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Published Apr 24, 2022
Michigan softball heating up before season's final stretch
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Brock Heilig  •  Maize&BlueReview
Staff Writer
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The Michigan softball team has won six of its last eight games and is rebounding nicely after its poor start to the Big Ten season. The Wolverines are now 9-7 in conference play after starting the year 0-4.

The team traveled to College Park, Maryland last weekend to take on the Terrapins. Michigan's bats were quiet and Alex Storako didn't have her best game in the circle as the Wolverines dropped the series opener, 5-1.

Michigan rebounded in the second game on Friday night. The bats were still relatively quiet, but the pitcher-by-committee style held the Terrapin offense to just three runs.

Melina Livingston, Hannah Carson and Ellie Sieler all had two hits, helping the Wolverines to a 5-3 win in the eighth inning.

The Wolverine bats got going in the series finale, and Meghan Beaubien pitched a two-run complete game to help Michigan to the series victory.

Michigan then traveled to East Lansing to take on the Michigan State Spartans in a midweek game. The Wolverines only scored three runs, but it didn't matter as Storako mowed down the Michigan State lineup.

Storako pitched a complete-game shutout, tallying 13 strikeouts and giving up only one hit.

The Wolverines came back home to host Ohio State in a three-game series. Storako pitched once again in the series opener, but got rattled early and never got into a rhythm. Michigan scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Ohio State's four-run fifth inning was too much for the Wolverines to handle, and the Buckeyes claimed the first game.

One of the coolest moments of the game came when a base hit was timed perfectly with Michigan baseball's walk-off.

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Michigan rebounded to take game two of the series, but it didn't come without some pressure. Ohio State scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a one-run lead. However, with one out and runners on the corners, Taylor Bump provided a walk-off of her own with a two-RBI triple.

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Storako came in for relief of Beaubien and Annabelle Widra in the series finale, and carried the Wolverines to victory after Ohio State's four-run first inning. Lexie Blair had three RBIs as Michigan escaped with a 5-4 win and a series victory over the Buckeyes.

The Wolverines will host Minnesota next weekend, followed by a road trip to Madison, Wisconsin before the Big Ten Tournament which starts on May 12.