Wolverines Rally to Claim Series Opener Against Ohio State

Friday, May 4

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

42-9, 17-2

Ohio State

33-12, 13-7

Ohio State

Michigan

Wolverines Rally to Claim Series Opener Against Ohio State

5/4/2018 10:18:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» No. 14 Michigan twice rallied from deficits and scored two in the bottom of the fifth to defeat Ohio State, 3-2, in the series opener.
» Lou Allan drove in the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded infield single to the edge of the left-field grass; Haley Hoogenraad posted two RBI.
» LHP Meghan Beaubien (31-3) struck out 11 and allowed just three hits -- two being solo home runs -- and no walks.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Score: #14 Michigan 3, Ohio State 2
Records: U-M (41-9, 16-2 Big Ten), OSU (33-11, 13-6 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, May 4 -- vs. Ohio State (Wilpon Complex), 1 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan softball team twice rallied from deficits, taking its first lead in the bottom of the fifth, to defeat rival Ohio State, 3-2, in the series opener Friday night (May 4) in front of a crowd of 2,490 at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.

Freshman Lou Allan drove in the go-ahead run with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, following sophomore left fielder Haley Hoogenraad's bases-loaded walk to tie the game with a hard ground ball to the edge of the grass at the 5-6 hole. Ohio State's shortstop came up with the ball but had nowhere to go with it as all Wolverine baserunners reached safely, including sophomore third baseman Madison Uden at home.

With the narrow lead in hand, freshman left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien only allowed one OSU baserunner through the final two frames, striking out three over the stretch. The Buckeyes reached on a one-out bloop single in the seventh, but Beaubien responded with a three-pitch strikeout and a flyout to right field to end the game.

Beaubien (31-3) struck out 11 -- her fourth game this season with double-digit strikeouts -- and allowed just three total hits and no walks. Two of the Buckeyes hits, however, were solo home runs -- in the second and fourth innings and twice gave OSU one-run leads.

Michigan responded the first time with an equalizing run in the home half of the second when, with two runners on, Hoogenraad dropped an RBI single on the left-field line -- her first of two RBI in the contest.

The Wolverines nearly took the lead in the fourth inning, loading the bases on three walks -- U-M had eight free bases in the game -- before junior center fielder Natalie Peters smacked a single up the middle that surely would have result in multiple runs but nicked the foot of a Michigan baserunner to instead end the inning.

Michigan (42-9, 17-2 Big Ten) will continue its Ohio State series tomorrow (Saturday, May 5) at 1 p.m. at Alumni Field. The game is sold out and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.