Michigan Splits Two at OSU; Hutchins Earns 1,600th Career Win

Saturday, April 13

Columbus, Ohio

2:00 PM

Michigan

29-10, 11-0

Ohio State

24-14, 8-5

Michigan

Ohio State

Natalia Rodriguez

Michigan Splits Two at OSU; Hutchins Earns 1,600th Career Win

4/13/2019 7:59:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan split a doubleheader to close its Ohio State series, winning 6-2 to clinch the series before dropping a 2-1 decision in eight innings in the finale.
» Head coach Carol Hutchins, already the winningest coach in NCAA softball history, became the first to reach 1,600 career wins; she is now 1,600-515-5 in her 36 seasons as a coach.
» Alex Sobczak led the Wolverines with three hits, three runs and two RBI on the day; she knocked out her team-best eighth home run in the first game.

Site: Columbus, Ohio (Buckeye Field)
Scores: #21 Michigan 6, Ohio State 2; Ohio State 2, #21 Michigan 1 (8 inn.)
Records: U-M (29-11, 11-1 Big Ten), OSU (25-14, 9-5 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, April 16 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 6 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The No. 21-ranked University of Michigan softball team closed out its weekend series against rival Ohio State with a doubleheader split, earning a 6-2 decision before dropping 2-1 heartbreaker in eight innings, on Saturday afternoon (April 13) at Buckeye Field. The loss -- U-M's first in Big Ten Conference play -- also snapped its 17-game winning streak.

Head coach Carol Hutchins earned her 1,600th career win with the Wolverines' decision in the first half of the twin bill. Already the winningest coach in NCAA softball history, Hutchins improved to 1,600-515-5 in her over her 36 seasons as a head coach, including the last 35 at Michigan.

The Wolverines' rallied from an initial deficit in the first game, after giving up back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the first. Michigan responded with three runs in the second and never trailed again in the game. Junior right fielder Haley Hoogenraad and senior catcher Katie Alexander -- the stars of U-M's win in the Ohio State opener yesterday (April 12) -- singled in consecutive at-bats to tie the game, and sophomore first baseman Taylor Bump followed with a sacrifice bunt to plate the go-ahead run.

Senior designated player Alex Sobczak cushioned the Wolverine lead with a first-pitch, two-run homer to straightaway center field for her team-best eighth long ball of the season, and freshman left fielder Lexie Blair added more insurance in the seventh with an RBI single to left-center. Sobczak led U-M on the day with three hits, three runs and two RBI.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien earned the win in relief, entering with the bases loaded and two outs in the third and using a lineout to short to get out of the jam. She finished with four strikeouts and five hits allowed through 4.1 shutout innings.

Beaubien was also stout in the finale, keeping Ohio State off the scoreboard until a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the seventh tied the game at 1, and sent it to extra innings.

Ohio State carried momentum into the eighth, reaching on a leadoff hit-by-pitch before stringing a pair of singles together to push across the winning run on a looped RBI single down the left-field line.

Michigan led the majority of the game after loading the bases with one out in the second. Sophomore Lou Allan entered to draw a pinch-hit, full-count walk to score the Wolverines' early run.

Michigan (29-11, 11-1 Big Ten) will return to the road to take on another rival on Tuesday (April 16) in East Lansing against Michigan State at Secchia Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.