Wolverines Shut Out Liberty in Gamecock Invitational Opener

Friday, February 21

Columbia, S.C.

12:30 PM

Michigan

10-0

Liberty

1-10

Liberty

Michigan

Lou Allan (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Shut Out Liberty in Gamecock Invitational Opener

2/21/2020 3:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» No. 8 Michigan earned a gritty 1-0 shutout win against Liberty in its Gamecock Invitational opener to improve to 10-0 on the season.
» Alex Storako (5-0) and Meghan Beaubien combined for the four-hit shutout and 16 strikeouts; Storako fanned 13 for her third double-digit strikeout effort this season.
» Lou Allan drove in the lone run with an RBI single in the third inning; Julia Jimenez doubled in the previous at-bat and scored from second base.

Site: Columbia, S.C. (Carolina Softball Stadium)
Event: Gamecock Invitational (Day 1 of 3)
Score: #8 Michigan 1, Liberty 0
Records: U-M (10-0), LU (1-10)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 22 -- vs. Iowa State - Gamecock Invitational, Day 2 (Columbia, S.C.), 12:30 p.m.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan softball team gritted through a one-run decision to keep its undefeated season going, defeating Liberty, 1-0, in its Gamecock Invitational opener on Friday afternoon (Feb. 21) at the Carolina Softball Stadium. The Wolverines improved to 10-0 on the season; half of their wins have been decided by just one run.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Alex Storako and junior LHP Meghan Beaubien combined for the shutout win -- Michigan's third of the season -- with 16 strikeouts and just four hits allowed. Storako (5-0) got the win and accumulated double-digit strikeouts for the third time this season with 13 through 5.2 innings. Beaubien entered in the sixth and recorded the final four outs for her second save in as many appearances.

With hits hard to come by for both teams, the Wolverines strung together two in the third to plate the game's lone tally. Freshman second baseman Julia Jimenez laced a one-out double down the left-field line and scored when junior first baseman Lou Allan singled up the middle four pitches later. It was Allan's team-best seventh RBI of the season.

Liberty, who owns a 1-8 record against ranked opponents this season and has faced six straight top-10 opponents, threatened in the sixth after a walk, single and wild pitch put two runners in scoring position with two outs. Beaubien entered and used a swinging strikeout to get out of the jam before tossing a 1-2-3 frame in the seventh.

Michigan (10-0) will continue play at the Gamecock Invitational with two games Saturday (Feb. 22), taking on Iowa State at 12:30 p.m. and No. 22-ranked South Carolina at 3 p.m. at the Carolina Softball Stadium. The latter slate against the host Gamecocks will be streamed live on SEC Network Plus.