Michigan
14-10
Kent State
6-13
Michigan Follows Blowout Win with Comeback Victory to Sweep Kent State
3/17/2019 7:48:00 PM | Softball
» Michigan wrapped up its series sweep against Kent State, taking both sides of a twinbill, 18-1 in five innings and 8-1, at Alumni Field.
» Lexie Blair and Natalie Peters both posted grand slams and six RBI in the day's first game, while Katie Alexander, Faith Canfield and Mackenzie Nemitz all knocked out sixth-inning homers in the second slate.
» LHP Meghan Beaubien posted eight strikeouts and allowed no runs and just three hits in 4.1 innings en route to a win and a save.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Scores: #25 Michigan 18, Kent State 1 (5 innings); #25 Michigan 8, Kent State 1
Records: U-M (15-10), KSU (6-14)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, March 19 -- vs. Western Michigan (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 25-ranked University of Michigan softball team carried its offensive momentum to a series sweep against Kent State, taking both sides of a doubleheader, 18-1 in five innings and 8-1, on Sunday (March 17) in front of 1,124 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.
The Wolverines posted season highs with 18 runs and 13 hits in the day's first slate and knocked out five home runs in the twinbill, including grand slams from freshman leftfielder Lexie Blair and senior centerfielder Natalie Peters in game one; both posted six RBI in the contest. Blair went 6-for-7 on the afternoon, while senior catcher Katie Alexander, senior second baseman Faith Canfield and senior designated player Mackenzie Nemitz all posted sixth-inning home runs in the nightcap.
Sophomore LHP Meghan Beaubien (8-3) earned the win in the first slate, striking out five while allowing three hits through three innings, and she added three more strikeouts en route to a save in the nightcap. Freshman RHP Alex Storako (6-6) earned the game-two win, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six through 5.2 frames.
Michigan plated 10 runs in the first inning of the day's opener, including five off the bat of Blair, who drove in the Wolverines' first run on an RBI double to left field before belting out her first collegiate grand slam -- and second home run -- in her second at-bat of the inning on a line-drive shot over the wall in right-center.
Peters, who pushed across runs on a RBI single in the first and RBI groundout in the second, posted her first collegiate grand slam in the third inning with a shot to left-center. The grand slam came as part of a five-run third inning, pushed U-M's lead to 18 runs and closed out its scoring in the game.
The Wolverines had to rally in the nightcap after giving up a second-inning run on a somewhat controversial sacrifice fly. Peters' throw from center beat the runner at home, and Alexander applied the tag but was called for interference.
Alexander got the run back with a sacrifice fly of her own in the fourth inning, and Canfield put Michigan ahead two batters later with a two-run single up the middle. After Beaubien entered to deliver a third-out punchout to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the top half of the sixth inning, Alexander, Canfield and Nemitz homered to break the game open in the bottom of the sixth.
Alexander led off with her team-high fourth long ball of the season, skying a fly ball that appeared to catch in the wind and drop in just beyond the left-field wall. Canfield followed two batters later with a solo home run of her own to straightaway center -- her third of the season -- while Nemitz went deep for three runs, airing out another skied fly ball just fair down the right-field line for her first collegiate home run.
Michigan (15-10) will return for another non-conference slate on Tuesday (March 19), hosting in-state foe Western Michigan at 4 p.m. at Alumni Field. Tickets are available through the U-M Ticket Office.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Storako, Alex (6-6)
L: SCALI, Andrea (6-6)
S: Beaubien, Meghan (1)
Batting:
RBI: SCALI, Andrea 1
SF: SCALI, Andrea 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WHITT, Brooklyn 1
HBP: CEGLEDY, Maria 1
Batting:
2B: Uden, Madison 1
HR: Canfield, Faith 1 ; Nemitz, Mackenzie 1 ; Alexander, Katie 1
RBI: Canfield, Faith 3 ; Nemitz, Mackenzie 3 ; Alexander, Katie 2
SF: Alexander, Katie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Canfield, Faith 1 ; Peters, Natalie 1 ; Gonzalez, Thais 1 ; Nemitz, Mackenzie 1 ; Uden, Madison 1 ; Hoogenraad, Haley 1 ; Alexander, Katie 1 ; Rodriguez, Natalia 1
SB: Blair, Lexie 2 ; Alexander, Katie 1 ; Rodriguez, Natalia 1
