Michigan Drops Gamecock Invite Games to Iowa State, No. 22 South Carolina

Saturday, February 22

Columbia, S.C.

12:30 PM

Michigan

10-1

Iowa State

7-5

Iowa State

Michigan

(Michigan Photography)

Michigan Drops Gamecock Invite Games to Iowa State, No. 22 South Carolina

2/22/2020 6:10:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» No. 8 Michigan dropped its first games of the 2020 season on day two at the Gamecock Invitational, falling to Iowa State, 5-1, and No. 22 South Carolina, 3-0.
» U-M produced just one run on nine total hits on the day, including a season-low two against the Gamecocks; Abby Skvarce and Hannah Carson recorded hits in both games.
» Michigan tied the Iowa State game in the fifth but allowed four runs in the top of the seventh.

Site: Columbia, S.C. (Carolina Softball Stadium)
Event: Gamecock Invitational (Day 2 of 3)
Score: Iowa State 5, #8 Michigan 1; #22 South Carolina 3, #8 Michigan 0
Records: U-M (10-2), ISU (7-5), USC (8-3)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 22 -- vs. Liberty (Columbia, S.C.), 10 a.m.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan softball team struggled offensively, producing just one run in consecutive losses -- its first of the 2020 season -- to Iowa State, 5-1, and No. 22 South Carolina, 3-0, on the second day of action at the Gamecock Invitational on Saturday (Feb. 22) at the Carolina Softball Stadium.

The Wolverines tallied nine total hits on the day, including a season-low two in the second slate against South Carolina (8-3). Senior designated player Abby Skvarce and sophomore catcher Hannah Carson were the only Michigan players to post hits in both contests, while freshman second baseman Julia Jimenez recorded the day's lone RBI as part of a 2-for-4 effort against Iowa State.

After trailing most of the game against the Cyclones on a first-inning solo home run, Michigan evened the score in the fifth with a pair of singles from freshman designated player Lauren Esman and Jimenez, who drove a two-out rope up the middle to plate the tying run.

Iowa State (7-5) surged ahead just two frames later, using three hits, two walks and a throwing error to score four runs -- all with two outs -- in the seventh. The Wolverines threatened in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with no outs, but could not capitalize.

The Wolverines were doomed by a pair of extra-base hits in the South Carolina slate. The Gamecocks used a two-run homer in the second to push across the game-winning runs and added an insurance tally with a fifth-inning RBI triple. Michigan twice put a runner on third base, notably with one out in the seventh inning, but could not score on a shallow fly ball to left and subsequent game-ending groundout.

Junior LHP Meghan Beaubien (5-1) took the loss against Iowa State, allowing two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts through 6.0 innings, while sophomore RHP Alex Storako (5-1) allowed three runs on four hits and two walks and struck out seven through 4.2 innings to earn the decision against South Carolina. Freshman RHP Chandler Dennis made her collegiate debut and appeared in both games; she gave up one hit and posted one strikeout through 1.2 innings pitched.

Michigan (10-2) will wrap play at the Gamecock Invitational on Sunday (Feb. 23) when it takes on Liberty at 10 a.m. at the Carolina Softball Stadium. The Wolverines narrowly defeated Liberty, 1-0, in their weekend opener on Friday (Feb. 21).