ANN ARBOR, Mich. –Senior second baseman Ashley Lane (Escondido, Calif./Escondido) drew a bases loaded walk in the seventh inning to bring home the winning run as the University of Michigan softball team rallied for a 3-2 win over the NPF All-Stars on Thursday night (Oct. 4) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. It was only the NPF’s second loss during the three-year history of the Back to School Tour.
Sophomore RHP Sara Driesenga (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) earned the win in the circle, throwing 2.0 scoreless innings of relief. Sophomore LHP Haylie Wagner (Orange, Calif./El Modeno) started the game in the circle, lasting 4.0 innings and giving up one run on three hits. U-M tallied 12 hits in the contest, spearheaded by freshman shortstop Sierra Romero (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta), who went 3-for-3 with a two-run home run in the fifth inning. Junior outfielder Lyndsay Doyle (Channahon, Ill./Minooka Community) tallied three hits in the game, with senior third baseman Amy Knapp (St. Joseph, Mich./Lakeshore) recording two hits.
The NPF All-Stars got on the board in the second inning as Andrea Duran singled to centerfield, scoring Kelly Kretschman from second base for the early 1-0 lead.
The All-Stars increased their lead to 2-0 in the fifth, capitalizing on an error by the Wolverines to score an unearned run.
The Maize and Blue answered in the bottom half of the frame when Doyle led off with a single to centerfield. Following a groundout that pushed Doyle to second, Romero hammered one over the wall in leftfield to knot the game at 2-2.
NPF had runners on the corners with two outs in the top of the seventh, but a groundout to second ended the All-Stars’ threat and sent the Wolverines to bat in a 2-2 game.
In Michigan’s half of the seventh, Doyle once again led off the frame with a single, advancing to second on a wild pitch. Following a Romero walk, freshman pinch hitter Kelsey Susalla (Garden City, Mich./Garden City) singled up the middle to load the bases. Lane entered the game as a pinch hitter, drawing a walk on a full count to clinch Michigan’s 3-2 walk-off victory.
Michigan wraps up the fall season on Tuesday (Oct. 9), welcoming Eastern Michigan to Alumni Field at 3:30 p.m. Admission is free.
Watch the game broadcast here and on Youtube:
About NPF:
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, TN. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women’s fastpitch softball since 2002.
About USSSA:
The United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), headquartered in Osceola County, Florida, USSSA is the World’s Largest Multi-sport Athletic Organization. Founded in 1968, USSSA has grown to over 3.7 million participants, competing in 13 nationally sanctioned sports including Baseball, Fastpitch, Slow Pitch, Karate, Basketball, Soccer and more! For more information on USSSA and to register your team visit USSSA.com. Also be sure to visit USSSAToday.com for the latest USSSA News!