U-M Rallies Past NC State, Falls Short Against No. 7 Arizona on Opening Day

Friday, February 8

Tampa, Fla.

10:00 AM

Michigan

1-0

North Carolina State

0-1

NC State

Michigan

Alex Storako

U-M Rallies Past NC State, Falls Short Against No. 7 Arizona on Opening Day

2/8/2019 7:30:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery (N.C. State)Photo Gallery (Arizona)

By: Leah Howard

» No. 19 Michigan split its opening-day games, rallying past North Carolina State, 4-3, before falling just short, 2-1, in its attempted comeback against No. 7 Arizona at the USF Opening Weekend Invitational.
» U-M manufactured its comeback runs against the Wolfpack, using a walk, three hit batters and a fielding error to plate three in the fifth inning.
» Freshman RHP Alex Storako took both decisions on the day, including a six-strikeout and hitless three innings in relief to earn her first collegiate win against NC State.

Site: Tampa, Fla. (USF Softball Stadium)
Event: USF Opening Weekend Invitational (Day 1 of 3)
Scores: #19 Michigan 4, NC State 3; #7 Arizona 2, #19 Michigan 1
Records: U-M (1-1), NCSU (0-1), Arizona (1-0)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 9 -- vs. Florida - USF Opening Weekend Invitational (Tampa, Fla.), 10:30 a.m.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan softball team split its opening-day games, rallying to defeat North Carolina State, 4-3, before coming up just short in its rally attempt against No. 7 Arizona, falling 2-1, at the annual USF Opening Weekend Invitational on Friday (Feb. 8) at USF Softball Stadium.

The Wolverines posted just eight hits on the day -- four in each game -- but was not without several scoring opportunities, including three bases-loaded innings in the opener against NC State. Junior third baseman Madison Uden and sophomore shortstop Natalia Rodriguez both tallied a base hit in each contest, while Uden, junior right fielder Haley Hoogenraad and senior second baseman Faith Canfield recorded RBI hits.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Alex Storako (1-1) took both decisions from the circle, earning her first collegiate win with six strikeouts over three hitless innings in relief against the Wolfpack before she allowed two runs on three hits and five walks in two innings against Arizona. In all, she and sophomore left-hander Meghan Beaubien allowed just three earned runs and 10 hits in 13 combined innings.

Despite its offensive struggles, Michigan found ways to reach base and manufacture runs against NC State, in particular as part of its fifth-inning rally during which U-M capitalized on a walk, three hit-by-pitches and a fielding error to score three runs and retake the lead. Hoogenraad knocked a bases-loaded single into center field before senior Alex Sobczak earned a pinch-hit HBP to push across the tying run.

Canfield scored the game-winning run on a bases-loaded fielding error two batters later -- and with two outs -- after junior designated player Thais Gonzalez sent a bouncing grounder off the glove of the Wolfpack third baseman.

With the lead in hand, Storako retired the next six NC State batters faced, including five in a row via strikeouts to close out the contest.

The day's second slate pitted the two winningest coaches in NCAA softball history -- Carol Hutchins and Arizona's Mike Candrea entered the contest with 3,135 combined wins -- and was the Wolverines' first of two games against top-10 opponents this weekend.

Michigan sacrificed an early lead -- on a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning -- and despite largely keeping the Wildcat bats at bay for the remainder of the game, could not complete its late rally in the sixth. Arizona added its second run off a double-play groundout after Beaubien entered with the bases loaded and no outs in the third. She forced a first-pitch flyout to end the inning in the next at-bat.

Rodriguez and senior center fielder Natalie Peters initiated the Wolverines' sixth-inning rally with back-to-back base hits -- on a bunt and single to center, respectively -- to lead off the inning. Rodriguez advanced to third on a groundout before Canfield sent her home on a roped single to left field. Peters, representing the tying run moved to third on a fielder's choice, but a pop-out ended the U-M threat.

Michigan (1-1) will continue competition at the USF Opening Weekend Invitational with a pair of games Saturday (Feb. 9), when it takes on No. 4 Florida at 10:30 a.m. and tournament host South Florida at 3:15 p.m. at the Bulls' USF Softball Stadium.