Michigan
Florida State
U-M Beats No. 21 LSU, Falls Narrowly to No. 5 FSU to Wrap SPC Elite Invite
2/19/2022 9:26:00 PM | Softball
» No. 19 Michigan defeated No. 21 LSU 6-1 to close out the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational after narrowly falling 2-1 to No. 5 Florida State 2-1 in the day's first game.
» Annabelle Widra and Ella McVey posted two hits, three runs and two RBI from the bottom of the order against LSU; Kristina Burkhardt tallied two hits and two RBI on the day.
» Alex Storako fanned 11 batters and allowed one run on four hits vs. LSU, while Meghan Beaubien gave up one run on two hits and walk with six strikeouts through 4.2 relief innings vs. FSU.
Site: Clearwater, Fla. (Eddie C. Moore Complex)
Event: St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational (Day 2 of 2)
Scores: #5 Florida State 2, #19 Michigan 1; #19 Michigan 6, #21 LSU 1
Records: U-M (5-4), FSU (8-0), LSU (5-5)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 25 -- vs. Northern Kentucky (Durham, N.C.), 4 p.m.
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan softball team closed out the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational with a 6-1 win over No. 21 LSU after dropping a close 2-1 decision to No. 5 Florida State on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 19) at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. The Wolverines split a set of four games at the premiere tournament, earning a pair of ranked wins -- their first of the season.
With the LSU win, Carol Hutchins reclaimed a share of the top spot among NCAA softball's all-time winningest coaches with a 1,674-537-5 record over her 39 seasons as a head coach. She shares the mantle with Arizona great Mike Candrea (1,674-436-2), the fellow Hall of Famer and eight-time NCAA champion who retired from coaching last spring.
Michigan's rookies stepped up at the bottom of the order to highlight the offensive performance against LSU (5-5). Freshman second baseman Annabelle Widra and freshman shortstop Ella McVey posted a hit and an RBI apiece and combined for three runs scored, while freshman outfielder Ellie Sieler added an RBI hit at the top of the order. Graduate student outfielder Kristina Burkhardt posted two hits and two RBI on the day.
The Wolverines were impressive from the circle in both contests. Senior right-handed pitcher Alex Storako (4-0) struck 11 LSU batters -- her third double-digit strikeout performance in five appearances -- while allowing a run with two outs in the seventh and four total hits. Graduate student left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien also allowed one run on just two hits and a walk and struck out six through 4.2 innings of relief against FSU. Freshman RHP Lauren Derkowski (0-2) took the loss against the Seminoles.
All six of U-M's runs against LSU came with two outs -- and all seven on the day -- as the Wolverines struck at the bottom of the order to break through in the second. Widra sliced an RBI double down the left-field line to plate the go-ahead run and came home herself when McVey connected with the 3-2 pitch and drove it up the middle in the next at-bat.
Widra and McVey, along with junior designated player Audrey LeClair, helped set the table again in the fourth, flipping the order and loading the bases for Burkhardt, who bounced a two-run single up the middle to double the Wolverine lead. Sieler beat out a swinging bunt down the first-base line to plate LeClair one batter later, while senior catcher Hannah Carson tacked on another with a roped RBI double in the fifth.
LSU spoiled the shutout bid in the seventh with a walk and a two-out RBI double -- the Tigers' first runner to advance beyond second base all game.
Florida State (8-0) took advantage of miscues to build its early lead in the day's first game, drawing a bases-loaded walk in the second and scoring on a two-out wild pitch with bases loaded in the third. Beaubien completed the inning-ending strikeout after the wild pitch to leave two in scoring position then did not allow against Seminole base runner over the final three frames.
Michigan (5-4) broke through with a run in the sixth, cutting the FSU lead in half when senior outfielder Lexie Blair drilled an RBI single through the left side. Burkhardt hurdled the bouncing ball and scored from second base. U-M stranded the tying run on second in the sixth and, after sophomore catcher Keke Tholl's leadoff single in the seventh, again left it on base at the end of the game.
The Wolverines will kick off their annual spring break trip with five games at the Duke Invitational next weekend in Durham, North Carolina. U-M will play two games apiece against Northern Kentucky and Duke as well as a single game against Army. Action kicks off against NKU at 4 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 25) at the Duke Softball Stadium.
