Pitching Highlights Wolverine Wins over Memphis, CSUN

Saturday, February 23

Baton Rouge, La.

Noon CT

Michigan

5-7

Memphis

5-8

Memphis

Michigan

Meghan Beaubien

Pitching Highlights Wolverine Wins over Memphis, CSUN

2/23/2019 10:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan bounced back to two wins Saturday at the LSU Invitational, defeating Memphis, 4-2, and CSUN, 8-0, to even its weekend record.
» Wolverine pitching stole the show; Meghan Beaubien posted her fourth career no-hitter against Cal State Northridge, while Alex Storako tallied a career-best 11 strikeouts against Memphis.
» Lexie Blair again paced U-M at the plate, tallying three hits and three RBI on the day.

Site: Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Park)
Event: LSU Invitational (Day 2 of 3)
Scores: Michigan 4, Memphis 2; Michigan 8, Cal State Northridge 0
Records: U-M (6-7), MEM (5-8), CSUN (4-7)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 24 -- at LSU - LSU Invitational (Baton Rouge, La.), 11:30 a.m. CST

BATON ROUGE, La. -- The University of Michigan softball team evened its weekend record with two wins on Saturday (Feb. 23), defeating Memphis, 4-2, and Cal State Northridge, 8-0, on day two at the at the LSU Invitational at Tiger Park.

The Wolverine pitching staff headlined the day, allowing just two runs on three hits while combining for 18 strikeouts. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien (2-3) earned her fourth collegiate no-hitter against CSUN in the nightcap, taking a perfect game into the fifth inning until a two-out hit-by-pitch spoiled the effort. In all, she allowed four baserunners on two HBP and two walks, and struck out seven.

Michigan posted 10 hits -- its fourth game this season with double-digit base knocks -- but also took advantage of several CSUN miscues to score three runs off errors and two more off wild pitches.

Freshman left fielder Lexie Blair pushed across the first and game-winning run on an RBI single to center in the third inning. Blair posted three hits and three RBI on the day.

The Wolverines took advantage of extra-base hits for score four in the top of the seventh. Freshman catcher Hannah Carson set the tone with a leadoff triple -- the first three-bagger for Michigan this season -- and scored on a wild pitch to the backstop in the next at-bat. Junior third baseman Madison Uden and senior pinch-hitter Mackenzie Nemitz sent RBI doubles to the wall on back-to-back pitches with two outs, while sophomore shortstop Natalia Rodriguez scored on another wild pitch.

Freshman right-hander Alex Storako (4-4) got the win against Memphis, posting a career-best 11 strikeouts while allowing two runs on three hits and four walks. Sophomore RHP Sarah Schaefer entered with one out and one on in the seventh and needed just nine pitches to force a groundout and game-ending lineout and secure her first collegiate save.

Michigan rallied from an initial deficit against the Tigers, who knocked out a first-pitch leadoff home run in the second inning -- both Memphis runs came off long balls -- before Michigan responded with three runs in the home half of the frame. U-M scored runs in three consecutive at-bats, with senior second baseman Faith Canfield and senior center fielder Natalie Peters using RBI singles to score the tying and go-ahead runs. Canfield, Peters and Blair combined for six hits and four RBI at the top of the lineup against Memphis.

Michigan (6-7) will conclude play at the LSU Invitational on Sunday (Feb. 24) when it takes on host LSU at 11:30 a.m. CST at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.