Michigan Splits Two Games on Final Day at Mary Nutter

Sunday, February 28

Palm Springs, Calif.

11:30 AM PT

Michigan

12-3

Washington

11-2

Michigan

Washington

Michigan Splits Two Games on Final Day at Mary Nutter

2/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Feb. 28, 2016

Lindsay Montemarano

» Michigan sacrificed a late lead in a 6-5 walk-off loss to No. 9 Washington on a seventh-inning sac fly.
» The Wolverines posted four home runs and scored in all but one inning en route to a 10-4 win against Long Beach State in the tournament finale.
» Sierra Romero, who posted five RBI on the day, including four against Long Beach, surpassed 250 in her career.

• Boxscores: Washington | LBSU

Site: Palm Springs, Calif. (Big League Dreams Complex)
Event: Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic II (Day 3 of 3)
Scores: #9 Washington 6, #2 Michigan 5; #2 Michigan 10, Long Beach State 4
Records: U-M (12-2), UW (12-3), LBSU (8-6)
Next U-M Event: Wednesday, March 2 -- at UCLA (Los Angeles, Calif.), 7 p.m. PST

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan softball team split its games on the final day of action at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, falling to No. 9 Washington, 6-5, before rebounding to defeat Long Beach State, 10-4, on Sunday (Feb. 28) at the Big League Dreams Complex.

The Wolverines knocked out four home runs and scored in all but one inning in the nightcap against the 49ers, bouncing back after seeing their nine-game win streak halted in the earlier contest.

Michigan's veterans at the top of the order generated the bulk of the offense as senior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence, junior shortstop Abby Ramirez and senior second baseman Sierra Romero combined for seven hits and seven runs batted in. Ramirez matched her career best with three hits, while Romero tallied four RBI -- her eighth multi-RBI game of the season -- to surpass 250 in her career.

After Long Beach manufactured a pair of runs to take the first advantage in the top of the first, the Wolverines responded to steal the lead in the home half with a three-run Romero bomb -- her sixth of the season -- deep over the rightfield fence.

Michigan added home runs in the second, fourth and fifth from sophomore third baseman Lindsay Montemarano, Lawrence and junior leftfielder Kelly Christner, respectively. Montemarano's leadoff homer in the third was her second long ball of the day. She had entered the day without a hit yet this season.

The Wolverines tacked on three more runs off of five hits in the sixth. Lawrence drilled an RBI single through the left side before Romero and senior rightfielder Kelsey Susalla tallied back-to-back RBI singles through the 3-4 gap.

Senior RHP Sara Driesenga (8-0) earned the win from the circle, striking out five while allowing nine hits and two walks through 5.2 innings. Junior RHP Megan Betsa entered in the sixth, striking out three through 1.1 innings to earn her second save of the season.

The Wolverines dropped a walk-off heartbreaker to the Huskies in the first game. Michigan sacrificed a late one-run lead with two outs in the sixth inning, allowing the tying run to score on a passed ball, and with a Washington travel time limit guaranteeing the seventh inning would be the last, the Huskies loaded the bases before driving in the winning run on a sac fly to centerfield.

While Michigan held the Huskies to just four hits, the bulk of their runs came on a pair of home runs -- a solo shot in the first inning and a three-run shot in the third. The Wolverines struggled to limit walks, allowing seven in the contest. UW's third-inning home run followed a pair of free bases. Michigan also walked the bases loaded in the seventh.

The Wolverines twice rallied from deficits, first evening the score, 1-1, on a Romero RBI single in the third and again, 4-4, on a sac fly and Montemarano two-run homer to centerfield in the fourth.

Michigan struck together three hits in the fifth to take its first lead when Christner, after fouling off five straight pitches, sent a dribbling RBI single through the right side. The Wolverines could not maintain the offensive momentum, however, going down in order in each of the final two frames.

Betsa (4-1) took the loss, allowing six runs -- four earned -- off of four hits and five walks. She struck out five through 6.0 innings.

Tweet of the Day

An almost perfect evening for the conclusion of the #MaryNutterClassic pic.twitter.com/lxTOAn7oEd

-- Michigan Softball (@umichsoftball) February 29, 2016

The Wolverines will remain out west on their annual spring break trip, heading to Los Angeles, California, to face No. 10 UCLA at 7 p.m. PST on Wednesday (March 2) at the Bruins' Easton Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Network.

Communications Contact: Leah Howard