Wolverines Bounce Back with NCAA Regional Win over UIC

Saturday, May 19

Lexington, Ky.

7:00 PM

Michigan

44-12

Illinois Chicago

33-21

Michigan

Illinois-Chicago

Wolverines Bounce Back with NCAA Regional Win over UIC

5/19/2018 10:26:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» No. 17 Michigan scored in four separate innings to earn a 6-0 win over UIC in its first NCAA Regional elimination game.
» Natalie Peters went 2-for-2 with three runs and two walks; Tera Blanco knocked out a two-run homer in the third inning.
» LHP Meghan Beaubien struck out nine through five no-hit innings; UIC spoiled U-M's no-hit bid with an infield single in the seventh.

Site: Lexington, Ky. (John Cropp Stadium)
Event: NCAA Regional (Day 2 of 3)
Score: #17 Michigan 6, Illinois Chicago 0
Records: U-M (44-12), UIC (33-21)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 20 -- vs. Notre Dame - NCAA Regional (Lexington, Ky.), noon

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan softball team extended its season with a strong bounce-back win in the NCAA Regional elimination bracket, cruising to a 6-0 win against Illinois-Chicago on Saturday evening (May 19) at Kentucky's John Cropp Stadium.

The Wolverines (44-12) will rematch Notre Dame, who handed U-M a 4-1 loss in the regional opener, in another elimination game at noon tomorrow (May 20) at Cropp Stadium. Michigan will need to win two games tomorrow to force an "if necessary" regional final.

Freshman left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien (33-5) was spectacular from the circle, striking out nine Flames while allowing no hits and one walk over five innings. UIC broke up the no-hit bid on a seventh-inning infield single, but freshman right-handed pitcher Sarah Schaefer responded with back-to-back strikeouts to wrap up the combined shutout.

Michigan took advantage of UIC miscues to plate a handful of its runs, including the first and game-winning tally in the top of the first. Junior center fielder Natalie Peters, who went 2-for-2 with three runs and two walks, led off the game with a five-pitch base on balls, swiped second base and scored on back-to-back throwing errors on the same play.

Peters also initiated the Wolverines' two-out rally in the top of the third with a double over the UIC right fielder. Just one pitch later, senior first baseman Tera Blanco bombed a two-run homer deep down the left-field line and into the TV camera scissor lift beyond the wall -- her 11th long ball of the season -- to cushion the Michigan lead.

The Wolverines added another two-out run in the fourth. With sophomore third baseman Madison Uden on second base after a leadoff walk and steal, junior catcher Katie Alexander smacked a bouncing RBI single up the middle -- her first of two hits in the contest.

Michigan manufactured two more runs in the fifth, scoring on a wild pitch and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to close out its offensive production.