Wolverines Beat Illinois State to Wrap Opening Weekend

Sunday, February 11

Tampa, Fla.

9:00 AM

Michigan

3-2

Illinois State

1-3

Illinois State

Michigan

Alex Sobczak

Wolverines Beat Illinois State to Wrap Opening Weekend

2/11/2018 11:59:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» No. 18 Michigan earned a 6-1 win against Illinois in its final game of the season-opening USF Wilson-Demarini Tournament.
» The Wolverines posted a season-high 13 hits. Aidan Falk went 2-for-3, including a two-run single in the first inning.
» LHP Megan Beaubien recorded six strikeouts and allowed one run on two hits, a walk and a hit by pitch. RHP Sarah Schaefer made her debut in relief and added two strikeouts and allowed two hits.

Site: Tampa, Fla. (USF Softball Stadium)
Event: USF Wilson-Demarini Tournament (Day 3 of 3)
Scores: #18 Michigan 6, Illinois State 1
Records: U-M (3-2), ISU (1-3)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 16 -- vs. Notre Dame - ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Tallahassee, Fla.), 4 p.m.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The No. 18-ranked University of Michigan softball team closed out its opening weekend with a win, defeating Illinois State, 6-1, Sunday morning (Feb. 11) on the final day of USF Wilson-Demarini Tournament action at USF Softball Stadium.

The Wolverines registered a season-high 13 hits, including multi-hit efforts from five different players, most notably senior rightfielder Aidan Falk, who went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in, and junior second baseman Faith Canfield, who posted two hits and one RBI. The captain duo headlined U-M's offensive efforts all weekend, batting .400 and .389, respectively, through five games.

Freshman LHP Meghan Beaubien (2-1) struck out six while allowing one run on two hits, a walk and a hit by pitch -- all in the second inning. Freshman RHP Sarah Schaefer made her collegiate debut in relief in the fifth inning and added two more strikeouts while giving up a pair of hits.

Michigan struck quickly, stringing together three straight singles -- and taking advantage of a pair of outfielder errors -- to push across two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Falk drove in both on a single to right-centerfield.

The Wolverines built their lead with runs in each of the next three frames. Canfield pounded an RBI double to the leftfield wall -- nearly over it -- in the second inning, and junior catcher Alex Sobczak knocked an RBI single to the opposite field in the third.

U-M closed out scoring with runs in back-to-back at-bats in the fourth. Junior Mackenzie Nemitz used a groundout with two runners in scoring position to earn her first collegiate RBI -- in her first at-bat since missing all of last season with injury. Sophomore outfielder Thais Gonzalez followed with an RBI single to leftfield.

Tweet of the Game

It's a long season, and the Wolverines are off and running. Lots to build on from opening weekend. @aidanclaire5 #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/RalzA1Feyt
— Michigan Softball (@umichsoftball) February 11, 2018

Michigan (3-2) will return to the Sunshine State next weekend, heading to Tallahassee, Florida, for the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Wolverines will play two games apiece against Notre Dame and host Florida State, kicking off the weekend with a 4 p.m. slate against the Fighting Irish on Friday (Feb. 18) at the Seminoles' JoAnne Graf Field.