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

Michigan sweeps Northwestern with 4-0 win

Before 
Sunday’s 
matinee 

against Northwestern, the No. 20 
Michigan softball team — including 
coach Carol Hutchins — seemed 
looser during warmups than before 
its other games. As dancing and 
trust falls commenced, the Alumni 
Band, stationed in the right-center 
field bleachers, played the “Mission 
Impossible” theme song. 

Their song selection foretold 

the story for the visiting Wildcats 
(1-5 Big Ten, 13-19 overall). Their 
mission to even ruffle the feathers 
of the Wolverines’ senior right-
hander 
Megan 
Betsa 
seemed 

impossible.

In the final slate of the three-

game series, Michigan (6-0 Big 
Ten, 26-7-1 overall) completed the 
weekend sweep with a 4-0 victory, 
its 12th consecutive win and 
seventh straight shutout.

Betsa pitched her own seventh 

shutout in a row, raising her 
scoreless inning count to 48. The 
senior fanned nine Northwestern 

batters while allowing just two 
hits and two walks. Though not 
her typical double-digit strikeout 
outing, Betsa didn’t appear fazed, 
eventually settling in during the 
middle innings.

Admitting that some of her 

mechanics were not their best early 
on, Betsa tried to find the “fast and 
fluid” attack of the strike zone that 
has made her one of the nation’s 
best hurlers. But with considerable 
adjustments from pitch to pitch, 
Betsa was able to find her rhythm. 
After squandering a single in the 
first and a double in the second, she 
retired the next 11 batters.

Prior to Betsa catching her 

stride, Hutchins made one of 
multiple trips to the circle — an 
unusual occurrence with Betsa 
pitching. She tried to calm her 
ace down and get her command 
back in check, focusing mostly 
on mentality over mechanics. 
Hutchins reminded Betsa that just 
because 
Northwestern 
already 

faced her Friday in a 10-0 Michigan 
win didn’t mean she had to try 
harder to be more effective.

“You don’t have to be better 

than zero. I don’t think you can 
be better than zero,” Hutchins 
said. “She’s a human, she’s going 
to have moments of doubt or just 
trying too hard. She wasn’t always 
in a good flow, but the fact that she 
responded was huge.”

Added Betsa: “My body speed 

wasn’t as good the first two innings. 
My arm speed wasn’t whipping. 
That was something that we talked 
about inning by inning, just staying 
loose, whipping my pitches, and I 
thought that got better as the game 
went on.”

The 
Wolverines’ 
offense, 

meanwhile, was better than zero, 
boosting Betsa with just enough 
run support to pick up the win. 
Steadily increasing its lead with 
one run in four straight innings, 
Michigan created more breathing 
room for its ace.

In the third inning, after a 

lengthy at-bat, sophomore catcher 
Katie Alexander hit a two-out 
single up the middle to drive in 
junior pinch runner Nikki Wald 
for the Wolverines’ first run. 

Junior first baseman Tera Blanco 
and sophomore outfielder Natalie 
Peters each tallied an RBI to 
increase the lead over the next two 
innings.

In the bottom of the fourth, 

sophomore second baseman Faith 
Canfield hit a long two-run homer 
to left field, only to have it called 
back due to Peters leaving first 
base early — an automatic out. 
The miscue negated much-needed 
insurance runs, instead leaving 
Michigan in a closely-contested 3-0 
battle.

“We had to celebrate (the home 

run),” Hutchins said. “She womped 
it, so we just had to say, ‘It is what it 
is. We’re ahead, let’s play.’ ”

The fifth inning saw Michigan 

load the bases on two walks and a 
hit-by-pitch, and senior shortstop 
Abby Ramirez added a fourth run 
onto the scoreboard with a sacrifice 
fly.

As much as they looked to 

be having fun before the game, 
Hutchins believes it didn’t translate 
to the game itself, where she 
thought her players got into their 
own heads.

“They want things to go their 

way, and I thought today they let 
the fact that things weren’t going 
their way just deflate us,” Hutchins 
said. “We’d go up to the plate and 
have an opportunity, (but) the 
person at the plate would have a 
poor at-bat and that would deflate 
us. Just have a good at-bat because 
if you hit it hard, we can all be 
excited about that, but we were 
pretty outcome-oriented today and 
that doesn’t really work.”

But while the entire team 

may have struggled with mental 
deflation, Betsa remained her usual 
confident self, and that proved to be 
the difference.

“I honestly just feel confident, 

and I think it’s true confidence this 
time,” Betsa said Friday. “In the 
past, I’ve said that I’m confident, 
but I didn’t feel like I feel now. … I 
feel like most people aren’t going 
to score many runs off of me, and 
when runners get on base, I pretty 
much know I can get myself out of 
a jam.”

BASEBALL
‘M’ routs Penn State 
to claim series sweep

One-third of an inning – that’s 

how long Penn State’s starting 
pitcher lasted on Sunday. 

In that short time, the No. 22 

Michigan baseball team tallied 
five runs against right-hander 
Eric Mock – and didn’t stop there.

In the final game of their 

series against the Nittany Lions 
(0-3 Big Ten, 10-16 overall), the 
Wolverines blew out Penn State, 
14-1. Throughout the three-
game sweep, Michigan (4-2, 
22-6) produced 39 runs, tallying 
an impressive run differential of 
30.

After surrendering a 1-0 lead 

in the top of the first inning, the 
Wolverines’ offense erupted in 
the bottom half of the first.

Upon being hit by a pitch, 

sophomore second baseman Ako 
Thomas advanced to second on 
an error by Nittany Lion first 
baseman Willie Burger. After a 
fly ball moved Thomas to third, 
the sophomore scored on a wild 
pitch by Mock.

Then, junior third baseman 

Drew Lugbauer ripped an RBI 
double down the right field line, 
scoring senior shortstop Michael 
Brdar. In the very next at bat, 
redshirt sophomore left fielder 
Miles Lewis hit an RBI double, 
scoring Lugbauer and making 
it 3-1. Following back-to-back 
singles by sophomore designated 
hitter 
Nick 
Poirier 
and 

sophomore right fielder Jonathan 
Engelmann, the Wolverines’ lead 
increased to four before the end 
of the inning.

After Sunday’s win, Michigan 

improved to 11-0 when leading 
after the first.

“I think in any sport, at any 

level, you want to get ahead and 
stay ahead,” said Michigan coach 
Erik Bakich. “So it’s good that 
we’re getting ahead and staying 
ahead.”

In the third inning, Michigan 

extended its lead to 6-1 with a 
sacrifice fly off the bat of senior 
catcher Harrison Wenson.

After tallying another run 

in the fourth, the Wolverines’ 
offense exploded again in the 
fifth, scoring six more runs. 
The inning was highlighted by a 
bases-loaded line drive to center 
by Lugbauer, which Nittany Lion 
centerfielder Jordan Bowersox 
bobbled. The ball proceeded to 
the wall, allowing all three base 
runners to score and Lugbauer to 
advance to third. And after a wild 
pitch scored Lugbauer, Michigan 
led 13-1.

While the Wolverines’ offense 

received an all around effort – 
eight of nine starters scored a 
run and all nine reached base – 
Poirier stood out. The designated 
hitter went 3-for-3, with a walk, 
an RBI and three runs scored.

“(I) was just sticking to the 

approach that (Bakich) gives 
us,” Poirier said. “Just being 
relaxed, seeing the pitches and 
pretty much trusting our plan as 
a team.”

In a game that featured a large 

offensive 
output, 
Michigan’s 

pitching could have been easily 
overlooked.

Nevertheless, the Wolverines’ 

starter, 
junior 
right-hander 

Michael Hendrickson, recorded 
a career-high eight strikeouts 
over six innings. Additionally, 
the junior allowed just one run, 
one walk and three hits.

“Even in the run they scored, 

(Hendrickson) 
was 
making 

quality pitches,” Bakich said. “He 
was very efficient attacking the 
zone (and) he put the necessary 
zeroes up that we needed so we 
could separate offensively.”

In Michigan’s five games last 

week, it went 5-0, scoring 64 
runs. If the Wolverines continue 
to have that level of offense 
production, they will be hard to 
beat. 

New batting stance aids Christner

Kelly Christner’s new stance 

at the plate takes some time to 
get used to.

From the left-hander’s batter 

box, 
the 
senior 
outfielder 

starts with her bat out in front 
of the plate — almost as if she’s 
preparing to drop down a bunt. 
But then, just as the opposing 
pitcher is winding up, she pulls 
her hands back and waits for 
the pitch.

That approach, which is 

meant to improve timing, has 
helped Christner climb out of 
a brutal 10-game stretch, one 
in which she hit 6-for-29 (.208) 
with just two runs batted-in 
and no extra base hits.

“She went to it on her own,” 

said Michigan coach Carol 
Hutchins. “She went to it a 
little bit last year because 
timing is her issue.

“I moved her down because 

she wasn’t hitting well. If 
she stays consistent then I’ll 
certainly consider (moving her 
up).” 

Despite 
a 
team-leading 

batting 
average 
over 
.400, 

Christner was dropped down 
from the top of the order to the 
seventh spot in the lineup last 
Saturday against Penn State 
— a move that didn’t surprise 
the centerfielder even with the 
team’s triple crown in hand.

“I had some games when I 

wasn’t really hitting well and 
other people were,” Christner 
said. “(Hutchins) is going to 
move it around by who is hot 
at that time, so I wasn’t really 
surprised by it.”

But the relief of pressure 

that 
comes 
with 
hitting 

in the bottom third of the 
lineup didn’t help Christner 
immediately break out of her 
slump. In that series against 
the Nittany Lions, she was held 
to only one hit, finishing the 
trio of games 1-for-5.

Then, in a trip to Central 

Michigan 
on 
Tuesday, 

Christner 
finally 
broke 

through her slump. Setting her 
hands in front of the plate, she 
pulled back and blasted a solo 
homerun off the top of the right 
field-wall — her first extra-
base hit in over two weeks. 

Later in the game, she notched 
an RBI single to supply the 
entirety of the Wolverines’ run 
production in a 2-0 win.

On 
Friday 
against 

Northwestern, 
her 
rebound 

continued, as Christner plated 
four baserunners via an RBI 
single and double.

In her last four contests, 

Christner is batting .636 with 
six RBI and two extra-base 
hits — a stark contrast to her 
previous dismal stretch.

“My main thing is getting 

in my legs and having rhythm, 
and (the batting stance) really 
helps me with that,” Christner 
said.

Hitting 
close 
to 
.500 

with 
power 
through 
the 

first month of the season, 
Christner anchored the top of 
the Wolverines’ batting order 
early on, driving in runs with 
consistency from the third and 
fourth spots.

But with Christner in the 

seventh spot, Michigan has 
scored 50 runs in seven straight 
wins, proving her potency 
throughout the batting order.

Her 
production, 
coupled 

with the emergences of junior 
designated 
player 
Amanda 

Vargas and sophomore second 
baseman Faith Canfield, made 
Hutchins comfortable with the 
current lineup.

“This lineup has gotten us a 

lot of runs,” Hutchins. “She’s 
pretty comfortable down there 
— we’re hiding her. It’s nice to 
get in that part of the order and 
look who is up.

“I count on Kelly Christner. 

If the seniors don’t have good 
weekends, we’re not going to 
have one. Your best players 
have to contribute regularly.”

With the new mechanics 

at the plate, the consistency 
that 
Christner 
brought 
to 

the lineup early on seems to 
have 
emerged 
once 
again. 

And considering Michigan’s 
success with its current lineup, 
perhaps Christner is where she 
belongs.

It might look odd, but her 

new stance is what might help 
to carry Christner and, in turn, 
the Michigan offense.

Wolverines’ offense comes alive

In the last game of the series, 

the Nittany Lions put up a run 
in the first inning — attempting 
to 
salvage 
the 
weekend. 

Michigan had no need to worry, 
though, as it knocked in five 
runs in the first inning alone, 
and then nine more to take the 
game, 14-1, to clinch the sweep. 

The offensive burst was just 

more of the same from the 
Michigan baseball team as it 
scored a total of 39 runs this 
weekend against Penn State — 
not surprisingly the most the 
Wolverines have scored in a 
weekend series all season.

While Michigan has been 

impressive on both sides of the 
ball all year, its bats have been 
steadily hot as of late.

Entering the series against 

the 
Nittany 
Lions, 
the 

Wolverines were fresh off two 
high-scoring midweek games in 
which they decisively handled 
Toledo and Central Michigan, 
12-0 and 13-4, respectively.

“The 
more 
experience 

you can get, more reps, more 
live at-bats that you can get, 
the better you’ll be,” said 
sophomore 
right 
fielder 

Jonathan Engelmann. “If you 
take four, five games off, it’s 
hard to get back into a rhythm, 
so 
having 
those 
five-game 

weeks are really nice.”

In the past, the Wolverines 

have 
struggled 
to 
remain 

consistent all game, but the 
depth of the lineup has proven 
that they can continue the 
momentum from inning to 
inning — having scored in 15 of 
24 innings this weekend.

And in all three contests 

against 
Penn 
State, 
every 

Michigan player that stepped 
in the batter’s box was a threat.

In 
Friday’s 
10-6 
victory, 

the 
Wolverines 
tallied 
11 

hits. Engelmann, sophomore 
second baseman Ako Thomas 
and 
junior 
first 
baseman 

Jake Bivens were the most 
dangerous. All three had two 
hits on the day, batting eighth, 
first and sixth in the lineup, 
respectively.

Saturday saw three different 

Wolverines hit balls out of the 
park to contribute to a 15-2 
triumph. Junior third baseman 
Drew Lugbauer hit two over the 
wall — one even landed in the 
outfield of Alumni Field — and 
he picked up four runs-batted 
in on the day. Engelmann also 
got in on the action, hitting his 
first career home run over the 
left-field wall in the seventh 
inning.

But no home run was quite 

as exciting for Michigan fans 
than that of redshirt freshman 
infielder Joe Pace. Not only did 
he get his first hit in a Wolverine 
uniform, but he also sent it over 
the centerfield wall. He was 
swarmed by his teammates and 
met with wild cheers as he tried 
to re-enter the dugout.

“He earned that moment,” 

said 
Michigan 
coach 
Erik 

Bakich. “That was everyone in 
the dugout genuinely excited 
for Joe Pace because he’s such a 
team guy. He doesn’t get to play 
much but he works just as hard 
as everybody else. He’s just a 
great kid, great person so for 
him to have a big hit like that.

“For his first career hit 

happens to be a two-run, two-
out, two-strike home run, you 
can’t script that stuff out any 
better. I’m happy for him.”

The bottom of the lineup 

impressed the most Sunday. 
Engelmann 
and 
sophomore 

designated hitter Nick Poirier 
each tallied three hits and 
one RBI. Even senior catcher 
Harrison Wenson, batting in 
the nine slot, singled through 
the gap between second and 
third base for his first hit of the 
series. 

“It’s just a matter of getting 

in every day and taking pride 
in the work that you do,” 
Engelmann said. “Luck favors 
the prepared mind and today 
we got to see that hard work 
come into formation and we’re 
happy that it came out that 
way.”

It 
appears 
that 
the 

Wolverines bats have come 
alive, as they are about to 
enter the heart of their Big 
Ten season. For Michigan, the 
next test will be sustaining 
the production and proving it 
didn’t peak too early. 

ARNOLD ZHOU/Daily

Senior right-hander Megan Betsa pitched her seventh shutout in a row, raising her scoreless inning count to 48.

BENJAMIN KATZ

Daily Sports Writer

HUNTER SHARF
Daily Sports Writer

ARNOLD ZHOU/Daily

Senior outfielder Kelly Christner is batting .636 in her last four contests.

MATT VAILLIENCOURT/Daily

Sophomore right fielder Jonathan Engelmann led Michigan’s offensive output.

MARK CALCAGNO

Daily Sports Writer

PAIGE VOEFFRAY

Daily Sports Writer