Betsa, Wagner Superb in Regional Opener Run-Rule Win

Friday, May 15

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

52-6

Oakland

27-23

Oakland

Michigan

5/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

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May 15, 2015

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• Regional Central | NCAA Bracket

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Event: NCAA Regional (Day 1 of 3)
Score: #3 Michigan 9, Oakland 1 (6 inn.)
Records: U-M (52-6), Oakland (27-23)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, May 16 -- vs. California - NCAA Regional (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan softball team used dominant pitching and timely hitting to kick off NCAA Regional play with a 9-1, six-inning decision against Oakland on Friday evening (May 15) in front of 2,087 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. The Wolverines extended their win streak to 21 consecutive games.

Michigan will face California at 4 p.m. Saturday (May 16) in the winners' bracket final of the four-team, double-elimination regional, while Oakland will play Pittsburgh at 6:30 p.m. in an elimination game. Cal defeated Pittsburgh, 11-3, in five innings in Friday's first game.

Sophomore RHP Megan Betsa (27-4) was superb from the circle, fanning 10 -- her 12th double-digit strikeout game this season -- while allowing just one hit and one walk through four innings. Senior LHP Haylie Wagner was similarly dominant, earning the final six outs on just 19 pitches. She struck out two through two perfect innings.

Junior second baseman Sierra Romero and sophomore third baseman Lindsay Montemarano headlined the Wolverine effort with two hits apiece; Romero drove in two runs to tie Michigan's career runs batted in record (219), while Montemarano knocked in one. Six different Michigan players tallied RBI in the contest.

The Wolverines manufactured a run apiece in the first and second innings before breaking the game open with a five-run third. Junior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence and Romero registered back-to-back singles -- on a rope up the middle and bunt down the first baseline, respectively -- to lead off the contest, before senior catcher Lauren Sweet drove in the game's first run on a sac fly into foul territory down the leftfield line.

U-M took advantage of Oakland miscues to add another in the second, drawing back-to-back walks to its No. 8 and No. 9 hitters before scoring on a throwing error after a fielder's choice to second base.

Oakland cut the Wolverines' lead in half with a designated player Laura Pond's leadoff solo shot to rightfield in the top of the third. Betsa, who had four struck out four of the first six batters, responded with three more to close out the inning.

Montemarano registered the first of her two hits with a pair of runners on in the third inning, ripping an RBI double into the right-centerfield gap. The Wolverines pushed across two more with a walk and hit-by-pitch with bases loaded, before Oakland went to its bullpen. Romero took the first pitch and roped a two-run single into shallow leftfield, extending U-M's advantage to 7-1.

Betsa again struck out the side in the fourth but gave way to Wagner to in the fifth. The Wolverine southpaw set down the Golden Grizzles in order on just seven pitches, including a three-pitch strikeout against her first batter faced.

Michigan scored on another error in the fifth before stringing together a pair of hits to push the game into run-rule territory in the sixth. Montemarano looped a one-out single into shallow rightfield to initiate the rally in the latter inning, and freshman pinch hitter Taylor Swearingen sent her home in the next at-bat with a double to the right-centerfield gap.

Communications Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423