Michigan
1-1
Colgate
0-2
Wolverines Run Rule Colgate to Earn First Win of Tholl Era
2/10/2023 4:39:00 PM | Softball
» Michigan scored multiple runs in each of the first three innings en route to a 10-0, five-inning win over Colgate at THE Spring Games opener for Bonnie Tholl's first victory as the Wolverines' head coach.
» RHP Jessica LeBeau earned the win in her Michigan debut, striking out five while allowing just one hit and three walks over four innings.
» Lexie Blair went 3-for-3 with three runs and an RBI, while Keke Tholl posted three RBI.
LEESBURGH, Fla. -- The University of Michigan softball team scored early and often, putting up multiple runs in each of the first three innings, to earn a 10-0, five-inning win over Colgate and deliver head coach Bonnie Tholl her first win at the helm of the Wolverine program on Friday afternoon (Feb. 10) at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex.
The Wolverines boasted 12 hits from nine different players. Graduate student outfielder Lexie Blair headlined the offensive effort with three hits and three runs, while junior catcher Keke Tholl went 1-for-1 with three RBI -- two on sac flies to center. Freshmen Maddie Erickson and Madi Ramey both earned their first collegiate hits and RBI, while Avery Fantucci scored her first run.
Junior RHP Jessica LeBeau (1-0) earned the win in her Maize and Blue debut, posting five strikeouts while allowing just one hit and three walks over four innings. She got out of a pair of two-runner jams early, earning back-to-back strikeouts to end both the first and second frames. Sophomore RHP Emerson Aiken tacked on two more strikeouts in a perfect 1-2-3 fifth to close out the game.
Blair set the tone with a leadoff double to the left center gap in the first inning and scored just two batters later on a Tholl single to right. Sophomore outfielder Ellie Sieler followed suit with a leadoff double in the second, and U-M took advantage of two Colgate errors in the inning, including a centerfield throwing error that allowed another run to score on Tholl's first sac fly of the contest.
Michigan pushed into run-rule territory with a three-spot on four hits in the third. Senior designated player Lexi Voss and graduate student outfielder Ellie Mataya sprayed RBI singles to opposite sides of the outfield before Tholl drove another sac fly into center. Ramey closed out the Wolverines' scoring with an RBI single to left center in the fourth, driving home her classmate Fantucci, who reached on a leadoff walk, from second base.
The Wolverines (1-1) will return to THE Spring Games tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 11) with an 11 a.m. doubleheader against Western Kentucky at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex Both games will be streamed live on FloSoftball.
Tweet of the Game
"A moment for Michigan."
— Michigan Softball (@umichsoftball) February 10, 2023
Game ball goes to Coach Tholl. First win of many to come! ?? @btholl #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/fQMbe1IJae
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: LeBeau, Jessica (1-0)
L: Misken, Bailey (0-1)
Base Running:
HBP: Fusco, Kara 1 ; Jacoby, Steph 1
Batting:
2B: Blair, Lexie 1 ; Sieler, Ellie 1
RBI: Blair, Lexie 1 ; Mataya, Ellie 1 ; Tholl, Keke 3 ; LeClair, Audrey 1 ; Erickson, Maddie 1 ; Ramey, Madi 1 ; Voss, Lexi 1
SH: Sieler, Ellie 1 ; McVey, Ella 1
SF: Tholl, Keke 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Blair, Lexie 3 ; Mataya, Ellie 1 ; Tholl, Keke 1 ; Fantucci, Avery 1 ; Langford, Indiana 1 ; Sieler, Ellie 1 ; McVey, Ella 1 ; Voss, Lexi 1
SB: LeClair, Audrey 1
