Michigan
39-20
Texas
48-10
Wolverines Fall to No. 3 Texas, UCF at NCAA Regional to End 2025 Campaign
5/17/2025 11:25:00 PM | Softball
» Michigan fell 16-4 to No. 3-ranked host Texas in five innings and 10-8 to UCF in a wild back-and-forth elimination game to end its 2025 season.
» The second game featured five lead changes, and Michigan led after the first four innings before UCF took the lead for good in the fifth.
» Texas scored 13 of its 16 runs on homers, including three in the fourth inning when UT scored nine times to break the game open.
AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Michigan softball team saw its 2025 season come to an end after suffering a pair of losses on day two of the NCAA Regional, falling to host and No. 3 Texas 16-4 in five innings then a wild 10-8 contest against UCF in the evening elimination game on Saturday night (May 17) at the Longhorns' Red and Charline McCombs Field.
The second game featured five lead changes, and both teams scored in four consecutive innings. UCF scored last, plating three runs in the top of the fifth and holding the Wolverines scoreless for the remainder of the game.
Michigan held a narrow one-run advantage after the first, second, third and fourth innings when the teams matched each other run for run in the latter three frames.
The Wolverines scored their first four runs with two outs. Sophomore right fielder Ella Stephenson drove in the first with a looped single to right field in the first inning before Michigan used RBI singles up the middle to plate two in the second and another in the third. Junior shortstop Avery Fantucci and sophomore center fielder Jenissa Conway both collected RBI in the second inning as part of two-hit performances. Michigan had runners thrown out at the plate in both the first and second frames -- both times to end the inning.
UCF (35-23-1) benefited greatly from three Michigan errors -- one in the second inning and two in the fourth. Only four of the Knights' 10 total runs were earned, while their first seven came with two outs. They scored on a two-run single to right-center to take their first lead in the second, tied the game with a solo homer in the third, then retook the lead with four runs in the fourth, including three on a bases-clearing double to the right-field wall.
Michigan matched it with a four-spot of its own in the bottom half of the fourth, loading the bases with no outs before freshman designated player Lauren Putz punched an RBI single into left to induce a pitching change. Stephenson added her second RBI on a bases-loaded walk and after Michigan pushed across another on a double-play groundout, senior left fielder Ellie Sieler flared a two-out RBI single to shallow right to put U-M back in front.
The lead was again short-lived. UCF evened the score on a one-out solo homer, then took the lead for good with a two-run single off the left field wall.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Erin Hoehn (18-7) took the loss, allowing seven runs -- three earned -- on five hits and two walks through 1.1 innings of relief. Senior RHP Lauren Derkowski started and re-entered in the fifth, allowing three runs, with just one earned, on four hits and no walks over 5.2 innings.
Michigan was doomed by the long ball in its five-inning loss to host Texas (48-10), seeded sixth and ranked third nationally, in the earlier winner's bracket game. The game remained close through three innings before the Longhorns broke it open with a ninth-run fourth. Thirteen of Texas' 16 hits came from home runs, including three in the fourth inning.
The Wolverines scored first, manufacturing a run from a walk and a pair of bloop singles, and after Texas took a 5-1 lead on back-to-back homers with two outs in the third, Michigan answered with two four-base plays of its own. Junior second baseman Indiana Langford led off with a bunt single and scored when the throw to first sailed high and into an unmanned right field with Texas playing her in the shift. Conway knocked a solo homer deep to center field in the next at-bat -- her team-best 18th of the season.
Michigan brought in senior RHP Emerson Aiken to start the fourth and threw three total pitchers over the final two frames. Texas hit three home runs in the fourth, including a grand slam, to push the score into run-rule territory, and added two more runs in the fifth on a sacrifice fly and RBI double.
Sieler also scored one more for the Wolverines, leading off the fourth with a looping double to shallow left, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on junior first baseman Madi Ramey's single to right field.
Derkowski (17-13) took the loss in game one, allowing five runs on six hits with no walks and one strikeout through the opening three frames.
Michigan wrapped the season with a 39-21 record, captured its second straight Big Ten Conference Tournament title and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the 31st time in program history.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kavan, Teagan (22-4)
L: Derkowski, Lauren (17-12)
Batting:
2B: Henry, Kayden 2 ; Stewart, Katie 1
HR: Atwood, Reese 1 ; Stewart, Katie 2 ; Mitchell, Joley 1 ; Goode, Leighann 1 ; Bennett, Kaydee 1
RBI: Atwood, Reese 4 ; Stewart, Katie 3 ; Mitchell, Joley 4 ; Goode, Leighann 1 ; Bennett, Kaydee 3
SF: Atwood, Reese 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Maloney, Ashton 1 ; Henry, Kayden 3 ; Scott, Mia 2 ; Atwood, Reese 2 ; Stewart, Katie 3 ; Mitchell, Joley 1 ; Wallace, Adayah 1 ; Goode, Leighann 2 ; Bennett, Kaydee 1
SB: Henry, Kayden 1
CS: Bennett, Kaydee 1
Batting:
2B: Sieler, Ellie 1
HR: Conway, Jenissa 1
RBI: Conway, Jenissa 1 ; Vallimont, Lilly 1 ; Ramey, Madi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Langford, Indiana 2 ; Conway, Jenissa 1 ; Sieler, Ellie 1
