Michigan
26-9, 5-1
Michigan State
10-17, 2-7
Wolverines Win in Five Innings, Extras to Sweep MSU Doubleheader
3/29/2025 7:10:00 PM | Softball
» Michigan swept its doubleheader, 15-3 in five innings, 9-8 in eight innings, to earn the series win against in-state rival Michigan State.
» Jenissa Conway knocked out home runs and totaled seven hits and 10 RBI in the twinbill.
» RHP Erin Hoehn earned both wins, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk with eight strikeouts over nine total innings.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Sophomore centerfielder Jenissa Conway hammered four home runs and totaled 10 RBI as the University of Michigan softball team swept its twinbill against in-state rival Michigan State, 15-3, in five innings and 9-8 in eight on Saturday afternoon (March 29) at the Wilpon Complex, home Carol Hutchins Stadium and Alumni Field.
Conway went 7-for-8 on the day and also scored five runs, including the game-winning walk-off in the second game. Freshman designated player Lauren Putz and sophomore rightfielder Ella Stephenson posted three hits apiece in the nightcap, with the latter driving in the winning run to secure the series win -- Michigan's third in Big Ten Conference play.
Sophomore RHP Erin Hoehn (13-2) earned both wins from the circle, holding the Spartans to one run on three hits and a walk in the first game and four runs on three hits through five relief innings in the second. She posted eight strikeouts over nine total innings of work.
The series finale was a back-and-forth slugfest, featuring five home runs with three from MSU first baseman Kaelin Cash as U-M first rallied then twice lost its lead late. But it was a bloop single that ultimately plated the winning run in the eighth inning. Conway and Putz led off with back-to-back singles to put a runner in scoring position, and Stephenson came through with a lofted fly ball to no-man's land in shallow center to score Conway from second base. It was Michigan's first walk-off of the season.
MSU scored 10 of its 11 runs on the day off home runs and stole the lead in the second game with a third-inning grand slam -- the first of Cash's three homers. Michigan answered with a four-spot of its own in the fourth, highlighted by Conway's three-run rocket that clanged off the top railing of the rightfield grandstand.
Michigan State homered to tie up the game in the fifth, Conway responded in kind in the home half with a two-run shot into the visitor's bullpen beyond leftfield, but Cash knotted things up again in the top of the seventh, connecting with the 1-2 pitch to drive a two-out, two-run blast to left center and set up extra innings.
With the four homers today, Conway upped her season total to 11 to tie Putz for the team lead. She posted career highs with four hits and six RBI in the second game. The six RBI were the most for a Wolverine player since Keke Tholl similarly posted six against Northwestern in 2023.
In the day's abbreviated first game, Michigan scored in each of its four turns at the plate en route to a season-high 15 runs, including 11 in the third inning.
The Spartans used three singles and a fielder's choice to manufacture a run in the top of the first, but Michigan responded immediately with Conway's no-doubt solo homer to centerfield in the home half before tacking on two more in the second inning. After a brief delay to repair the wet field between the top and bottom halves of the second, Michigan put its first three batters on and scored with a fielding error and sac fly.
Michigan put the game out of reach with its 11-run -- on nine hits and three walks -- third inning. The Wolverines scored in four straight at-bats, highlighted by a Conway three-run line-drive shot to the MSU bullpen beyond leftfield -- her second homer of the game and ninth of the season.
The home run brought on another Spartan pitching change, and U-M got back to work, putting two runners on then again plating runs in four consecutive at-bats, including an RBI double down the leftfield line from senior leftfielder Ellie Sieler and a two-run blast to centerfield for junior first baseman Madi Ramey. It was her fifth long ball of the season.
U-M added one more run in the fourth when junior/sophomore catcher Lilly Vallimont looped a base-loaded single to shallow rightfield, while Michigan State narrowed the final score with a two-run homer of its own in the top of the fifth.
Michigan (27-9) will travel to Eugene, Ore., for a three-game set against new Big Ten foe Oregon next weekend (Fri-Sun., April 4-6) at the Ducks' Jane Young Field. The teams will square off at 6 p.m. PT on Friday, 4 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. It will be Michigan's first-ever games played in the state of Oregon in program history.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hoehn, Erin (12-2)
L: Schuler, Jacey (5-10)
Batting:
HR: Hawley, Hannah 1
RBI: Hawley, Hannah 2 ; Greer, Hannah 1
SH: Kenyatta, Natalia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hawley, Hannah 2 ; Coffinger, Ava 1
HBP: Conroy, Payton 1 ; Coffinger, Ava 1
Batting:
2B: Stephenson, Ella 2 ; Sieler, Ellie 1
HR: Conway, Jenissa 2 ; Ramey, Madi 1
RBI: Langford, Indiana 1 ; Conway, Jenissa 4 ; Vallimont, Lilly 1 ; Sieler, Ellie 1 ; Erickson, Maddie 2 ; Ramey, Madi 3 ; McVey, Ella 1 ; Hoehn, Erin 1
SH: Ramey, Madi 1
SF: Hoehn, Erin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Langford, Indiana 1 ; Conway, Jenissa 2 ; Putz, Lauren 1 ; Stephenson, Ella 2 ; Vallimont, Lilly 1 ; Sieler, Ellie 3 ; Erickson, Maddie 1 ; Dellamonica, Lexi 1 ; Ramey, Madi 2 ; McVey, Ella 1
SB: McVey, Ella 1
