The University of Michigan softball team concluded its regular season over the weekend by taking two of three games from Minnesota, securing a spot in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. The Wolverines bounced back from a loss in the series opener to win the final two contests.
Senior right-handed pitcher Lauren Derkowski played a large role in the turnaround, pitching back-to-back complete games. She threw a shutout on Saturday in an 8-0 run-rule victory, allowing five hits and one walk.
Derkowski followed that performance with a one-hit shutout in a 3-0 win on Sunday, allowing only one hit in the third inning and a walk in the seventh. She struck out five batters on just 75 pitches, facing 22 hitters.
Michigan’s offense produced runs in all but one inning during Saturday's decisive victory. Junior third baseman Maddie Erickson drove in four runs with two hits, including a two-run single in the first and another in the fifth. Sophomore right fielder Ella Stephenson went 3-for-3 with an RBI and scored two runs..Junior first baseman Madi Ramey ended Saturday's game in the fifth inning with a solo home run to right-center field, pushing the team to the required run-rule advantage. It was her sixth home run of the season. Michigan softball scored 11 unanswered runs over the weekend.
The Gophers’ best scoring opportunity on Saturday came in the fourth inning, loading the bases with two outs, but Derkowski ended the threat with a strikeout. On Sunday, they were limited to a single hit and a walk. Minnesota closes out the regular season against the Michigan Wolverines this weekend.
Michigan finished the regular season with a 34-19 overall record and an 11-11 mark in Big Ten play. This record secured them the No. 8 seed in the Big Ten tournament.
As the university athletic year continues with various sports competing and preparing for future seasons, including the upcoming Michigan Football Schedule release, the softball team turns its focus to postseason play. The Wolverines will face No. 9 Wisconsin in the first round of the Big Ten tournament on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in West Lafayette, Indiana. The game is scheduled for broadcast on Big Ten Network.
