With a 1-0 victory over Florida to force a Game 3, the Wolverines became the first team since No. 11/14 Georgia to pitch a shutout of the defending champion Gators. Florida was blanked by the Bulldogs on May 8, 2014 in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
The sole run of the game came in the bottom of the first inning. With Sierra Lawrence and Sierra Romero on second and first base respectively, Kelsey Susalla found the gap between second base and shortstop for an RBI single that scored Lawrence. Lauren Sweet and Lindsay Montemarano proceeded to fly out to end the inning.
Haylie Wagner went the distance for the Wolverines, throwing an efficient 81 pitches for the complete game shutout victory. Opposite her was reigning ASA/USA Softball Player of the Year Lauren Haeger, who despite giving up just four hits, gave up the winning run to take her second loss of the season.
In the low-scoring affair, Lawrence led the Wolverines, going 2-3 at the plate with the lone run. Susalla was the only other Michigan player to reach base twice, batting 1-2 while also reaching on a walk. Haeger recorded a multi-hit game as well for the Gators.
The winner-take-all Game 3 is slated for 7 pm Wednesday night at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. The Gators will hope to prove history wrong, as the winner of Game 2 has won every Game 3 so far in Women’s College World Series history.