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Michigan Wolverine Softball: The Essence of Balance

By Eroc Wolverine

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Michigan Softball Posted at 5:00am — -5/15/2015

Michigan Wolverine Softball: The Essence of Balance

Any good diamond team must have certain ingredients to prevail over a period of time. The Michigan Women’s softball team has so far prevailed. And the chances of this team continuing a good run are high, not guaranteed, but high. In baseball and softball, anything can happen. But, superior teams ignore that little negative and prepare to win.

The Lady Wolverines do have balance. This is not a one-dimensional team. Although hitting always draws raves, pitching and defense are at least the equal of the offense, especially against top competition when simply showing up and blowing the top off the mountain is not an option.

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A good diamond team likes to balance out classes in the starting lineup. It may be nice to start eight seniors, but that bodes trouble for the next year or so. There are members of all four classes starting, with plenty of talent in the sophomore and junior groups.

Clearly, this team has strong intangibles. There is focus, toughness, understanding of the game, and the energy to keep coming at the competition in wave-like progressions.

Below is a small summary of some key members of the team. Remember, that all team members hold value, from the struggling freshman to a senior four-year starter.

Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines /

Michigan Wolverines

Michigan’s leadoff hitter is Sierra Lawrence. Lawrence does what an accomplished leadoff hitter does. She takes a lot of pitches, fouls off good offerings to live to fight another pitch, has a good strike zone eye, and gets on base at over a 50% rate. Her strike off ratio is under one in ten at bats. Lawrence has added an extra bonus for Michigan: the ability to hit the longball. This is a good hitter with well above average athletic ability and her defensive ability is a strong asset.

The other Sierra, Sierra Romero, is a rare player. She should someday have membership in several Hall of Fames. Romero is the type of player coaches’ dream of having on a roster. She absolutely defines difference maker. Her stance is excellent, her eye is superb, but it is her hand speed that is the quality that separates her from other fine players. She drives the bat head through the zone and simply ax swings balls over the fence. Romero is a very nice second baseman, quite nice in the middle when paired with shortstop Abby Ramirez.

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    • I am tremendously impressed with the stance and mechanics of three-hole hitter Kelly Christner. After she lifts her hands into a final stance, you could put a level across her shoulders and come up with a perfect bubble. Her stance is a little wide, of the no-stride/short stride variety, and her front foot is a little closed (which helps the critical front shoulder keep from flying open), but what a hitter. She has made teams pay for taking the liberty of constantly walking Sierra Romero; sort of like the Ruth/Gehrig effect. Christner is a sophomore hitting .420 with 18 home runs, figures that would be automatic MVP on many teams. She strikes out too often, but that can be fixed.

    Lauren Sweet is glue, a winner, and a player a coach can depend on across all dimensions of play. She is a strong force at catcher and as the position demands is very much in charge. Sweet is hitting over .300 and provides some pop and production further down the line-up.

    Lindsay Montemarano is the tough little kid type from New York. Her average is not strong, but the on base percentage makes up for the previous shortcoming. She plays a tough, fearless third base and as a sophomore could ascend to higher achievements.

    These are just some of the parts that are fueling a magnificent engine. More later.

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