The Wolverines entered the seventh inning with a 4-0 lead, and exited the inning with a 14-0 victory.
The MSU scoreboard can’t accommodate double-digit runs for an inning, so the run total for the seventh frame somewhat comically read “0.” U-M was too dominant for the scoreboard.
“They’re an extremely talented ball club,” head coach Jacquie Joseph said. “They are top five for a reason, and I thought that they really capitalized, like all great teams do, on the opponents’ mistakes.”
After a weekend sweep at the hands of Michigan, the Spartans fall to 9-28 overall, 2-12 in conference play.
Senior pitcher Kelly Smith pitched three innings and allowed three runs. Freshman pitcher Valerie Kaff pitched the remaining four and allowed 11.
Sophomore outfielder Sierra Lawrence and junior Sara Driesenga each drove in four runs for the Wolverines. Lawrence hit a home run in the fourth inning, and Driesenga hit a grand slam in the seventh.
At the top of the seventh, freshman outfielder Kelly Christner nearly homered to center field for a double, and Lawrence followed with a double of her own to score two runs.
On the very next at-bat, junior catcher Lauren Sweet hit a home run to left field, this one a single, giving U-M an 8-0 advantage. Sophomore shortstop Sierra Romero then singled up the middle to score two more RBIs, bringing the seventh-inning run count to six.
“Michigan’s a great team, obviously they’re a top five team,” junior outfielder Stephanie Sanders said. “We had one bad inning and we’re just looking forward to getting ready. We still have 11 games left so, looking forward to that.”
There were positives despite the weekend sweep for the Spartans. Junior right fielder Carly Nielson made a highlight play at the top of the second, catching a fly ball hit by U-M first baseman Taylor Hasselbach that would have been a home run.
