AUSTIN, Texas — Getting on the board early has rarely been a problem for the Michigan softball team this season. Typically garnering production from the potent top of their order while their strong duo of pitchers keeps enemy attacks at bay, the Wolverines often find themselves in games until the final moments on the back of their early offense.
But on Friday in the regional matchup against UCF, a game where both offenses sputtered out after somewhat productive early frames, it was a late offensive surge sparked in the bottom of the order that propelled the Wolverines (39-19) past the Knights (33-21-1), 4-3.
Both UCF and Michigan saw production against two lockdown pitchers early on in the game. A leadoff double in the first inning from Knights shortstop Aubrey Evans was brought in on a sacrifice fly, and sophomore right fielder Ella Stephenson got the Wolverines on the board in the second with a solo shot into left. It appeared the efficient offense that helped topple UCLA and Oregon just a week ago had made the trip out to Austin.
But such hopes of an affluent offense died as quickly as they were born, just as it had for offenses all season against UCF right-hander Isabella Vega.
Vega has allowed a batting average of .183 this season, and after Stephenson’s early home run in the second threatened to bring that average up, Vega retired the next 12 Michigan batters in a row to set things straight.
The Wolverines in the circle were able to match pace until a fifth inning that began with a single and a bunt against senior right-hander Lauren Derkowski, followed by a pair of walks and a single given once sophomore right-hander Erin Hoehn was subbed in. Once again, the Michigan offense was in the game early, but by the fifth, they were outhit 7-2. They needed an answer.
Enter the sixth inning. With Vega coming off three straight perfect innings, junior first baseman Madi Ramey made contact. A leadoff single from the bottom of the order turned the lineup card over for a familiar hero for Michigan. Back-to-back outs in the field followed Ramey’s single, but the early hit kept the inning alive for sophomore center fielder Jenissa Conway. Right on schedule, Conway ripped a double into center to score Ramey.
It brought freshman designated hitter Lauren Putz up with two outs and the game-tying run on second. A base hit would tie things up, and an out would crush a late hopeful surge. Putz opted for neither, launching her first home run since the final game of the regular season and giving her Wolverines the lead. It was a lead they held onto on the back of two scoreless innings at the hands of Hoehn and a final punchout from Derkowksi, a lead that turned into the first win of the regional round.
Piecing offense from the top and bottom of the order has been a problem for Michigan all season in crucial moments, but it was the hit from Ramey in the eight hole that made the top of the order’s production even possible.
Against one of the best pitchers in the country Friday, the Wolverines’ offense was finally able to click late into a game in which it was absolutely mandatory. In a rare game where the pitchers did not give a marquee performance for Michigan, the bats stepped into the spotlight.
