Wolverines Blank Notre Dame, No. 8 FSU at ACC/B1G Challenge

Saturday, February 17

Tallahassee, Fla.

10:00 AM

Michigan

4-2

Notre Dame

3-3

Notre Dame

Michigan

Wolverines Blank Notre Dame, No. 8 FSU at ACC/B1G Challenge

2/17/2018 9:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» No. 20 Michigan earned back-to-back shutouts to open ACC/Big Ten Challenge play, beating Notre Dame, 6-0, and No. 8 host Florida State, 1-0.
» LHP Meghan Beaubien, who earned both wins, was two outs shy of a perfect game against the Seminoles, instead settling for a seven-strikeout, two-hit shutout.
» Katie Alexander, Amanda Vargas and Aidan Falk all tallied home runs in the Notre Dame game.

Site: Tallahassee, Fla. (JoAnne Graf Field)
Event: ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Day 2 of 3)
Scores: #20 Michigan 6, Notre Dame 0; #20 Michigan 1, #8 Florida State 0
Records: U-M (5-2), UND (3-3), FSU (6-1)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 18 -- vs. Notre Dame -- ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Tallahassee, Fla.), 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, Feb. 18 -- vs. #8 Florida State -- ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Tallahassee, Fla.), 1 p.m.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The No. 20-ranked University of Michigan softball team earned a pair of shutout wins on its first day of action at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, surging past Notre Dame, 6-0, before edging No. 8-ranked host Florida State, 1-0, in the nightcap on Saturday (Feb. 17) at the Seminoles' JoAnne Graf Field. The shutouts are the Wolverines' third and fourth through seven games this season.

Freshman left-hand pitcher Meghan Beaubien (4-1) was two outs shy of a perfect game against the Seminoles, retiring 19 straight before allowing a pair of hits in the seventh. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch with two outs, putting the winning run in scoring position, but Beaubien responded with a swinging strikeout -- her seventh of the contest -- to end the threat and the game.

Michigan earned its 1-0 lead on FSU standout Meghan King in the first inning and held on to claim the pitchers' duel. Junior second baseman Faith Canfield led off the game with a double to the right-center field wall, and after advancing to third on a wild pitch, she came home when senior first baseman Tera Blanco drilled an infield single off the glove of the Seminoles' third baseman. The duo accounted for all the Wolverines' offense with two hits apiece.

Beaubien, who threw a six-inning no-hitter in her first collegiate start last weekend, also earned the win in the morning slate against Notre Dame as she allowed two hits and two walks with four strikeouts through five innings pitched. Blanco closed out the contest with two more scoreless frames.

The Wolverines were sluggish to start -- on both sides of the ball -- against the Fighting Irish but took the lead on a second-inning solo homer from junior catcher Katie Alexander before breaking the game open with a four-run fourth. Senior designated player Amanda Vargas led off the frame with a solo home run, and Canfield and sophomore pinch-hitter Abby Skvarce followed with back-to-back RBI hits. Skvarce knocked a two-run double into left-center.

With the comfortable lead in hand, Beaubien struck out the side in the top of the fifth -- on nine straight pitches. Michigan tacked on one more run in the home half of the frame when senior right fielder Aidan Falk drilled a leadoff home run over the left-field wall -- her second long ball of the season.

Michigan (5-2) will close out the ACC/Big Ten Challenge with two games tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 18). In a modified schedule after U-M's Friday opener was postponed, the Wolverines will face Notre Dame at 10:30 a.m. and the host Seminoles at 1 p.m. at JoAnne Graf Field.

Tweet of the Day

Let me tell ya, FSU is NOT an easy place to play. Beaubien as a FRESHMAN just took a perfect game into the 7th & nearly got it
ICE IN HER VEINS ????????????
— Jordan Taylor (@7ordan7aylor) February 18, 2018