Michigan
Indiana
Wolverines Rally Past Hoosiers to Extend Win Streak
4/27/2018 10:29:00 PM | Softball
» No. 15 Michigan overcame an initial deficit to defeat Indiana, 5-1, in the series opener between the Big Ten's top two teams.
» The Wolverines used small ball to take the lead in the fourth and home runs from Aidan Falk and Haley Hoogenraad to pull away in the fifth.
» LHP Meghan Beaubien (28-2) shook off a slow start in the circle, finishing with nine strikeouts and one run allowed off six hits and two walks.
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Andy Mohr Field)
Score: #15 Michigan 5, Indiana 1
Records: U-M (39-7, 14-1 B1G), IU (23-26, 15-3 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 28 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), 1 p.m.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan softball team used both small ball and big home runs to rally back from an initial deficit and defeat Indiana, 5-1, in the series opener on Friday (April 27) at the Hoosiers' Andy Mohr Field. The Wolverines extended their win streak to 15 in a row.
Indiana took advantage of a leadoff hit-by-pitch to take the early lead on an RBI double -- off the bat of sophomore third baseman Madison Uden's older sister, Taylor -- two batters later. The Wolverines responded with five unanswered runs, however, to chase Hoosier ace Tara Trainer from the circle and pull away.
Michigan's comeback started with several free bases in the fourth inning. The Wolverines loaded the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch before junior Alex Sobczak drove in the tying run on a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to left field. Indiana issued an intentional walk to reload the bases with two outs and get to junior center fielder Natalie Peters, and she made them pay, beating out a slow-rolling RBI single to push across the go-ahead run.
The Wolverines cushioned their advantage with three runs in the fifth inning thanks to home runs from senior right fielder Aidan Falk and sophomore left fielder Haley Hoogenraad. Uden led off the inning with a double to left center -- responding her sister's double with one of her own -- and Falk followed with a two-run bomb to left field -- her seventh long ball of the season. After a pitching change and back-to-back strikeouts, Hoogenraad found a similar spot beyond the left-field fence with a first-pitch solo shot -- her third this year.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien (28-2) shook off a sluggish start to settle in, finishing the game with nine strikeouts and the one run allowed off six hits and two walks.
After Indiana threatened again in the sixth, loading the bases with just one out, Beaubien forced back-to-back ground balls to get out of the jam. She set the Hoosiers down in order in the seventh on a strikeout looking, popout back to the circle and groundout to third to end the game.
Michigan (39-7, 14-1 Big Ten) will again square off against Indiana for game two of the weekend series tomorrow (Saturday, April 28) at 1 p.m. at Andy Mohr Field.
