After winning the Big Ten with a 36-6 conference record last season, Michigan has seemingly underperformed so far this season. The Wolverines are just 4-5 in the Big Ten this season and 23-12 overall. This year's team has already lost four more games than last year's team.

However, Michigan has been playing very well as of late. The Wolverines started 0-4 in the Big Ten, but have since won four of their last five to bring their record closer to .500.

Michigan began the week with a 6-1 victory over rival Michigan State in Ann Arbor. Consistent offense, combined with lights-out pitching from Alex Storako, gave Michigan a comfortable victory over the Spartans.

Taylor Bump connected on a two-RBI double in the bottom of the first inning to give Michigan the early lead. Storako gave up a solo home run in the top of the second inning but settled in after the mistake

The Wolverines added two more runs in the third inning. Hannah Carson's single brought home Kristina Burkhardt, and then Carson scored on a Melina Livingston single. Michigan held a 4-1 lead over Michigan State through three innings.

Livingston recorded her second and third RBIs in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run home run to extend the Michigan lead to five runs.

Storako shut down the entire Michigan State offense with the exception of one pitch. The senior right-hander pitched all seven innings, giving up only one run on three hits. Storako also struck out 12 batters in the outing.

The Wolverines stayed in Ann Arbor before welcoming Penn State to town for a three-game weekend series.

Storako threw an absolute gem in the opening game of the series, and Michigan mercied Penn State in five innings.

Bump got the scoring started in the fourth inning with a three-run home run to give Michigan a 3-0 lead. The Wolverines then added five runs in the fifth inning to complete the mercy.

Audrey LeClair scored on a Burkhardt single, and Sierra Kersten scored on an Ellie Sieler sacrifice fly, giving the Wolverines a 5-0 lead. Then, Livingston connected on Michigan's second three-run home run of the day, and ended the game at 8-0.

Storako was once again incredible for Michigan. The senior pitched 5.0 innings of one-hit ball and recorded nine strikeouts. She was awarded the win, her 16th of the season.

The Michigan bats weren't as electric in the second game of the series, but the Wolverines were still able to find a way to win.

Bump got the scoring started in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI double. Penn State's Cassie Lindmark then evened the score in the top of the fifth inning with a solo home run.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, with the game tied at one run apiece, LeClair hit a walk-off single to left field, scoring Livingston, and the Wolverines won the low-scoring affair.

After pitching a full 7.0 innings the day before, Storako came into the game in relief and recorded her 17th win of the season.

The series finale was all about pitching as the two teams combined for just five runs and seven hits on Sunday afternoon. Michigan outhit Penn State, but didn't outscore them, and the Nittany Lions headed back to State College with a win.

Storako pitched once again for the Wolverines, her fourth appearance in as many games (three starts). Penn State went with a more pitcher-by-committee approach, which seemed to slow down the Wolverine offense.

Livingston scored on a throwing error from Penn State after a foul out from Bump. In the third inning, Storako made her first mistake of the game as she gave up a two-run home run to Penn State's Ally Kurland.

Michigan's Annabelle Widra answered in the bottom of the third inning, with a solo home run, tying the game at two runs apiece.

Storako gave up just her third hit of the game in the top of the seventh inning. This one, however, didn't stay in the ballpark, and Penn State's Lindmark broke the tie with a solo home run. Michigan couldn't muster any runs in the home half of the seventh inning, and Penn State finished the series with a slim victory.

Michigan will host Central Michigan on Tuesday before it heads to College Park, Maryland to take on the Terrapins in a three-game weekend series. Next week will be huge for the Wolverines, as they head to East Lansing to take on the Spartans once again. The team will then head back to Ann Arbor to prepare to host Ohio State over the weekend.