College Softball World Series 2015: Friday Results, Highlights, Twitter Reaction
The 2015 College Softball World Series continued Friday with two showdowns for spots in the semifinals. While none of the four teams that took the diamond were in danger of going home in the double-elimination format, a victory would ensure a spot in the final four and provide some breathing room on the way to a potential championship appearance.
Florida and LSU started the day with an SEC showdown, and Michigan and UCLA followed up in the second part of a thrilling doubleheader.
Here is a look at the full results from the pressure-packed day of competition.
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College Softball World Series Bracket
Updated bracket available at NCAA.com.
Friday's Results
| 7 p.m. | (1) Florida | (5) LSU | 4-0, Florida |
| 9:30 p.m. | (3) Michigan | (7) UCLA | 10-4, Michigan |
Friday Recap
Florida 4, LSU 0
Lauren Haeger proved once again she can do it all.
The USA Softball Player of the Year pitched a complete game shutout and drilled the go-ahead home run in the fifth inning of Florida's 4-0 victory over LSU. The win sends the defending champion Gators to the semifinals and cements their spot as the team to beat in this tournament, thanks largely to the presence of their superstar.
The Tigers were actually the one team all season to beat Florida twice in Gainesville, but they could not match Haeger's ability on the mound Friday.
As expected with the pitching matchup between Haeger and Carley Hoover (who notched four wins and two saves in the Tigers' NCAA tournament victories before Friday's loss), neither offense started quickly. In fact, nobody scored until Haeger hit a two-run homer over the left field wall in the top of the fifth inning.
ESPN Stats & Info noted she joined some impressive company, while Alligator Army of SB Nation took a humorous approach to the monumental homer:
Before Haeger drilled that game-winner, she escaped an early jam thanks to the efforts of shortstop Katie Medina. OnlyGators.com provided a highlight, while Alligator Army praised the shortstop's clutch abilities:
Florida tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth when freshman Nicole DeWitt hit a screaming line drive that just got over the wall. The Gators then virtually put the contest away in the seventh inning when Kirsti Merritt tallied her third hit of the game and scored when LSU threw the ball away.
True to form, Haeger shut the door in the seventh inning and notched the victory.
Florida advances to Sunday's semifinals contest, while LSU will await another matchup Saturday. That next game for the Tigers will be a win-or-go-home contest before the semifinals.
Most importantly for the Gators is the fact that Haeger gets the opportunity to rest for a day after another impressive showing. She discussed the importance of earning fairly straightforward wins this time of year, per Graham Hays of espnW.com:
"As a pitcher, you want to throw the least amount of pitches as you can, especially because you've got to come back the next day and throw again. I think it's great to work the count. I like to get ahead [as pitcher], and I know that's what most pitchers like to do. So it is a wear on you if you keep getting deep in the count like that.
"
The Gators are in the driver's seat for a spot in the championship series without a single loss in the double-elimination tournament. It is difficult to envision anyone beating Florida multiple times before that championship opportunity, especially with Haeger locking opposing lineups down and drilling homers on the other side.
Best of luck to the rest of the field.
Michigan 10, UCLA 4
Michigan's pitching made most of the headlines throughout the regular season, but its offense stole the show in Friday's 10-4 victory over UCLA.
The narrative for Friday’s showdown between Michigan and UCLA was clear coming into the game—the nation’s top hitting team (UCLA with a .370 batting average) against the nation’s top pitching team (Michigan with a 1.56 ERA). Something had to give.
Hitting won out early for the Bruins against the Wolverines’ pitcher, Megan Besta. UCLA pushed across three runs in the bottom of the first inning with a combination of singles, walks and a hit-by-pitch and forced the Wolverines to make an early change. Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press noted the Haylie Wagner strategy worked in the recent past:
It paid off again as Wagner kept her team in the game, which proved critical when Michigan got to pitcher Ally Carta.
Kelsey Susalla drilled an RBI hit to tie the game, and Lindsey Montemarano gave the Wolverines the lead with a sacrifice fly. NCAA Softball passed along a highlight of the sacrifice fly, but Lisa Byington of Big Ten Network made sure to point out an important turning point in the Michigan rally:
The Bruins tied the game at four off a Wolverines throwing error, but Michigan answered with another Montemarano sacrifice fly to take the 5-4 lead. It would have been more, but the Bruins stopped the damage with an impressive double play, per NCAA Softball:
Things did get worse for UCLA in the sixth inning when Kelly Christner drilled an RBI double and Kelsey Susalla drove home another run to open up a 7-4 lead. NCAA Softball shared a highlight, while Michigan softball congratulated Susalla on an excellet performance:
The Wolverines played the insurance-run game in the final inning and tacked on three more runs to establish an overwhelming 10-4 lead, which was the final margin of victory.
Michigan is now in control for a spot in the finals with the victory over UCLA. It clinched a spot in the semifinals without a loss and would have to drop two contests there in order to miss the championship series.
There is something to be said for the mental edge that comes with that cushion, and it should pay off the next time the Wolverines take the field.
As for the Bruins, they first have to win a game Saturday just to get an opportunity in the semifinals. It is a long climb to a potential title.
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