Softball Falls in Regular Season Finale at No. 2 Michigan

Sunday, May 8

Ann Arbor, Mich.

12:00 PM

Rutgers

24-32, 8-15

Michigan

44-4, 21-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Rutgers	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2
Michigan	1	2	2	3	X	8	13	0

Softball Falls in Regular Season Finale at No. 2 Michigan

May 08 | Softball

Box Score

May 8, 2016

Final Stats

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (May 8, 2016) - Despite freshman pitcher Whitney Jones (Santa Monica, Calif.) holding the contest's margin to 3-0 across the first two innings, No. 2 Michigan rekindled its offensive drive to top the Rutgers softball team, 8-0, in five frames on Sunday at Alumni Field.

Rutgers concluded the regular season with an overall record of 24-32 and a Big Ten mark of 8-15, while Michigan finished the year with a record of 44-4 overall and 21-2 in league play.

Jones (5-6) suffered the loss for RU, registering her fourth complete game of the season. Michigan's Megan Betsa (22-3) picked up her second win of the weekend.

The Scarlet Knights were led by freshman Adriana Burcar (Santa Monica, Calif.) with a career-high two hits. Junior Bridget Carr (Pequannock, N.J.) and Jordan Whitley (Clayton, Del.) each added a hit in the loss.

Michigan was led by Sierra Lawrence and Tera Blanco with three hits and two RBIs each. Abby Ramirez and Kelsey Susalla followed with two hits apiece in the win.

Despite Jones forcing a groundout for the leadoff hitter, Sierra Romero registered a home run to put the Wolverines in front, 1-0. Michigan would register two more hits, however, Jones denied any more runs from crossing by stranding two runners on to end the inning.

Senior Melanie Slowinski (Severn, Md.) led off the second with a walk, but would go no further than first base. Michigan responded with two runs on three hits and an RU error in the bottom of the frame. Jones held the margin at three runs by inducing a fly out to leave two UM runners on base for the second consecutive frame.

In the top of the third, Carr reached first on a wild pitch on strike three followed by a hit for Burcar to put two runners on. Although sacrifice bunt for senior Stephanie Huang (Paramus, N.J.) bumped both runners into scoring position, the Scarlet Knights were halted there.

After the Wolverines opened the bottom of the frame with consecutive hits, Jones registered a strikeout to put the first out on the board. However, UM would load the bases, sending two more runs across on a fielder's choice and a wild pitch. Jones then escaped the frame with the bases loaded to hold the Michigan lead at 5-0.

Slowinski was hit by pitch in the top of the fourth, as Elizabeth Adams (Crystal Lake, Ill.) would move her to second on a sac bunt. However, Slowinski would not cross home.

As the Scarlet Knights struggled to find an offensive rhythm, Michigan continued to grow its lead in the bottom of the fourth guided by a two-run home run for Blanco. The Wolverines then added another run on an RBI single for Ramirez to push their advantage to 8-0. Jones again left two runners on base to send out the RU offense.

Carr got things rolling with a one-out single through the left side followed by Burcar with her second hit of the game. With two outs on the board, Whitley followed with RU's third consecutive hit of the inning to nearly send in a run, however, the UM defense halted the Carr at third. The late surge fell short as RU ended the game with the bases loaded.

UP NEXT
Rutgers awaits its seeding the Big Ten Tournament set for May 12-14 hosted by Penn State. All information, including schedule, tickets, etc. for the tournament can be found here.

KNIGHT NOTES

Rutgers competed in its 15^th game of the season against a ranked opponent, as No. 2 Michigan marked its highest ranked foe of the year.

After UM posting four runs as early as the first inning in the opener, Rutgers held Michigan to a five runs moving into the fourth frame of the finale. Jones guided the defense in stranding six total runners on base across those first three innings.
Rutgers held Michigan, a team that is averaging 8.49 runs per game, to eight-run margins in both the opener and the finale.

Adriana Burcar matched her career high with two hits in the loss. The rookie first posted two hits against Morehead State this season on February 20.

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