Michigan
Penn State
LeClair Delivers Walk-Off Hit in Wolverine Victory over Nittany Lions
4/9/2022 5:54:00 PM | Softball
• No. 22 Michigan clinched its weekend Penn State series with a 2-1 walk-off win in the seventh inning.
• Audrey LeClair used a single to shallow left to plate Melina Livingston for the winning run; LeClair and Livingston both posted two hits, while Livingston scored both U-M runs.
• RHP Alex Storako earned the win in relief, striking out three and allowing one hit over the final 1.1 innings.
• RHP Lauren Derkowski threw a career-high 5.1 innings with six strikeouts and one run allowed on three hits.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior outfielder Audrey LeClair delivered the walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the No. 22-ranked University of Michigan softball team to a 2-1 win over Penn State on Saturday (April 9) in front of 1,605 fans at Alumni Field inside the Wilpon Complex.
Graduate student Melina Livingston roped a leadoff double to the left-field wall to kickstart the Wolverines' seventh-inning surge, advanced on a flyout. and scored on LeClair's looped single into shallow left. Livingston, the PSU grad transfer who posted the game-ending homer in yesterday's series opener, and LeClair both tallied two hits in the contest, while Livingston scored both Michigan runs.
Michigan posted 10 hits but stranded a season-high 13 runners on base, including three in the third and two in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings. The Wolverines broke through to score their first run with two outs in the third. Livingston singled and scored when fifth-year senior Taylor Bump drove an RBI double to the left-center gap.
Penn State evened the score with a one-out solo homer in the fifth.
Senior RHP Alex Storako (17-4) earned the win in relief, striking out three while giving up one hit over the final 1.1 innings. She entered with the go-ahead run on second and two outs in the sixth and got a quick out before getting herself into and out of a jam while striking out the side in the seventh.
Freshman RHP Lauren Derkowski did the bulk of the work from the circle, throwing 5.1 innings -- the most of her collegiate career -- in no-decision appearance. Derkowski came in with the bases loaded and one out in the first frame and needed just five pitches to end the PSU threat with a swinging strikeout and flyout. She struck out six total Nittany Lions and allowed one run on three hits and no walks.
Michigan (23-11, 4-4 Big Ten) will wrap up the weekend series against Penn State at 1 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday, April 10) at Alumni Field. Tickets are still available through MGoBlue.com/tickets.
