After two wins to start the Joan Joyce Classic, it seemed as though the Michigan softball team’s offense had finally found its groove.
Totaling a season-high 10 hits against Maine in the second game, the Wolverines’ bats came alive. What used to be a defensively-reliant team turned into one on an offensive attack. But that attack was short-lived, as while their bats connected in the first two games, they soon fell into disarray.
In Friday’s first game against Seton Hall, the beginnings of Michigan’s offensive drive started in the bottom of the fourth inning. With the bases loaded from three singles, freshman outfielder Ella Stephenson sprinted home, scoring the Wolverines’ first run off a sacrifice fly by redshirt freshman catcher Lilly Vallimont.
Energized by the lead, Michigan used that momentum to score two more runs in quick succession in the bottom of the fifth inning, culminating in a final score of 3-0.
“I think it comes down to a lot of trust in our swings,” senior catcher Keke Tholl said. “We put in the work all fall and all offseason, so just trusting all the work that we put in and being free with those first game jitters out. Just continuing to grow from there.”
Indeed, the Wolverines continued to build on the offensive front as they entered their next game against Maine. Sophomore infielder Maddie Erickson set the tone early, earning two RBIs in the bottom of the first as sophomore outfielder Indiana Langford and junior outfielder Ellie Sieler both scored. Quick to follow Erickson’s lead, sophomore infielder Avery Fantucci ricocheted a single to right-center field to pickup two RBIs, putting Michigan up 4-0 at the close of the first inning.
This quick-strike attack previewed what was to follow. The Wolverines continued to swing away, reaching double-digit hits over the course of the game, with six from Fantucci, Langford and Sieler combined.
“Both Ellie and Indy are at the top of the order,” Michigan coach Bonnie Tholl said. “We expect them to get the most set fast. That’s why we put them at the top of the order. We expect them to be the catalyst for our offense, and that’s exactly what they’re doing.”
Sieler and Langford not only powered the Wolverines’ offensive push early but also rounded it out with back-to-back singles to finish the 11-0 shutout.
With such an electric start to the tournament, Michigan looked forward to a similar finish. But while it does seem as though the Wolverines’ offense clicked, their standout 11-0 win is misleading. The Black Bears’ record is currently 0-8 — it’s easy to connect when there’s nothing standing in your way.
And so, as the second day of the tournament rolled around, Michigan lost tempo. In a string of innings marred with ground outs and fly outs, the Wolverines failed to capitalize on the offensive end.
Perhaps their scoring fest was a one-off event, perhaps it was the result of lower-caliber competition. Regardless, Michigan couldn’t maintain it.
Down 2-0 against Louisville, the Wolverines had their best chance to put up a single run against the Cardinals in the top of the seventh inning. A single from Erickson made way for sophomore utility player Madi Ramey, who pinch ran for Erickson, to get into scoring position. Yet, this opportunity was quickly squashed after freshman utility player Erin Hoehn flew out to end the inning.
“We’re not striking the ball as well as we’re capable of,” Bonnie said. “It’s really striking the ball out front, and statistics show that the greater the exit velocity is off the bat, the better the on-base percentages for an offensive team. And so that’s what we’re really going to focus on.”
The few hits they managed failed to reignite the offense, as Michigan fell in shutout losses to both Louisville and Florida Atlantic.
While the Wolverines may have found their footing in their early matches, they stumbled in the end, going from an 11-0 win to two straight shutout losses. And as a result of those offensive inconsistencies, their results were just as varied.