Michigan's Bats Quieted by Dukes as Wolverines Fall in NCAA Regional Final

Monday, May 20

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

35-12

James Madison

49-8

Michigan

James Madison

Alex Sobczak

Michigan's Bats Quieted by Dukes as Wolverines Fall in NCAA Regional Final

5/20/2019 7:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Postgame Report Tournament Central

By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Event: NCAA Regional (Day 3 of 3)
Scores: #16 James Madison 3, #19 Michigan 0; #16 James Madison 2, #19 Michigan 1
Records: U-M (45-13), JMU (51-8)
Next U-M Event: Season Completed

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan softball team saw its spectacular 2019 season come to a heartbreaking end on Monday (May 20), as 16th-ranked James Madison won twice on the Wolverines' home field, 3-0, 2-1, to rally back in the NCAA Regional finale and advance to next weekend's NCAA Super Regional.

With a packed Monday afternoon crowd on hand at the Wilpon Complex, home to Alumni Field, after yesterday's lengthy rain delay, Michigan managed just one run off James Madison ace and three-time NFCA All-American Megan Good to drop its first home games of the season.

Senior first baseman Alex Sobczak, who went 3-for-3 in the second slate and reached base in five of six plate appearances on the day, sparked a seventh-inning rally in the regional rubber match, driving a one-out solo homer deep to left field -- her 10th homer of the season.

» Michigan fell twice to James Madison, 3-0 and 2-1, in the NCAA Regional final to end its 2019 season.
» The Wolverines scored just once against JMU All-America pitcher Megan Good; Alex Sobczak went 3-for-3 in the rubber match and homered in the seventh inning in an attempted U-M rally.
» Meghan Beaubien was stout despite taking both losses, allowing five total runs on 11 hits and five walks while striking out eight JMU batters through 12 innings pitched.

Junior third baseman Madison Uden, the walk-off hero from Saturday's 1-0, 12-inning win against the Dukes, looped a first-pitch single to left-center to keep it going before a hard lineout to center -- right at the JMU center fielder -- and a strikeout ended the threat and the game.

Three of JMU's five runs on the day came via solo home runs, including Good's leadoff shot to right-center in the fourth inning to help her own cause in the nightcap. The Dukes added a second run in the fifth inning, using a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt to put a runner in scoring position and score her on an RBI single to center field.

The Dukes homered in the third and fourth innings to break through in the day's first slate. Shortstop Sara Jubas led off the latter frame with a solo shot to left field and nearly cleared the fence again in the sixth, banging an RBI double off the top of the wall in left-center.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien (30-6) was stout in the circle despite taking both losses. She allowed five total runs on 11 hits and five walks while striking out eight JMU batters through 12 innings pitched.

The Wolverines wrapped the season with a 45-13 overall record, sweeping the Big Ten Conference regular-season and tournament crowns before hosting their first NCAA Regional since 2016.