Wolverines Surge to Run-Rule Win at Rival MSU

Saturday, May 2

East Lansing, Mich.

5:00 PM

Michigan

32-19, 0

Michigan State

17-33, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Michigan	0	1	2	0	5	1	9	9	0
Michigan State	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	3

Lilly Vallimont (Gabe Conn)

5/2/2026 8:10:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan scored five runs in the fifth in its 9-1, six-inning win at Michigan State.
» Ella Stephenson and Lilly Vallimont homered in the fifth inning; Stephenson finished with two hits and four RBI.
» Gabby Ellis allowed one run on just two hits and a walk and struck out two over six innings.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The University of Michigan softball team used a five-run fifth, featuring two homers and two pitching changes, to roll to a decisive 9-1 win in six innings and clinch its final series of the season against Michigan State on Saturday evening (May 2) at the Spartans' Secchia Stadium.

Junior left fielder Ella Stephenson went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and four RBI, while redshirt junior catcher Lilly Vallimont also homered for the second time in as many days.

The duo keyed Michigan's fifth-inning surge. The Wolverines led off with back-to-back singles to prompt an MSU pitching change and just two pitches later, Stephenson launched a three-run homer to left field for her 10th long ball this season. Junior center fielder Jenissa Conway kept the line moving with a single, drawing another pitching change, but again Vallimont wasted no time, blasting a two-run shot to center three pitches later -- her ninth home run this season -- to stretch the Michigan lead to 8-1.

Michigan scored the game's first run without a hit in the second inning. Conway worked a leadoff walk, advanced on a hit-by-pitch -- resulting from a lengthy Vallimont 13-pitch plate appearance -- and a flyout before scoring on a groundout to short.

The Wolverines added two with two outs in the third. Sophomore right fielder Lauren Putz drew a walk and came all the way around to score on a clutch RBI double off the wall in left-center from Stephenson. Conway followed with an RBI single to center in the next at-bat.

Michigan State used a leadoff solo home run in the bottom half for its lone run of the game, making it 3-1 after the third inning. Junior right-handed pitcher Gabby Ellis (11-6) went the distance, allowing just two hits and a walk with a pair of strikeouts.

After exploding for five runs in the fifth, Michigan tacked on another in the sixth to push the game into run-rule territory. Senior second baseman Janelle Ilacqua led off the inning with a first-pitch triple off the right-field wall, and junior Erin Hoehn quickly scored her with a pinch-hit RBI single up the middle.

The Wolverines (32-19, 10-13 Big Ten) will wrap its Michigan State series -- and the regular season -- with a noon slate on Sunday (May 3) at Secchia Stadium. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.