Michigan
36-4, 14-2
Maryland
11-34, 3-13
Wolverines Use Big Innings to Earn Decisive Win over Maryland
4/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 23, 2016
» Kelly Christner and Tera Blanco posted two hits and three RBI apiece, knocking out home runs in the first and second frames, respectively.
» RHP Sara Driesenga improved to 17-0 and combined with Blanco for seven strikeouts, four hits allowed and the shutout victory.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Stadium)
Scores: #2 Michigan 16, Maryland 0 (5 inn.)
Records: U-M (36-4, 14-2 Big Ten), UMD (11-34, 3-13 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 24 -- vs. Maryland (Wilpon Complex), 1 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan softball team put up seven runs apiece in the second and fourth innings to claim a dominant 16-0, five-inning decision against Maryland on Saturday afternoon (April 23) in front of 2,473 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. With the win, the Wolverines extended their win streak to nine in a row.
Michigan matched a season best with 13 hits, coming from eight different Wolverine players. Junior leftfielder Kelly Christner and sophomore first baseman/RHP Tera Blanco headlined the offensive effort with two hits and three RBI apiece. Both knocked out home runs early in the contest. Senior second baseman Sierra Romero, junior third baseman Lindsay Montemarano and junior shortstop Abby Ramirez also posted multi-hit games.
Christner homered in the first inning, sending a deep ball into the rightfield grandstand for her sixth long ball of the season. Senior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence scored the game's first run in the previous at-bat, reaching on a hit-by-pitch, advancing on a steal and coming home on an errant catcher's throw in response to her steal.
Blanco's three-run homer -- her seventh of the year -- highlighted the seventh-run second inning for the Wolverines. All seven Michigan runs came with two outs. Romero also stole home on a successful double steal attempt with Christner, while freshman designated player Faith Canfield and Ramirez tallied RBI hits -- the latter on a double to leftfield.
After a quiet third inning, the Wolverines again exploded for seven runs in the fourth. Michigan used a single and two walks to load the bases with no outs, then drove in runs in three consecutive at-bats, including two-run double from Christner to centerfield and a two-run single to the left-centerfield gap from freshman outfielder Natalie Peters. Fellow freshmen Katie Alexander and Alex Sobczak also posted fourth-inning RBI on a single up the middle and sac fly, respectively.
Senior RHP Sara Driesenga (17-0) was solid from the circle, tossing three strikeouts and allowing two hits and an error through three innings. She combined for the shutout with Blanco, who entered in the fourth and added four more strikeouts.
Michigan will close out the weekend series against Maryland tomorrow (Sunday, April 24) with a 1 p.m. slate 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
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Driesenga, Sara (17-0)
L: Madison Martin (2-8)
Batting:
2B: Hannah Dewey 1
Batting:
2B: Christner, Kelly 1 ; Blanco, Tera 1 ; Ramirez, Abby 1
HR: Christner, Kelly 1 ; Blanco, Tera 1
RBI: Romero, Sierra 1 ; Christner, Kelly 3 ; Peters, Natalie 2 ; Blanco, Tera 3 ; Alexander, Katie 1 ; Canfield, Faith 1 ; Ramirez, Abby 1 ; Sobczak, Alex 1
SF: Sobczak, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lawrence, Sierra 2 ; Richardson, Courtney 1 ; Romero, Sierra 2 ; Christner, Kelly 3 ; Susalla, Kelsey 1 ; Peters, Natalie 1 ; Blanco, Tera 2 ; Montemarano, Lindsay 1 ; Falk, Aidan 1 ; Swearingen, Taylor 1 ; Ramirez, Abby 1
SB: Lawrence, Sierra 1 ; Romero, Sierra 1
HBP: Lawrence, Sierra 2 ; Blanco, Tera 1 ; Vargas, Amanda 1
