Michigan
39-16
Maryland
24-30
Wolverines Plate 10 Runs in the Fifth to Beat Maryland in B1G Quarterfinals
5/9/2024 9:48:00 PM | Softball
» Michigan scored 10 runs in the fifth inning to earn a 10-0, five-inning win against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
» Avery Fantucci hit a pinch-hit grand slam to end the game; Ella McVey went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI in her return to her home state.
» RHP Lauren Derkowski allowed just two hits and three walks and struck out three in a complete-game shutout.
IOWA CITY, IOWA -- The University of Michigan softball team exploded for 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, highlighted by sophomore Avery Fantucci's game-ending pinch-hit grand slam, to beat Maryland, 10-0, in the Big Ten Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday evening (May 9) at Iowa's Bob Pearl Field.
With the victory, Michigan (39-16) advances to the second semifinal game tomorrow (Friday, May 10), taking on 11th-seeded Wisconsin at 6:30 p.m. CT at Pearl Field.
The Wolverines used three hits, an error and six free passes to generate their runs in the fifth. Junior shortstop Ella McVey, who went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI in her return to her home state, singled up the middle to lead off the inning -- her second leadoff hit of the game -- and U-M used a walk and an fielding error to load the bases with one out.
Michigan drew three consecutive walks -- all with full counts -- to break the scoreless tie. The Terrapins went the bullpen, but U-M kept scoring with three more runs in the next three at-bats. Sophomore/freshman catcher Lilly Vallimont looped an RBI single into shallow leftfield, followed by an RBI hit-by-pitch before McVey aired a sac fly into left in her second at-bat of the inning.
Michigan used another hit-by-pitch to reload the bases, and Fantucci entered to hit and ended the game just three pitches later, connecting with the 1-1 pitch and driving it deep to straightaway centerfield for her second long ball of the season. She also hit a game-ending three-run homer against Northern Colorado on Feb. 23.
Junior RHP Lauren Derkowski (17-8) allowed just two hits and three walks to earn the five-inning shutout. She posted three strikeouts, using two to leave runners stranded in the first and second innings. Maryland only reached second base once -- in the second inning -- while the Wolverines used a 5-3 double play to get out of the fourth and threw out a runner stealing to end the fifth.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Derkowski, Lauren (17-8)
L: C. Wyche (13-15)
Base Running:
CS: M. Mikami 1
HBP: D. Williams 1
Batting:
HR: Fantucci, Avery 1
RBI: Fantucci, Avery 4 ; Tholl, Keke 1 ; Stephenson, Ella 1 ; Conway, Jenissa 1 ; Vallimont, Lilly 1 ; Costales, Ava 1 ; McVey, Ella 1
SH: Sieler, Ellie 2
SF: McVey, Ella 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sieler, Ellie 1 ; Langford, Indiana 1 ; Fantucci, Avery 1 ; Dellamonica, Lexi 1 ; Ramey, Madi 1 ; Stephenson, Ella 1 ; Conway, Jenissa 1 ; Vallimont, Lilly 1 ; Ilacqua, Janelle 1 ; McVey, Ella 1
SB: Langford, Indiana 1 ; Conway, Jenissa 1
HBP: Sieler, Ellie 1 ; Costales, Ava 1
