Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, May 1
Ann Arbor, Mich.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
21-31, 0
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Michigan
34-15, 0
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Eastern Michigan
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Michigan
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Softball Falls To No. 23 Michigan In Extra Innings
5/1/2012 10:05:00 PM | Softball
Eagles fall 4-2 after a U-M walkoff in the bottom of the ninth
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University softball team lost a well-played, nine-inning contest to the No.23-ranked University of Michigan at Alumni Field this evening, May 1, after Michigan's Sara Driesenga hit a walk-off, two-run shot over centerfield fence to top the Eagles, 4-2. The Green and White fall to 21-31 on the season, while the Wolverines improve to 34-15.
The Eagles played behind the arm of lefty Lauren Wells (4-13) who tossed a solid 8.0 innings in the circle. The sophomore struck out seven in the contest and held the Maize and Blue to just two runs until the final play at the game's conclusion.
Michigan's Haylie Wagner (25-5) threw 9.0 complete innings in the win and struck out 13.
EMU strung together seven hits in the game, with Kaylee Tolliver leading the Eagles with two hits including a two-run shot in the fifth. Jessica Richards and McKenna Russ also tallied multiple hits this evening with two singles apiece.
Wells got the Eagles through the bottom of the first with a pair of strikeouts before getting Michigan's Amanda Chidester to pop up an off-speed pitch into left for the final out.
The Wolverines posted the first run of the ballgame in the bottom of the second inning when U-M's Lauren Sweet made the most of Wells' two walks that innings, as she drove an RBI-single to right field, scoring Wagner from second for a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles put their first runners on in the third inning of play after Wells drew a two-out walk. Jessica Richards followed with the Green and White's first hit of the contest on a high-bouncing single up the middle, placing runners at first and second for Katy Blaharski; however, U-M's Wagner got her swinging to end the threat.
In the bottom of the third, an EMU error and a hit from Chidester put runners at first and second with one out for the home team, but back-to-back ground outs sent the Eagles into the top of the fourth.
After a scoreless inning of play, Sarah Gerber reached base with a single up the middle to place a runner at first for on-deck batter, Kaylee Tolliver. Tolliver took Wagner's first offering and sent a line drive, two-run shot over the right-centerfield fence, giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Richards singled and advanced to second with her 41st stolen base of the season in hopes of extending the Green and White lead, but the Wolverines escaped the fifth inning allowing two runs on three EMU hits.
Michigan responded in the bottom half of the frame with on a two-out, Ashley Lane doubles to center field, tying the game at two apiece.
Gerber gave the Wolverines a scare in the Eagles' opening at bat in the seventh. The senior drove a towering fly ball that looked as though it had the distance to exit the ballpark, but the ball fell just inside the warning track for the Green and White's first out. With two outs, Wagner put the go-ahead run on board after walking Wells for the second time in the contest. Richards battled in EMU's following at-bat, battling Wagner through 10 pitches before eventually fall victim to a ground out to send the game into the bottom of the seventh.
Amanda Stanton made an athletic diving play to notch the first out of the seventh, and Richards snagged a hard hit ball behind the bag for out number two. After Sara Driesenga walked, Lane beat out a slow chopper to Wells for a late single. The throw to get Lane at first slipped by Tolliver and allowed Driesenga to advance to third base, but Wells got out of the jam by catching Wagner looking on a full count to force the game into extra innings.
Blaharski led things off in the eighth with a walk, but she was gunned down on Nellie Coquillard's bunt attempt to get the Eagles' lead runner. After Russ went down in three straight pitches, Nicholson followed suit with Wagner's 12th strikeout of the game.
The Wolverines would eventually use a Driesenga longball in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off with the extra-inning, 4-2 win.
The Eagles will return to action tomorrow, May 2, when they travel to South Bend, Ind. for a single game with Notre Dame. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
The Eagles played behind the arm of lefty Lauren Wells (4-13) who tossed a solid 8.0 innings in the circle. The sophomore struck out seven in the contest and held the Maize and Blue to just two runs until the final play at the game's conclusion.
Michigan's Haylie Wagner (25-5) threw 9.0 complete innings in the win and struck out 13.
EMU strung together seven hits in the game, with Kaylee Tolliver leading the Eagles with two hits including a two-run shot in the fifth. Jessica Richards and McKenna Russ also tallied multiple hits this evening with two singles apiece.
Wells got the Eagles through the bottom of the first with a pair of strikeouts before getting Michigan's Amanda Chidester to pop up an off-speed pitch into left for the final out.
The Wolverines posted the first run of the ballgame in the bottom of the second inning when U-M's Lauren Sweet made the most of Wells' two walks that innings, as she drove an RBI-single to right field, scoring Wagner from second for a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles put their first runners on in the third inning of play after Wells drew a two-out walk. Jessica Richards followed with the Green and White's first hit of the contest on a high-bouncing single up the middle, placing runners at first and second for Katy Blaharski; however, U-M's Wagner got her swinging to end the threat.
In the bottom of the third, an EMU error and a hit from Chidester put runners at first and second with one out for the home team, but back-to-back ground outs sent the Eagles into the top of the fourth.
After a scoreless inning of play, Sarah Gerber reached base with a single up the middle to place a runner at first for on-deck batter, Kaylee Tolliver. Tolliver took Wagner's first offering and sent a line drive, two-run shot over the right-centerfield fence, giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Richards singled and advanced to second with her 41st stolen base of the season in hopes of extending the Green and White lead, but the Wolverines escaped the fifth inning allowing two runs on three EMU hits.
Michigan responded in the bottom half of the frame with on a two-out, Ashley Lane doubles to center field, tying the game at two apiece.
Gerber gave the Wolverines a scare in the Eagles' opening at bat in the seventh. The senior drove a towering fly ball that looked as though it had the distance to exit the ballpark, but the ball fell just inside the warning track for the Green and White's first out. With two outs, Wagner put the go-ahead run on board after walking Wells for the second time in the contest. Richards battled in EMU's following at-bat, battling Wagner through 10 pitches before eventually fall victim to a ground out to send the game into the bottom of the seventh.
Amanda Stanton made an athletic diving play to notch the first out of the seventh, and Richards snagged a hard hit ball behind the bag for out number two. After Sara Driesenga walked, Lane beat out a slow chopper to Wells for a late single. The throw to get Lane at first slipped by Tolliver and allowed Driesenga to advance to third base, but Wells got out of the jam by catching Wagner looking on a full count to force the game into extra innings.
Blaharski led things off in the eighth with a walk, but she was gunned down on Nellie Coquillard's bunt attempt to get the Eagles' lead runner. After Russ went down in three straight pitches, Nicholson followed suit with Wagner's 12th strikeout of the game.
The Wolverines would eventually use a Driesenga longball in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off with the extra-inning, 4-2 win.
The Eagles will return to action tomorrow, May 2, when they travel to South Bend, Ind. for a single game with Notre Dame. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wagner (25-5)
L: Wells, Lauren (4-13)
Batting:
HR: Tolliver, Kaylee 1
RBI: Tolliver, Kaylee 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Gerber, Sarah 1 ; Tolliver, Kaylee 1
SB: Richards, Jessica 1
Batting:
2B: Sweet 1
HR: Driesenga 1
RBI: Driesenga 2 ; Lane 1 ; Sweet 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Evans 1 ; Chidester 1 ; Driesenga 1 ; Wagner 1
SB: Lane 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Thank You, Team 38
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Closing Out a Legacy: Michelle Kriegshauser
Thursday, May 18
EMU Softball Signs Alyssa Feiler
Saturday, March 25