Wolverines Open Maryland Series with Run-Rule Win

Friday, April 22

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

35-4, 13-2

Maryland

11-33, 3-12

Maryland

Michigan

4/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

April 22, 2016

» U-M scored runs in all but one inning, including four in the first inning, to defeat Maryland, 9-1, in five innings.
» Kelsey Susalla headlined the offense with a 2-for-3 effort, posting an inside-the-park home run while tallying two RBI and three runs scored.
» RHP Megan Betsa struck out eight and allowed four walks in a complete-game one-hitter.

• Box Score

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Stadium)
Scores: #2 Michigan 9, Maryland 1 (5 inn.)
Records: U-M (35-4, 13-2 Big Ten), UMD (11-33, 3-12 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 23 -- vs. Maryland (Wilpon Complex), 2 p.m.

• Kornacki Postgame Feature: Blanco Having Breakout Season in Five-Hole

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan softball team used timely hitting and stout pitching to claim a 9-1, five-inning decision against Maryland on Friday night (April 22) in front of 2,135 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. With the win, the Wolverines extended their win streak to eight straight games.

Michigan scored in all but one inning of the shortened contest and jumped out to an immediate lead with a four-run first frame. Sophomore first baseman Tera Blanco, who ended U-M's midweek slate against MSU with a two-run homer, picked up where she left off, opening up scoring with a half-swing two-run single up the middle. Sophomore catcher Aidan Falk followed two batters later with a two-run hit of her own, sending a double off the wall in right centerfield.

The Wolverines added two runs apiece in the third and fourth frames, using small ball to plate their runs in the former -- on an RBI groundout and a single up the middle -- before senior rightfielder Kelsey Susalla registered an inside-the-park home run to extend Michigan's lead in the latter. With senior second baseman Sierra Romero on base on a leadoff single, Susalla drove a high fly ball deep off the top of the wall in rightfield. The Terp rightfielder got tangled up on the play and could not recover to retrieve the ball as both Wolverines came home to score. It is Susalla's her 10th home run of the season.

Just one run shy of the run-rule margin, Michigan loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, stringing together back-to-back singles and an intentional walk, before junior leftfielder Kelly Christner sent a fly ball into leftfield, allowing junior shortstop Abby Ramirez to tag up and come home on the sac fly.

Ramirez and Susalla headlined the Wolverine offense with two hits apiece; Susalla also posted two RBI and three runs scored, while Falk tallied three RBI.

Junior RHP Megan Betsa (17-3) was solid from the circling, tossing a complete-game one-hitter with eight strikeouts and four walks allowed. She got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning with a three-pitch strikeout to end the threat. She fanned two apiece in the first, second and fourth.

Tweet of the Game

Friday Night Lights. pic.twitter.com/T39cxLcJDY

-- Lisa Byington (@LisaByington) April 23, 2016

Michigan will continue the weekend series tomorrow (Saturday, April 23), hosting Maryland at 2 p.m. at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. The game is already sold out and will be streamed live on BTN Plus.

Communications Contact: Leah Howard