Uden's Walk-Off Homer Sends Wolverines Past PSU in Series Opener

Friday, April 26

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

35-11, 17-1

Penn State

23-27, 6-12

Penn State

Michigan

Uden's Walk-Off Homer Sends Wolverines Past PSU in Series Opener

4/26/2019 10:38:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» Madison Uden knocked out a leadoff homer in the bottom of the seventh as Michigan defeated Penn State, 6-5, in the series opener at Alumni Field.
» Uden's walk-off homer came after Penn State tied the game with a two-run, two-out homer in the top of the seventh; U-M also had to overcome a fifth-inning deficit.
» Faith Canfield and Lexie Blair posted three hits apiece and combined for three runs and five RBI.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Scores: #22 Michigan 6, Penn State 5
Records: U-M (35-11, 17-1 Big Ten), PSU (23-27, 6-12 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 27 -- vs. Penn State (Wilpon Complex), 2 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior third baseman Madison Uden led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a walk-off home run to propel the No. 22-ranked University of Michigan softball team to a 6-5 win over Penn State in the series opener on Friday evening (April 26) in front of a capacity Pink Game crowd of 2,490 at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.

Uden's home run quickly followed a game-tying, two-run homer from the Nittany Lions with two outs -- and two strikes -- in the top of the seventh. The Wolverine junior connected with a 1-1 pitch and lined it over the wall in right-center field. It was her fourth long ball of the season and the Wolverines' third walk-off win -- their second over their last three home games.

Michigan, which posted double-digit hits for the fourth straight game, got the bulk of production from the top of the lineup, where senior second baseman Faith Canfield and freshman left fielder Lexie Blair recorded three hits apiece. Canfield tallied two doubles, an RBI and three runs scored, while Blair posted four RBI and a double -- her team-best 19th two-bagger of the season.

Canfield and Blair both recorded RBI singles in the third inning to give Michigan the initial lead, but the Wolverines had to rally after Penn State knocked out a pair of home runs to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth.

Michigan got one back in the home half of the inning on an RBI single up the middle from Blair and retook the lead in the sixth when the Wolverine rookie drove a two-run double into the left-center gap. U-M used heads-up baserunning to put two in scoring position in the latter frame when sophomore shortstop Natalia Rodriguez and Canfield both advanced on a foul out near the third-base dugout that tripped up the PSU third baseman.

Penn State singled to lead off the top of the seventh, but back-to-back groundouts put the Wolverines just one out away before the two-run homer evened the score again.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien (23-4) allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. All five PSU runs came on long balls.

Michigan (34-11, 16-1 Big Ten) will continue its weekend series Saturday (April 27) with a 2 p.m. slate against Penn State at Alumni Field. Tickets are sold out.