Wolverines Open Judi Garman Classic with Two Wins

Thursday, March 1

Fullerton, Calif.

9:30 AM PT

Michigan

9-6

Loyola Marymount

7-7-1

Loyola Marymount

Michigan

Tera Blanco

3/1/2018 5:37:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» No. 25 Michigan kicked off the Judi Garman Classic with two wins, defeating Loyola Marymount, 3-2, and Charlotte, 5-0.
» Tera Blanco posted two hits and two runs batted in in the opener, including the walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning; Blanco also earned the game-two win from the circle.
» Lou Allan posted a pinch-hit, two-run single in her collegiate debut against Charlotte.

Site: Fullerton, Texas (Anderson Family Field)
Event: Judi Garman Classic (Day 1 of 3)
Scores: #25 Michigan 3, Loyola Marymount 2; #25 Michigan 5, Charlotte 0
Records: U-M (10-6), LMU (7-7-1), UNCC (6-9)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 2 -- vs. Baylor -- Judi Garman Classic (Fullerton, Calif.), noon PST

FULLERTON, Calif. -- The No. 25-ranked University of Michigan softball team kicked off its annual appearance at the Judi Garman Classic with a pair of wins, defeating Loyola Marymount, 3-2, and Charlotte, 5-0, on Thursday (March 1) in the first of 30 games slated for the weekend at CSU Fullerton's Anderson Family Field.

Michigan walked off in the tournament opener against LMU, first rallying from an early two-run deficit then breaking the tie in the bottom of the seventh on senior right-hand pitcher/first baseman Tera Blanco's ripped a run-scoring single up the middle and into right-center field to plate junior second baseman Faith Canfield from second base. Canfield initiated the rally with a one-out infield single, before junior center fielder Natalie Peters moved her into scoring position on a single to center.

The trio, at the top of the Wolverine lineup, accounted for the bulk of Michigan's offense in the game. Blanco went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in, while Peters also posted a pair of hits and an RBI.

Freshman left-hander Meghan Beaubien (8-2) struck out six and allowed two runs on four hits and no walks en route to the victory. The Lions registered two of their hits in the second inning, notably a two-run home run to center field, which had LMU ahead until the fifth inning.

Michigan took advantage of an error to push its first run across in the third, then knotted up the game when Blanco pulled a two-out RBI single down the left-field line. It was her first multi-RBI effort of the season.

The Wolverines were also slow to get going in their second slate against Charlotte but didn't require the same dramatics after breaking the scoreless tie with four on the board in the fourth inning. After preseason injury delayed her start, freshman Lou Allan made her collegiate debut with a two-out, bases-loaded pinch-hit appearance and stepped up, driving a two-run single into left field for the first runs of the contest. Canfield followed with another two-run single to center two batters later to cushion the lead.

Blanco (2-1) earned the game-two win from the circle, striking out four while allowing no runs and four hits with two walks over five innings. Freshman right-hander Sarah Schaefer entered in the sixth and hurled two more shutout innings to close out the game.
Michigan (10-6) will continue play at the annual Judi Garman Classic against a pair of top-20 opponents tomorrow (Friday, March 2), taking on No. 8 Baylor at noon PST and No. 18 Louisiana Lafayette at 2:30 p.m. at Anderson Family Field.