U-M Utilizes Extra-Base Hits to Defeat Eastern Michigan

Wednesday, March 22

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

19-7-1

Eastern Michigan

11-12

Eastern Michigan

Michigan

U-M Utilizes Extra-Base Hits to Defeat Eastern Michigan

3/22/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 22, 2017

» No. 19 Michigan beat Washtenaw County rival Eastern Michigan, 8-2, for its fifth straight home win.
» The Wolverines tallied four extra-base hits, including home runs from Natalie Peters and Tera Blanco.
» Blanco and Megan Betsa combined for 10 strikeouts; Blanco improved to 11-2, while Betsa earned her third save of the season.

• Box Score

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Scores: #19 Michigan 8, Eastern Michigan 2
Records: U-M (19-7-1), EMU (11-12)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 24 -- vs. Penn State (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan softball team claimed its fifth straight home win, knocking off Washtenaw County rival Eastern Michigan, 8-2, on Wednesday afternoon (March 22) in front of 960 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.

The Wolverines tallied a handful of extra-base hits, including home runs off the bats of sophomore rightfielder Natalie Peters and junior RHP Tera Blanco to combine for four RBI, while junior first baseman Aidan Falk continued her recent tear at home, posting two hits and two RBI.

Blanco (11-2) also earned the victory from the circle, striking out four while allowing two runs off five hits through four innings. Senior RHP Megan Betsa earned her third save of the season, entering in the fifth and striking out six of nine batters faced. She struck out the side on nine pitches in her first inning of work.

Peters set the offensive tone on the first pitch of the bottom of the first inning, legging an inside-the-park home run for the first homer of her collegiate career. She set an innocuous-looking blooper over the third baseman's head down the leftfield line, but the ball took a hard hop into foul territory and kept rolling back toward the corner as she raced out the bases to score without much trouble.

Peters also kicked off a five-run third inning for the Wolverines, reaching on a one-out error and promptly scoring when sophomore second baseman Faith Canfield roped an RBI double to the wall in left centerfield. Senior centerfielder Kelly Christner sliced an RBI single through the right side to plate Canfield in the next at-bat, and after a hit-by-pitch put a second runner on base, Blanco knocked a three-run blast deep to rightfield for her second home run of the season.

The Eagles strung together three straight hits to plate two in the top of the fourth and spoil Blanco's shutout bid, but Michigan responded in kind in the home half as Falk smashed a two-run double to the left-centerfield wall -- her team-high 11th two-bagger of the season and fourth in as many games.

The Wolverines (19-7-1) will kick off Big Ten Conference play this weekend, hosting Penn State in a three-game set at Alumni Field. The series begins at 4 p.m. on Friday (March 22). Tickets are still available through the U-M Ticket Office.

Communications Contact: Leah Howard