Wolverines Edge No. 12 Minnesota to Capture Big Ten Tournament Title

Saturday, May 11

Bloomington, Ind.

3:00 PM

Michigan

43-11

Minnesota

41-12

Michigan

Minnesota

Wolverines Edge No. 12 Minnesota to Capture Big Ten Tournament Title

5/11/2019 7:19:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan built its lead through the fourth and fifth innings and held on to defeat No. 12 Minnesota, 3-2, for its 10th Big Ten Tournament title in program history.
» Madison Uden broke through with an RBI double in the fourth inning, while Lou Allan and Natalie Peters earned an RBI each in the fifth.
» Meghan Beaubien allowed two runs on eight hits and no walks to claim the win and Big Ten Tournament MVP honors; Alex Storako earned the final six outs for the save.

Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Andy Mohr Field)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (Championship Game)
Scores: #21 Michigan 3, #12 Minnesota 2
Records: U-M (43-11), Minnesota (40-13)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 12 -- NCAA Selection Show (ESPN2), 9 p.m.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The No. 21-ranked University of Michigan softball team captured its 10th Big Ten Conference Tournament crown with a gritty 3-2 decision over No. 12 Minnesota on Saturday afternoon (May 11) at Indiana's Andy Mohr Field. With the tournament win, the Wolverines swept the conference's regular-season and tournament titles in less than a week's time.

It is Michigan's first Big Ten Tournament title since similarly sweeping the conference crowns in 2015. U-M also achieved the feat in 1995, '96, '99, 2002 and 2005.

The Wolverines built a 3-0 lead through the fourth and fifth innings, but a 22-minute rain delay in the sixth looked to be a momentum killer as Minnesota led off the home half with three straight hits, including a leadoff solo home run.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Alex Storako entered with runners on the corners and no outs, allowed a sacrifice fly that narrowed U-M's lead to 3-2 before getting out of the jam with a swinging strikeout and a fly out. Freshman left fielder Lexie Blair made perhaps the play of the game for the latter out, diving to catch a sinking fly ball, save a run and halt the Gopher rally.

Storako sacrificed a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh, which flipped Minnesota's order, but retired the top of its lineup in order on a pair of pop outs and another -- more routine -- fly out to left field. She picked up her second collegiate save with the effort.

Minnesota also recorded the bulk of the early opportunities, posting four hits over the opening three frames, but it was the Wolverines that broke through first, taking advantage of extra-base hits to push three runs across the fourth and fifth.

Junior third baseman Madison Uden broke the scoreless tie in the fourth with a two-out double to the left-center gap, scoring senior center fielder Natalie Peters -- who reached on a leadoff single for U-M's first base hit of the game -- from second base.

Senior catcher Katie Alexander and sophomore Lou Allan also used doubles in the fourth to cushion the Wolverine lead. Alexander found a similar spot in left-center to lead off and chase the Gopher starter and bring in Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Amber Fiser. The pitching move did little to stymie the Michigan momentum as Allan banged a pinch-hit double hard off the fence down the left-field line. Peters drove in another run two batters later on a high-chop groundout up the middle.

Sophomore left-hander Meghan Beaubien (28-4) allowed two runs on eight hits -- three after the rain delay -- and no walks and struck out four to earn the victory. Prior to the delay, she allowed just two Gopher runners to reach scoring position.

Beaubien was named the Big Ten Tournament MVP, while Blair, senior second baseman Faith Canfield and Peters joined her on the all-tournament team.

The NCAA Tournament bracket and regional sites will be announced tomorrow Sunday (May 12) at 9 p.m. on ESPN2. Michigan has been in the NCAA field in each of the last 25 seasons, reaching the Women's College World Series 12 times and winning the 2005 national championship.