Michigan
30-7, 0
Penn State
6-25, 0
Seventh-Inning Surge Propels U-M Past Nittany Lions
4/7/2018 7:03:00 PM | Softball
» No. 17 Michigan scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to break up a scoreless tie and defeat Penn State, 3-0, in the second series meeting this weekend.
» Lou Allan knocked out a two-run homer in the seventh -- her second long ball of the weekend.
» Tera Blanco and Meghan Beaubien combined for a one-hit shutout and 12 strikeouts; Beaubien earned the win in relief.
Site: State College, Pa. (Beard Field)
Scores: #17 Michigan 3, Penn State 0
Records: U-M (30-7, 6-1 Big Ten), PSU (6-25, 2-6 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 8 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 1 p.m.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of freshman designated player Lou Allan, the No. 17-ranked University of Michigan softball team used a three-run seventh inning to break open a scoreless tie and defeat Penn State, 3-0, on Saturday afternoon (April 7) at the Nittany Lions' Beard Field.
The home run was Allan's second of the weekend -- and her collegiate career -- and was just the Wolverines' third hit in the ballgame. Michigan had struggled with runners in scoring position, leaving 12 stranded in the contest, but Allan came through in the seventh, following senior right-handed pitcher/first baseman Tera Blanco's leadoff double with a two-run shot to left center field.
Michigan added some insurance three batters later when, after a walk and a sacrifice bunt put senior pinch-runner Nikki Wald on second base with two outs, sophomore outfielder Haley Hoogenraad bounced a single through the left side. Wald rounded third and slid past the tag at home to cushion the U-M lead to three runs.
Blanco and freshman left-hander Meghan Beaubien combined for a one-hit shutout and 12 strikeouts. Beaubien (22-2) earned the decision in relief, entering with the game still scoreless in the sixth and retiring all six batters faced with three strikeouts. Blanco posted a season-high nine strikeouts through five innings and allowed just one hit and three walks.
Michigan (30-7, 6-1 Big Ten) will wrap up its three-game weekend series at Penn State with a 1 p.m. slate tomorrow (Sunday, April 8) at Beard Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Beaubien, Meghan (22-2)
L: Shaffer (2-13)
Batting:
2B: Blanco, Tera 1 ; Alexander, Katie 1
HR: Allan, Lou 1
RBI: Allan, Lou 2 ; Hoogenraad, Haley 1
SH: Uden, Madison 1 ; Hoogenraad, Haley 1 ; Rodriguez, Natalia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blanco, Tera 1 ; Allan, Lou 1 ; Wald, Nikki 1
SB: Peters, Natalie 2 ; Hoogenraad, Haley 1 ; Rodriguez, Natalia 1
HBP: Peters, Natalie 2
Batting:
2B: Legg 1
