Wolverines Blank Dayton, Miami (Ohio) at MU Invitational

Saturday, March 17

Oxford, Ohio

11:00 AM

Michigan

19-6

Dayton

7-13

Dayton

Michigan

Wolverines Blank Dayton, Miami (Ohio) at MU Invitational

3/17/2018 7:43:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» No. 19 Michigan defeated Dayton and Miami (Ohio) by 7-0 scores to open up the Miami University Invitational; the win extended U-M's win streak to 14 games.
» Freshmen pitchers Sarah Schaefer and Meghan Beaubien earned back-to-back complete-game shutouts. The pair allowed just three hits apiece and combined for 17 strikeouts.
» Faith Canfield and Natalie Peters paced the offense from the top of the order as they combined for nine hits and five runs scored.

Site: Oxford, Ohio (Miami Softball Stadium)
Event: Miami University Invitational (Day 1 of 2)
Scores: #19 Michigan 7, Dayton 0; #19 Michigan 7, Miami 0
Records: U-M (20-6), UD (7-13), MU (10-10)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, March 18 -- vs. Robert Morris - Miami Invitational (Oxford, Ohio), 10 a.m.

OXFORD, Ohio -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan softball team kicked off the Miami University Invitational with a pair of 7-0 wins against Dayton and host Miami on Saturday (March 17) at the Miami Softball Stadium. The Wolverines extended their win streak to 14 games.

Michigan's freshman pitchers, right-hander Sarah Schaefer (1-3) and lefty Meghan Beaubien (14-2), both earned complete-game shutouts. Schaefer struck out six and allowed just three hits en route to her first collegiate win against Dayton, while Beaubien similarly allowed just three hits and fanned 11 -- her third double-digit strikeout effort this season -- against the RedHawks.

The top of the order was electric for the Wolverines, as junior second baseman Faith Canfield and junior center fielder Natalie Peters combined for nine hits and five runs scored on the day. Canfield knocked out a two-run homer against Miami. Junior catcher Katie Alexander also went yard against the RedHawks as part of a three-hit game.

Canfield scored the first and winning run against the Flyers on a successful first-inning double steal -- after doubling in her first at-bat, before the Wolverines doubled their lead on a throwing error in the third.

Michigan broke the game open with a three-run fifth after three straight base hits, including sophomore third baseman Madison Uden's two-run single. Uden also contributed to U-M's two-run sixth inning, when she followed leadoff hits from Canfield and Peters to load the bases with a bunt single. Two runs came in on another Flyer error in the subsequent at-bat.

The Wolverines were slow to get it going against Miami but broke through with four runs off five hits -- three for extra bases -- in the third. Canfield smashed a first-pitch, two-run shot deep to left field for her sixth long ball of the season, while senior first baseman Tera Blanco and senior right fielder Aidan Falk followed with back-to-back doubles -- the latter delivered two more U-M runs.

Alexander knocked out a solo homer to left field in the fourth -- her third of the season -- and crossed the plate on an error in the sixth to close out Michigan's scoring.

Michigan (20-6) will close out the weekend with two more games tomorrow (Sunday, March 18) at the Miami Invitational, as the Wolverines will take on Robert Morris at 10 a.m. and Fort Wayne at 12:30 p.m. at the Miami Softball Stadium.