Michigan's bats totaled 10 hits in its 9-4 win against Minnesota.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Fourth-ranked Michigan avenged its loss from a day ago, knocking out four home runs en route to a 9-4 decision against No. 14 Minnesota on Saturday afternoon at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
The Wolverines pounded out 10 hits, including home runs from Sierra Lawrence, Lauren Sweet, Kelly Christner and Haylie Wagner. Sweet went 3-for-4 from the plate, falling just a triple shy of the cycle, and registered three RBIs. Meanwhile, Lawrence and Christner tallied two hits apiece.
Wagner (14-2) also earned the victory from the circle, striking out five while allowing four runs -- one earned -- off seven hits and a walk through five innings. Megan Betsa earned her third save of the season with a pair of strikeouts through two innings.
Michigan jumped on the Golden Gophers immediately with Lawrence's solo shot to deep center on just the second pitch of the game. Sweet went yard four batters later -- after a double down the left field line from Kelsey Susalla -- with a towering two-run shot to right field. It was Sweet's first hit since returning from injury three games ago.
The Golden Gophers stole the lead with a run in the bottom of the first and three in the second. Minnesota used back-to-back hits, including a two-run single from Sam Macken, to plate its runs in the latter frame.
Sweet drove in the tying run in her next turn at the plate, smacking a bouncing grounder through the right side to score Christner from second base. Christner had reached on a lead-off single before moving herself into scoring position on a passed ball.
Michigan retook the lead in the fourth. Abby Ramirez and Lawrence led off with back-to-back singles before a misplayed grounder allowed the latter to score from second base. UM padded its lead in the sixth when Christner hammered a two-out, two-strike, two-run blast just over the wall in right center field.
The Wolverines added some more insurance in the top of the seventh. After a leadoff double from Sweet -- a high fly ball to left center field that dropped when the two Gopher outfielders collided -- Wagner smacked out her first long ball of the season, golfing a two-run shot off the scoreboard in right field.
Betsa gave up a lead-off walk in the home half but got the first out on a flyout on the track in center field before dealing back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.
