The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/111015
Hutchins said of Driesenga���s increased workload. ���She is a fit kid, a strong kid. Mentally, it can be as much of a grind as anything, and the competition is not going to get any easier. So, with that being said, we need to see what [freshman pitcher] Alice [Fitzpatrick] can do.��� During the offseason, Driesenga committed herself to staying in Ann Arbor and working on her technique ��� and the results are starting to show. ���I���m definitely stepping up a little bit from last year,��� she said. ���I���m still counting on my defense. Everyone played well and made plays behind me. And that���s good. I don���t have to try and strike everyone out ��� I just throw my pitches, and they���re there to back me up. ���I think my pitches have changed. I am getting more movement on all of them. I have developed each one of them a little more, and that���s helped a lot. Last year, we [Driesenga and Wagner] were a little bit different pitchers, and now we can complement each other. Hopefully, Haylie is back soon.��� Lighting Up Scoreboards Whichever pitcher takes the mound for U-M should receive plenty of run support from a lineup that has the potential to be dangerous from top to bottom. In the first eight games, Michigan scored an average of 6.25 runs per game, putting at least four on the scoreboard six times. Two left-handed hitters, junior outfielders Lindsay Doyle and ��� Three Players To Watch 1. Freshman shortstop Sierra Romero: Although she���s a rookie, Romero did enough in fall ball to prove that she needed to be on the field. Senior Amy Knapp moved from shortstop to third base so Romero could take over in the middle of the infield. She���s poised to be a major contributor. 2. Freshman outfielder Sierra Lawrence: Lawrence is still fighting to secure a permanent spot in the starting lineup, but she is quickly making a name for herself. In her first 17 at-bats, she tallied six hits for a .353 batting average and scored four runs. Plus, she has the tools to shore up the left field spot, which is one of a few positions still up for grabs. 3. Freshman pitcher Alice Fitzpatrick: With starting pitcher Haylie Wagner nursing an injury, Fitzpatrick has stepped in as a solid No. 2 to sophomore Sara Driesenga. She has only pitched less than four innings, but the coaching staff has been pleased with what they���ve seen, and she may see some relief duty as the year drags on. Lyndsay Sappingfield, set the table for the lineup. Doyle was on fire in the early going, hitting .458 and crossing home plate seven times. ���Our two lefties in the beginning, I swear they always get on,��� Lane said. ���And then you have power hitters from there to the end. I think