Michigan
Central Michigan
Wolverines to Host Central Michigan in 2018 Home Opener
3/20/2018 5:26:00 PM | Softball
» No. 17 Michigan kicks off its 2018 home schedule with a 4 p.m. Midweek MACtion contest against in-state foe Central Michigan at the Wilpon Complex.
» Michigan carries a 16-game win streak into the midweek slate and has outscored its opposition, 104-6, over the stretch.
» Freshmen pitchers Sarah Schaefer and Meghan Beaubien combined for four shutout wins last weekend at the Miami Invitational; Schaefer was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after tossing a perfect game against Robert Morris.
THIS WEEK
Wednesday, March 21 -- vs. Central Michigan (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.
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The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan softball team (22-6) will kick off the home portion of its 2018 schedule when its plays host to in-state foe Central Michigan (9-11) at 4 p.m. on Wednesday (March 21) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.
• The Wolverines carry a 16-game win streak into the week. It is the program's longest win streak since it claimed 19 in a row during the 2016 season. Michigan has outscored its opposition, 104-6, over the 16-game stretch, which dates back to its Wichita State game on Feb. 24.
• Michigan comes off an especially impressive weekend at the Miami University Invitational (March 17-18), during which it recorded four straight shutout win and outscored the weekend opposition, 35-0.
• Freshmen pitchers Sarah Schaefer and Meghan Beaubien combined for a 0.00 earned-run average, 32 strikeouts and just 10 hits and seven walks allowed over 26 innings pitched at the Miami Invitational. Both Wolverine rookies registered a pair of complete-game shutouts.
• Schaefer was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week and Co-Freshman of the Week after posting a 2-0 record and earned the first wins of her collegiate career behind 12 scoreless innings of work at the Miami Invitational. She threw a five-inning perfect game against Robert Morris with six strikeouts and on just 49 pitches. Schaefer also tossed a three-hit shutout with six strikeouts against Dayton in the Wolverines' tournament opener.
• Schaefer's perfect game was the eighth in program history and the first by a Wolverine pitcher since Jordan Taylor tossed two over a 12-game stretch in 2010. She and Beaubien have recorded no-hitters over their first six weeks of collegiate ball.
• Michigan's hitting was also strong last weekend, as the Wolverines combined for a .366 batting average with a .580 slugging percentage and .474 on-base percentage. Four Wolverine starters hit .500 or better, most notably sophomore second baseman Faith Canfield, who hit .692 (9-for-13) with three runs batted in.
• Senior first baseman/right-handed pitcher Tera Blanco carries a 13-game hit streak -- which matches her career long -- with a .366 batting average, seven extra-base hits and 12 RBI over the stretch. Blanco missed two starts last Sunday (March 18) due to illness, but entered to pinch-hit in the fourth inning against Fort Wayne and knocked out a three-run homer.
• Sophomores Haley Hoogenraad and Madison Uden have started to hit their stride as everyday contributors this season. Uden, who has transitioned to the third-base spot, has batted .500 (15-for-30) over the Wolverines' last 10 games -- a team high over the stretch -- while Hoogenraad has tallied four multi-hit games over the same stretch.
