EAST LANSING — In softball, getting runners on base is vital to scoring runs. But it only matters if a team is able to bat those runners in.
On Friday, the Michigan softball team was able to do that while Michigan State wasn’t. By leaving 11 runners on base compared to the Wolverines’ five, the Spartans weren’t able to capitalize on their opportunities, costing them the game.
In every inning except one, Michigan State left at least one runner on base. The Spartans ran into the bulk of their problems in the third and fourth innings, stranding three runners in both. In the fourth, with the bases loaded and two outs, junior right-hander Erin Hoehn struck out a Michigan State batter swinging to come out of the inning unscathed. In the fifth, in the same position, Hoehn forced a pop out to escape once more. By leaving the bases loaded in both innings, the Spartans forfeited a potential six runs.
“It’s momentum on our side,” Michigan coach Bonnie Tholl said. “That’s key, being able to strand runners. And that’s something that we haven’t been really good at over the past month. But stranding runners is what we did today, and it just infuses belief in the rest of the team as well if Erin believes in the circle.”
That belief was evident, as the Wolverines themselves capitalized on opportunities where Michigan State didn’t. Of Michigan’s 11 hits, six were RBIs and three were home runs. The Wolverines never left more than one runner on base each inning, unlike the Spartans’ innings that left the bases loaded. While Michigan wasn’t perfect, it batted its runners in when it needed to, and that was the difference maker.
Hoehn was important in preventing Michigan State from scoring those runs. She had five strikeouts over 33 batters faced and allowed only one extra base hit in a double in the bottom of the first inning. Pitching all seven innings, Hoehn allowed 10 hits but found the zone when it mattered, getting out of two tough innings and holding the Spartans scoreless in six.
“If teams are getting back-to-back hits, that’s when we get in trouble,” Tholl said. “But the fact that (Hoehn) was able to make some great pitches at the proper times, and we played good defense behind her right and made some good plays in the outfield, and then we just kept coming at them. It wasn’t our best offensive day, but we made the most of it with home runs from Putz and Vallimont.”
The Wolverines’ offense didn’t have its best performance this game, but it scored when it mattered and had the defense to back it up. Michigan recorded no errors over the course of the game, holding strong steadily to prevent Michigan State from scoring. Rallying behind Hoehn, the Wolverines defense was a large part in stranding the Spartans’ runners when it mattered most.
When Michigan’s lineup wasn’t producing as it wanted it to, its defense needed to step up. It did just that Sunday, preventing Michigan State from turning trips to base into runs to propel the Wolverines to an important rivalry win.
