Michigan
26-23, 10-12
Minnesota
35-16, 16-6
Wolverines Rally Big but Cannot Hang on in Loss at Minnesota
5/6/2023 3:03:00 PM | Softball
» Michigan scored eight runs in the fourth inning to take the lead but dropped a 13-10 decision at Minnesota.
» Minnesota scored nine runs, largely on two three-run homers, over the first two innings and plated three in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead.
» Ellie Mataya posted three hits and two RBI, while Lexie Voss tied a career high with three RBI.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The University of Michigan softball team plated eight runs in the fourth inning to rally from an early and sizable deficit but could not hang onto its narrow lead, falling to Minnesota 13-10 in a wild game on Saturday (May 6) at the Golden Gophers' Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
The Wolverines scored eight runs on six hits and three errors to take a 10-9 lead in the fourth inning, but Minnesota responded with three runs in the home half of the inning and added another in the fifth.
Michigan (26-23, 10-12 Big Ten) scored the first run of the game before the Golden Gophers (35-16, 16-6 Big Ten) plated nine runs over the opening two innings -- largely on a pair of three-run homers -- to push the game into run-rule territory early.
Michigan got one back on a third-inning sacrifice fly then exploded in the fourth, loading the bases before plating runs in five consecutive plate appearances. Senior designated player Lexi Voss, who tallied a sac fly to drive in the run in the third, drilled a two-run double to the left-center field wall to pull U-M within two before the Wolverines jumped on a wild pitch and subsequent throwing error to even the game at 9 just two pitches later. After the second Minnesota pitching change of the inning, sophomore shortstop Ella McVey punched an RBI single through the right side to push across the go-ahead run.
U-M's lead was short-lived as Minnesota tied the game again with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the inning before using back-to-back RBI singles to retake the lead.
Graduate-student outfielder Ellie Mataya posted three hits and two RBI to headline the Wolverine offense, while junior catcher Keke Tholl tallied two hits and Voss matched her career best with three RBI.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Lauren Derkowski (18-12) took the loss in relief, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk over the last three innings.
Michigan will wrap its regular season with a 1 p.m. CDT game at Minnesota on Sunday (May 7) at Cowles Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sydney Schwartz (2-1)
L: Derkowski, Lauren (18-12)
Batting:
2B: Voss, Lexi 1
RBI: Tholl, Keke 1 ; Livingston, Melina 1 ; Mataya, Ellie 2 ; Voss, Lexi 3 ; McVey, Ella 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sieler, Ellie 1 ; Langford, Indiana 2 ; Tholl, Keke 1 ; Ramey, Madi 1 ; Livingston, Melina 1 ; Mataya, Ellie 1 ; Voss, Lexi 1 ; LeClair, Audrey 1 ; McVey, Ella 1
SB: LeClair, Audrey 1
CS: McVey, Ella 1
Batting:
2B: Jess Oakland 1
HR: Jess Oakland 1 ; Natalie DenHartog 1 ; Taylor Krapf 2
RBI: Jess Oakland 4 ; Natalie DenHartog 1 ; Taylor Krapf 6 ; Clare Ceynowa 1 ; Breezy Burnett 1
SH: Amani Bradley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kayla Chavez 1 ; Amani Bradley 1 ; Jess Oakland 3 ; Natalie DenHartog 3 ; Taylor Krapf 2 ; Billi Connell 1 ; Sydney Strelow 1 ; Breezy Burnett 1
HBP: Natalie DenHartog 2 ; Sydney Strelow 1
