Michigan to Open Big Ten Play at Iowa; DH Now Planned Friday

» No. 17 Michigan kicks off the Big Ten slate with a three-game weekend series at Iowa. Weather has already affected the schedule; U-M will play two on Friday (March 23) at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. CDT, and close the series with an 11:30 a.m. CDT game on Sunday.
» Michigan carries a 17-game win streak into the weekend and has outscored its opposition, 109-7, over the stretch.
» Freshmen pitchers Sarah Schaefer and Meghan Beaubien combined for four shutout wins last weekend at the Miami Invitational. Schaefer was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after tossing a perfect game against Robert Morris.

THIS WEEK
Friday, March 23 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), 2 p.m. CDT
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Friday, March 23 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), 5 p.m. CDT
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Sunday, March 25 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), 11:30 a.m. CDT
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• Complete Game Notes

The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan softball team (23-6) will kick off its Big Ten Conference slate this weekend, traveling to Iowa City, Iowa, for a three-game series against Iowa at Pearl Field. Anticipated poor weather has already altered the weekend schedule. The team will now play twice on Friday (March 23) at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. CDT, while Sunday's (March 25) 11:30 a.m. CDT slate remains as scheduled.

• The Wolverines carry a 17-game winning streak into the week. It is the program's longest win streak since claiming 19 in a row during the 2016 season. Michigan has outscored its opposition, 109-7, over the 17-game stretch, dating back to its Wichita State game on Feb. 24.

• Michigan comes off an especially impressive stretch at the Miami University Invitational (March 17-18) and in its midweek win against Central Michigan, in which it recorded five straight shutout wins, outscoring the opposition, 40-0.

• Freshmen pitchers Sarah Schaefer and Meghan Beaubien combined for a 0.00 ERA, 32 strikeouts and just 10 hits and 7 walks allowed over 26 innings pitched at the Miami Invitational. Both Wolverine rookies registered a pair of complete-game shutouts.

• Schaefer was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week and co-Freshman of the Week after posting a 2-0 record, earning the first wins of her collegiate career, behind 12 scoreless innings of work at the Miami Invitational. She threw a five-inning perfect game against Robert Morris with six strikeouts and on just 49 pitches. She also tossed a three-hit shutout with six strikeouts against Dayton in the Wolverines' tournament opener.

• Schaefer's perfect game was the eighth in program history and the first by a Wolverine pitcher since Jordan Taylor tossed two in a 12-game stretch in 2010. She and Beaubien have both recorded no-hitters over their first six weeks of collegiate ball.

• Michigan's hitting was also strong last weekend, as the Wolverines combined for a .366 batting average with a .580 slugging percentage and .474 on-base percentage. Four Wolverine starters hit .500 or better, most notably sophomore second baseman Faith Canfield, who hit .692 (9-for-13) with three RBI.

• Senior first baseman/RHP Tera Blanco currently carries a career-best 14-game hitting streak with a .366 batting average, seven extra-base hits and 12 RBI over the stretch. Blanco missed two starts last Sunday (March 18) due to illness but entered to pinch hit in the fourth inning against Fort Wayne and knocked out a three-run homer.

• Sophomores Haley Hoogenraad and Madison Uden have started to hit their stride as everyday contributors this season. Uden, who has transitioned to the third base spot, has batted .452 (14-for-31) over the Wolverines' last 10 while Hoogenraad has tallied five multi-hit games over the same stretch.