Michigan
41-10-1, 20-3
Rutgers
14-37, 5-18
Wolverines Rout Rutgers in Regular-Season Finale
5/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 7, 2017
» No. 19 Michigan scored a season-high 20 runs on 19 hits, including four home, in a 20-0, five-inning win in the regular-season finale at Rutgers.
» RHP Megan Betsa and RHP Tera Blanco combined for a five-inning no-hitter; Betsa earned the win from the circle to become the fourth player in the program history to reach 100 career wins.
» Faith Canfield posted a career-high four hits, while Kelly Christner was just a triple shy of the cycle, and Haley Hoogenraad recorded four RBI.
Site: Piscataway, N.J. (Rutgers Softball Complex)
Scores: #19 Michigan 20, Rutgers 0 (5 innings)
Records: U-M (41-10-1, 20-3 Big Ten), RU (14-37, 5-18 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, May 12 -- vs. TBD - Big Ten Tournament (Wilpon Complex)
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan softball team closed out the regular season in dominant fashion, scoring multiple runs in every inning en route to a 20-0, five-inning decision at Rutgers on Sunday afternoon (May 7) at the Scarlet Knights' Softball Complex. It marks the Wolverines' ninth straight win and fifth series sweep in Big Ten Conference play.
Michigan scored a season-high 20 runs on 19 hits, including six doubles and four home runs, upping its weekend total to nine long balls in three games. Ten different Wolverine players tallied hits, while six boasted multiple hits, most notably sophomore second baseman Faith Canfield, who recorded a career-best four hits and three RBI. Senior centerfielder Kelly Christner was just a triple shy of the cycle in a 3-for-4, two-RBI effort, while freshman leftfielder Haley Hoogenraad boasted a career-best four RBI.
Senior RHP Megan Betsa (23-7) earned the win from the circle to become just the fourth pitcher in Michigan program history to reach 100 career victories. She combined with junior RHP Tera Blanco to throw a five-inning no-hitter -- the Wolverines' third this season. Betsa struck out five and walked one through three innings, while Blanco added three strikeouts -- and another walk -- over the final two frames.
The Wolverines recorded hits in their first three at-bats of the contest, including doubles from Christner and Canfield, to push across the winning run before Rutgers recorded its first out. Michigan scored two in the opening frame and broke the game open when junior rightfielder Aidan Falk knocked out a two-run homer down the leftfield line to highlight a three-run second. It is Falk's sixth home run of the season.
Michigan used small ball to plate four in the third, scoring on a Christner single, fielder's choice, based-loaded walk and a groundout, before going big to score six -- all with two outs -- in the fourth. Christner knocked out a solo home run to right centerfield -- her eighth of the season -- to initiate the rally. Hoogenraad smacked a bases-clearing double to the left center gap, and fellow freshman Madison Uden followed with a two-run homer to rightfield two batters later.
Junior Taylor Swearingen highlighted a five-run fifth inning with a no-doubt three-run homer to leftfield, while Canfield while drove in two on a double to right center -- her fourth hit and second double of the game.
Tweet of the Day 
RHP Megan Betsa becomes the 4th pitcher in program history to reach 100 career wins. Congrats, @meganbetsa13 #YouBetsa #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/nJXvEST5pr
-- Michigan Softball (@umichsoftball) May 7, 2017
The Wolverines (41-10-1, 20-3 Big Ten) will host the 2017 Big Ten Tournament next weekend (Thu-Sat., May 11-13) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. As the No. 2 seed, Michigan will receive a first-round bye and open play on Friday. The full tournament bracket will be announced on Monday (May 8) after the completion of all regular-season games. [ Tickets | Tournament Central ]
Communications Contact: Leah Howard
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Betsa, Megan (23-7)
L: Shayla Sweeney (10-17)
Batting:
2B: Christner, Kelly 1 ; Canfield, Faith 2 ; Hoogenraad, Haley 1 ; Montemarano, Lindsay 2
HR: Christner, Kelly 1 ; Falk, Aidan 1 ; Swearingen, Taylor 1 ; Uden, Madison 1
RBI: Christner, Kelly 2 ; Ramirez, Abby 3 ; Canfield, Faith 3 ; Falk, Aidan 2 ; Swearingen, Taylor 3 ; Hoogenraad, Haley 4 ; Uden, Madison 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Christner, Kelly 3 ; Ramirez, Abby 4 ; Skvarce, Abby 1 ; Canfield, Faith 3 ; Falk, Aidan 1 ; Swearingen, Taylor 2 ; Hoogenraad, Haley 1 ; Uden, Madison 1 ; Alexander, Katie 1 ; Peters, Natalie 3
