to 

build this team,” Bottom said. 
“We are going to keep pushing to 
do better both in and out of the 
water, caring for each other and 
fighting for Michigan.”

Wolverines score 159 points at NCAA 
Championships to cap 2017 season

ANNA HARITOS
Daily Sports Writer

“It was 

exhausting, 

but we are still 

standing.”

‘M’ shows bright future at national meet

The Michigan wrestling team 

has been battered by injuries all 
year long. But even right before 
the season came to a close, bad 
luck came their way again. 
Redshirt sophomore Zac Hall 
and — especially heartbreaking 
— senior captain Brian Murphy 
would be unable to compete.

The 
Wolverines 
would 

only be able to send a small 
squad of five wrestlers to the 
tournament. But fortunately 
for Michigan, three freshmen 
would go on to have truly 
standout performances.

Logan 
Massa 
took 
third 

overall, and Myles Amine and 
Stevan Micic both took fourth 
in 
their 
respective 
weight 

classes. All three earned All-
American honors.

Perhaps the biggest moment 

of the tournament came when 
the three freshmen reached 
the consolation semifinals. For 
each wrestler, a win meant 
competing for third place, while 
a loss meant competing for fifth.

Micic was up first, and 

he handily beat No. 3 Kaid 
Brock from Oklahoma State, 
10-4. Massa also picked up a 
10-4 win, over the Cowboys’ 
Chandler Rogers. Amine had 
a 
standout 
match, 
pinning 

Cornell’s 
second-seed 
Brian 

Realbuto, which provided huge 
bonus points for the team. The 
Wolverines went 3-for-3. All 
of them were headed to the 
consolation finals.

Amine and Micic both failed 

to overcome their opponents in 
the finals, placing fourth after 
falling to top-seeded wrestlers. 
Micic faced Ohio State’s Nathan 
Tomasello 
— 
a 
returning 

national champ — and Amine 
faced Arizona State’s Zahid 
Valencia.

Massa, however, dominated 

his way to a third-place finish 
over Wisconsin’s No. 5 Isaac 
Jordan. Jordan is a two-time 
Big 
Ten 
champion, 
NCAA 

finalist and a senior. Massa, 
a freshman, still beat him 

handily. It just goes to show 
Massa’s competitive nature — 
that he still wasn’t pleased by 
such a solid finish.

“The goal was to win a 

national 
title,” 
Massa 
said. 

“How I can get my hands on the 
guy that beat me, the guys that 
are in the finals, 
where 
can 
I 

see them next, 
that’s what I’m 
thinking 
about 

right now.”

Massa 

suffered 
a 

heartbreaking 
loss 
to 
Penn 

State’s 
Vicenzo 

Joseph 
in 
the 

semifinals, as he 
could not finish the go-ahead 
takedown. 
Regardless, 
his 

achievements and those of Micic 
and Amine are impressive.

“What they did this weekend 

was pretty incredible. They 

competed at a very very elite 
level, with the best kids in the 
country,” said Michigan coach 
Joe McFarland. “And to do it as 
freshmen is amazing.”

On 
their 
efforts, 
the 

Wolverines 
finished 
the 

tournament 10th overall. To 

have 
such 
a 

successful 
finish 
clearly 

meant a great 
deal to a team 
that endured so 
much bad luck 
throughout the 
season.

“With the ups 

and downs of 
this season, to 
be able to come 

to this tournament with a group 
of five and compete the way 
they did is such a great feat,” 
McFarland said. “The whole 
coaching staff is so proud of 
these guys, and not just of the 

three All-Americans, but all of 
these guys.”

After a strong finish, it 

is hard not to eagerly await 
the next year of Michigan 
wrestling. These three talented 
freshmen will return, as well as 
a talented pool who redshirted 
this 
season. 
This 
includes 

one of the best heavyweights 
in the country: the talented 
two-time All-American senior 
Adam Coon. Senior Domenic 
Abounader, a Big Ten champion 
and All American, will also 
be 
returning. 
Finally, 
All-

American junior Alec Pantaleo, 
who finished sixth last season, 
will join the lineup.

“We’re excited about the 

team we have coming back,” 
McFarland said. “We could be in 
the hunt next year at the NCAA 
championship in Cleveland.”

And with three freshmen 

returning with previous NCAA 
success, they definitely could be.

ALEX SAYLOR

For the Daily

MAX KUANG/Daily

Redshirt freshman Logan Massa led Michigan by taking third in the 165-pound division at the NCAA Championships.

Wolverines finish 10th at NCAA Championships behind standout freshmen

“What they did 
this weekend 

was pretty 
incredible.”

MARINA ROSS/Daily

Junior infielder Aidan Falk gave Michigan’s offense a boost on Sunday.

BASEBALL

