Michigan
Rutgers
Wolverines Shut Out Rutgers for Series Sweep
4/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 12, 2015
Site: Piscataway, N.J. (RU Softball Complex)
Score: #4 Michigan 5, Rutgers 0
Records: U-M (37-6, 10-2 Big Ten), Rutgers (20-12, 7-5 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Wednesday, April 15 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 4:30 p.m.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Sophomore RHP Megan Betsa struck out 14 -- her fourth double-digit strikeout effort in Big Ten Conference play -- and allowed just two hits and one walk as the No. 4-ranked University of Michigan softball team earned a 5-0 shutout win against Rutgers on Sunday afternoon (April 12) at the RU Softball Complex. With the series sweep, the Wolverines moved into first place in the Big Ten standings.
Betsa struck out the side in the first, second and sixth innings. She fanned eight of the first 10 batters she faced, allowing a leadoff double in the second before setting down the next three in order. The Scarlet Knights also tallied a two-out single in the sixth, but Betsa struck out the subsequent batter on four pitches. It was her second complete-game shutout of the weekend and fifth of the season.
Sophomore shortstop Abby Ramirez posted her second straight perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a three-run homer. Sophomore leftfielder Kelly Christner also posted multiple hits with a two-hit effort, while junior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence and junior second baseman Sierra Romero tallied an RBI apiece.
Ramirez broke open a scoreless game with her three-run shot in the top of the second. With two runners on and one out, Ramirez slapped a high-flying ball deep over the rightfield fence -- her second career home run and second in as many days.
Ramirez singled in her next two plate appearances; she put a second runner aboard for the top of the order in the sixth, and the Wolverines took advantage. Lawrence ripped an RBI single through the left side, and Romero followed suit just three pitches later, driving in another insurance run with an RBI single to rightfield.
The Wolverines will return to the road on Wednesday (April 15), heading to East Lansing, Michigan, to face in-state rival Michigan State at 4:30 p.m. at Secchia Stadium. The game will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
N O T E S
• With today's win, Michigan improved to 7-0 in the all-time series against Rutgers.
• U-M has claimed all four Big Ten series so far this season, including sweeps at Ohio State and Rutgers.
• Sophomore Abby Ramirez went 8-for-9 this weekend with two doubles, two home runs, six runs and seven RBI from the No. 9 spot.
• Ramirez extended her hitting streak to seven straight games. She is one game shy of her career-long hit streak.
• Eight different Wolverines hit .400 or better in the Rutgers series; four Wolverines hit .500 or better.
• Sophomore RHP Megan Betsa owns five double-digit strikeout performances in her last nine starts. She has struck out 110 batters over her last 60 innings pitched, stretching back to the series finale against Kent State (March 15).
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins
On the Rutgers sweep ... "I thought we were really focused on ourselves Friday and Saturday. Sometimes the best way to go about it, even us as coaches, is not getting focused on the other team. We didn't have a lot on Rutgers to scout out. So, we just worked on us. Today you couldn't help but wonder if we had scored so many runs, we just thought it'd be easy. Their pitcher made a great adjustment, and she really mixed her speed. We looked like we thought we were supposed to hit it every time. We needed to make our own adjustment, and we didn't do a great job. Abby [Ramirez] parked one over the fence; good for her. But you start trying to do more than 'See the ball, hit the ball, ' than you're going to be in trouble. We need to be a little better than that."
On Abby Ramirez's near-perfect weekend ... "She just continues to work hard every day. I don't think she puts too high of expectations on herself; she just works hard to do her part. She was just on. She was seeing the ball well, she was on time; she was just on all weekend."
On the pitching performance ... "We can't play the scoreboard, and I don't want us to get caught up in what the scores are. I just want us to be really process-focused. I thought our pitchers really stayed in their moment well. We just have to keep getting better. Things are going our way right now. But we all know that things get a lot more difficult."
U-M Sophomore Shortstop Abby Ramirez
On her weekend performance ... "I haven't had a weekend like this in a while. It's crazy how some days it just seems to be easier than others. I was just playing really loose. Every single pitch was like a new pitch; I wasn't carrying my at-bats into the next. I think staying loose, relaxed and being confident are the biggest reasons why I made such good contact this weekend."
On hitting her first collegiate home run ... "It felt really nice. I haven't been able to do that since my senior year of high school. I wasn't trying to it; that's not really my role. I just made good contact with it; it felt good coming off the bat. It was the best feeling running around the bases and meeting everyone at home plate. It's the best feeling in the world."
On the sweep over Rutgers ... "It was a lot of fun. Everyone throughout the lineup was contributing. Whenever everyone is doing well; it's obviously fun. Just as I was relaxed, I think our whole team was really relaxed, playing loose and with a lot of confidence.
Communications Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
