Long Island's Lindsay Montemarano finishes her season at Michigan as National Runner-Up

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Unable to overcome a sluggish start in the Women's College World Series finale, the No. 3-seeded University of Michigan softball team dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 1 seed Florida on Wednesday evening (June 3) in front of 7,680 fans at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. The Gators (60-7) won their second consecutive national championship and denied the Wolverines (60-8) their second title on the 10th anniversary of their first in 2005.

Florida jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the first inning, tacked on another run in the second inning and withstood several Michigan scoring opportunities in the middle portion of the game, when the Wolverines left a combined seven runners on base in the third, fifth and sixth innings.

Michigan called on senior LHP Haylie Wagner to start the deciding game of the best-of-three championship series, but she could not duplicate her masterful shutout performance from the previous night as she allowed four runs on four hits in two innings. Florida's Lauren Haeger, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, also got the start in the circle for the second straight night and continued her strong performance, surrendering five hits and one walk while fanning five to improve to 32-2.

Just as they did in the series opener, the Gators jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After a hit-by-pitch and late throw to second on a bunt put the first two runners on, Haeger continued to torment the Wolverines with her bat as she looped a run-scoring single into shallow centerfield. U-M got a pair of outs but could not get out of the inning, as first baseman Taylor Schwarz delivered a two-run single into shallow left to make it 3-0.

Florida added another run in the second, chasing Wagner from the circle after Kelsey Stewart followed a leadoff single with an RBI double to leftfield. Sophomore RHP Megan Betsa hit the first two batters she faced in relief to load the bases with one out but fanned back-to-back Gators to get out of the jam. Betsa ended up going four solid innings, allowing one hits and three walks while striking out eight before yielding to Wagner with one out in the sixth.

Michigan's first scoring threat came in the next half-inning without the benefit of a hit. Wagner and freshman first baseman Tera Blanco were hit by pitches to start the frame. After two outs, junior second baseman Sierra Romero fouled off four straight pitches before a full-count walk to load the bases, but Haeger escaped the situation with a strikeout.

The Wolverines broke through with a run in the fifth. Blanco spoiled Haeger's no-hit bid with a full-count single through the left side, advanced on Abby Ramirez's single to the 5-6 hole and scored when Romero drove a first-pitch, two-out single into left-center.

Michigan mounted a two-out threat in the sixth, when freshman Amanda Vargas dropped a pinch-hit single into centerfield and Wagner was again hit by a pitch, but a groundout ended the inning. In the seventh, Ramirez led off with an infield single to shortstop to bring up the top of the order, but Haeger retired the next three batters to secure Florida's fourth win over U-M in five games this season.

Michigan finished its record-setting season with a 60-8 overall record, reaching the 60-win plateau for the second time in school history. The Wolverines won their eighth straight Big Ten Conference championship, earned the league tournament title, made their 11th WCWS appearance, and led the nation in home runs (118).