The Maryland softball team visited the Wilpon Softball Complex to face No. 2 Michigan this past weekend for the first time since joining the Big Ten.
The Ann Arbor, Michigan, stadium, which seats 2,800 people and includes bleachers in right field, was noisy throughout the three-game series, as fans donning maize and blue stayed engaged in the action despite a string of blowout results.
Though the Wolverines earned the sweep, outscoring the Terps 33-1 in the three-game stand, playing in the high-energy environment made an impression on coach Julie Wright’s squad.
“They have the greatest crowd,” pitcher Brenna Nation said. “They’re all-in for their team.”
Michigan fans, demonstrating their passion as their team rolled to a 8-0 win on Sunday, booed Maryland’s fifth-inning decision to intentionally walk infielder Sierra Romero, who ranks second in the country in batting average, with a runner in scoring position.
But overall, the atmosphere was lighthearted.
Once in between innings, most of the outfield bleacher section broke into song and dance to the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A” booming over the speakers.
Terps players took notice of the Michigan supporters’ friendliness. Nation said fans were “extremely nice to me when I came off the field” following her Sunday performance in the circle.
While Wright denied that the crowd affected her team’s play, Nation acknowledged she was distracted when pitching Friday. She allowed nine runs in the 9-1 defeat.
Nation fared better in her Sunday start, though, allowing three earned runs over 3.2 innings of work and keeping the Terps close in the early frames before a late offensive burst from Michigan against relief pitcher Madison Martin put the game out of reach.
“You just have to learn to zone in on where you’re at,” Nation said. “I struggled with some of that Friday, especially in the first inning in front of such a big group of people.”
Wright has said her long-term goal is to attract a similarly large fan base to College Park. To do this, she plans to play the type of aggressive softball Michigan showcased over the weekend. The Wolverines stole five bases in the three-game set.
The first-year coach also spent time throughout the weekend with Michigan coach Carol Hutchins to pick up coaching pointers. She views Hutchins, who is the all-time college softball leader in wins, as one her biggest inspirations. Wright said she’s tried to implement Hutchins’ “fiery and competitive” style into her own approach to the game.
“There are a great group of coaches in the Big Ten that really know how to lead their programs and make their fans follow,” Wright said. “It’s always impressive to go into places that really are classy. Michigan is definitely that.”
Infielder Corey Schwartz, who notched the Terps’ lone RBI in the series with a single in the fourth inning on Friday, agreed.
“Their fans are cheering for them and everything, but they are super nice,” she said. “It’s just a great environment to play in. Hopefully Maryland gets to be like that someday.”
