Sierra Lawrence Hits Clutch Two-Run Home Run for the Win
Sierra Lawrence Hits Clutch Two-Run Home Run for the Win
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Senior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence bombed out a two-run blast in the top of the seventh inning to complete the No. 1-ranked University of
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Senior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence bombed out a two-run blast in the top of the seventh inning to complete the No. 1-ranked University of Michigan softball team's 8-6 comeback victory against Nebraska on Sunday afternoon (April 10) at the Cornhuskers' Bowlin Stadium. The Wolverines claimed the series rubber match with the win and improved to 7-2 in Big Ten Conference play.
Lawrence's seventh-inning shot is her seventh home run of the season and second in as many games after similarly knocking out a two-run homer in the seventh inning yesterday. Sophomore catcher Aidan Falk initiated the rally with a bloop single to leftfield but was subsequently thrown out on a fielder's choice for the Huskers' second out. Lawrence connected on the next pitch, however, lining a no-doubt shot deep over the leftfield wall to break the deadlocked ballgame.
Junior RHP Megan Betsa (13-3), who was pulled in the first inning before reentering in the third, made quick work of the Cornhuskers in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the side on just seven pitches, including a game-ending punchout.
After giving up two hits and two walks against five batters faced in the first, Betsa was superb over the final five frames, allowing just one Nebraska base runner on a hit-by-pitch in the fifth inning. In all, she posted two hits and two walks allowed with a pair of strikeouts.
The game featured four lead changes -- three in the first four half innings -- as both team's took advantage of miscues, small ball and timely hits to mount big innings.
The Wolverines scored a pair of runs in each of the opening two frames, capitalizing on a two-run throwing error in the first and a sac fly and an RBI single from senior rightfielder Kelsey Susalla in the second, but Nebraska countered with three runs apiece in the first and second.
Michigan chipped away, pulling within one on Falk's RBI single to rightfield in the third, before Lawrence evened the score in the fifth with a bases-loaded sac fly to rightfield.
Lawrence went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and three batted in, while Falk boasted a career-best three hits with an RBI. Ten different Wolverines registered hits in the contest -- Michigan's best offensive performance of the weekend.
Lawrence's seventh-inning shot is her seventh home run of the season and second in as many games after similarly knocking out a two-run homer in the seventh inning yesterday. Sophomore catcher Aidan Falk initiated the rally with a bloop single to leftfield but was subsequently thrown out on a fielder's choice for the Huskers' second out. Lawrence connected on the next pitch, however, lining a no-doubt shot deep over the leftfield wall to break the deadlocked ballgame.
Junior RHP Megan Betsa (13-3), who was pulled in the first inning before reentering in the third, made quick work of the Cornhuskers in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the side on just seven pitches, including a game-ending punchout.
After giving up two hits and two walks against five batters faced in the first, Betsa was superb over the final five frames, allowing just one Nebraska base runner on a hit-by-pitch in the fifth inning. In all, she posted two hits and two walks allowed with a pair of strikeouts.
The game featured four lead changes -- three in the first four half innings -- as both team's took advantage of miscues, small ball and timely hits to mount big innings.
The Wolverines scored a pair of runs in each of the opening two frames, capitalizing on a two-run throwing error in the first and a sac fly and an RBI single from senior rightfielder Kelsey Susalla in the second, but Nebraska countered with three runs apiece in the first and second.
Michigan chipped away, pulling within one on Falk's RBI single to rightfield in the third, before Lawrence evened the score in the fifth with a bases-loaded sac fly to rightfield.
Lawrence went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and three batted in, while Falk boasted a career-best three hits with an RBI. Ten different Wolverines registered hits in the contest -- Michigan's best offensive performance of the weekend.