Wolverines to Wrap Spring-Break Swing with Four Games at UCLA Invite

» No. 16 Michigan will face CSU Fullerton, No. 1 UCLA, Boston University and No. 22 UCF at the UCLA/LBSU Invitational this Thursday and Friday (March 5-6) in Los Angeles, California.
» U-M's game against the No. 1 Bruins will be its third against a top-three opponent in a week's time; the Wolverines dropped decisions to No. 2 Washington and No. 3 Texas at the Judi Garman Classic last weekend.
» Lexie Blair is hitting .476 over the last six games after batting .175 over the season's first 13 games, while LHP Meghan Beaubien owns a 0.35 ERA over her last three starts.

THIS WEEK
Thu-Fri., March 5-6 -- at UCLA/LBSU Invitational (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Tournament Central

Thursday, March 5 -- vs. CSU Fullerton, 4:30 p.m. PST
Live Stats | Live Audio
Thursday, March 5 -- at No. 1 UCLA, 7 p.m. PST
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Friday, March 6 -- vs. Boston University, 12:30 p.m. PST
Live Stats | Live Audio
Friday, March 6 -- vs. No. 22 UCF, 3 p.m. PST
Live Stats | Live Audio

• Complete Game Notes (PDF)

The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan softball team (13-6) will wrap up its spring-break trip with a four-game appearance at the UCLA/LBSU Invitational this Thursday and Friday (March 5-6) in Los Angeles, California. The Wolverines open tournament play Thursday (March 5) against Cal State Fullerton (12-7) at 4:30 p.m. PST and No. 1 UCLA (20-1) at 7 p.m. PST. U-M will conclude play on Friday with a 12:30 p.m. PST slate against Boston University (11-4) and a 3 p.m. PST game against No. 22 UCF (16-2). All four games will be played at UCLA's Easton Stadium.

• Michigan's game against No. 1 UCLA will be its third against a top-three opponent over its spring-break trip. The Wolverines fell to No. 2 Washington, 10-2, and No. 3 Texas, 1-0, at the Judi Garman Classic last weekend. U-M owns a 4-3 record against nationally ranked teams this season, including an 11-2, six-inning decision against then-No. 7 Florida.

• Michigan edged UCLA, 3-1, at last season's Judi Garman Classic in the most-recent meeting between the programs. The Bruins scored in the first inning before Michigan rallied with two runs in the sixth off three hits and an error, including an RBI single from Faith Canfield and, two batters later, an RBI double from Lexie Blair. Left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien allowed just three hits and no walks and struck out three for the complete-game win. UCLA went on to win the 2019 NCAA Women's College World Series.

• The Wolverines have won their last two games after snapping a five-game losing streak with an 8-2 decision over No. 25 Texas Tech last Saturday (Feb. 29). Prior to the losses, Michigan's 10-0 start was the its best since winning each of its first 24 games during the 2011 season.

• Sophomore left fielder Lexie Blair has been on a tear over the Wolverines' six spring-break games, batting .476 (10-for-21) with four doubles and matched a career best with a four-hit effort against Texas Tech. Blair, who led U-M offensively with a .406 average as a rookie last season, had only hit .175 over the first 13 games of the season.

• Senior designated player Abby Skvarce also has been consistent from the plate over the spring-break swing, batting .333 with four RBI from the cleanup spot in the order. Skvarce has started a career-best eight games this season, including five of the six slates over the last week in California.

• Sophomore right-handed pitcher Alex Storako ranks third nationally with 116 strikeouts on the season and third with a 13.2 strikeouts-per-game average. She posted a career-best 16 strikeouts in the season opener against Georgia State (Feb. 7) -- her previous best was 15 at Michigan State last season -- and has posted four additional double-digit efforts since, including two over her last three starts with 13 against Texas Tech and 15 against St. John's (March 3).

• Junior LHP Meghan Beaubien has posted a sterling 0.35 earned-run average over the Wolverines' spring-break trip, allowing just one earned run -- and three total -- over 24 innings pitched. She carried a perfect game into the sixth inning in a 1-0 loss to No. 3 Texas and similarly held a no-hitter until the fifth inning against Colorado State, settling for a four-hit complete-game shutout. Beaubien also posted a season-high 14 strikeouts against the Rams.

• Michigan is 6-3 in one-run games this season, including three 1-0 wins, two extra-inning decisions and a pair of walkoffs. Senior third baseman Madison Uden belted out a two-out solo homer to propel U-M to a 1-0 win against Colorado State in its Judi Garman finale. It was Uden's first home run of the season and second walk-off homer of her career.