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