Wolverines Drop Two on Final Day at ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Sunday, February 18

Tallahassee, Fla.

10:30 AM

Michigan

5-3

Notre Dame

6-3

Michigan

Notre Dame

Katie Alexander

Wolverines Drop Two on Final Day at ACC/Big Ten Challenge

2/18/2018 5:47:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» No. 20 Michigan dropped a pair of close games to Notre Dame, 4-3, and No. 8 Florida State, 2-0, on the final day at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
» Katie Alexander knocked out a game-tying three-run homer in the fourth inning against Notre Dame, but the Irish won on a bases-loaded HBP in the sixth.
» Right-hander Sarah Schaefer took both losses but was solid, allowing two runs on eight hits and two hits with six strikeouts through 8.1 innings; she made her first collegiate start against FSU.

Site: Tallahassee, Fla. (JoAnne Graf Field)
Event: ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Day 3 of 3)
Scores: Notre Dame 4, #20 Michigan 3; #8 Florida State 2, #20 Michigan 0
Records: U-M (5-4), UND (5-3), FSU (7-1)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 23 -- vs. Virginia Tech -- Texas Invitational (Austin, Texas), 11:30 a.m. CST

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The No. 20-ranked University of Michigan softball team dropped a pair of close games on the final day of action at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge as they fell to Notre Dame, 4-3, and No. 8 host Florida State, 2-0, on Sunday (Feb. 18) at the Seminoles' JoAnne Graf Field.

Freshman RHP Sarah Schaefer (0-2) took both losses on the day but was solid from the circle, allowing two runs off eight hits and two walks while striking out six through 8 1/3 innings pitched. In the second slate -- her first collegiate start -- she held the Seminoles off the board for five innings.

The Wolverines struggled to get their bats going, combining for just five total hits on the day, including a season-low two against FSU. Michigan also left eight on base through the two games.

Junior catcher Katie Alexander knotted up the Notre Dame contest at 3 with a three-run blast to center field in the fourth inning -- her first home run on the season -- after the Irish had cushioned their lead with a solo shot in the previous inning.

While Michigan could not capitalize with bases loaded in the fifth, Notre Dame did so in the sixth, when they pushed across the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch -- its third HBP of the frame. The Wolverines drew a one-out walk to put the tying run aboard in the top of the seventh, but a double play ended their opportunity and ended the game.

Florida State put runners on base in every inning in the second slate but did not break through until the sixth when it strung together a leadoff double, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly to plate the first and winning run. The Seminoles added insurance in the seventh with a leadoff home run to center field.

U-M's best chance came in the first inning when junior second baseman Faith Canfield led off with a single down the right-field line and moved into scoring position on senior first baseman Tera Blanco's full-count walk. The duo was stranded, however, on a fly-out and pop-up to end the inning.

Michigan (5-4) will kick off the first leg of its spring-break trip at the Texas Invitational in Austin, Texas, next weekend. U-M opens play on Friday (Feb. 23) against Virginia Tech at 11:30 a.m. CST and host Texas at 5 p.m. CST. Both games will be broadcast live on the Longhorn Network.