Uden's Walk-Off Single Lifts Michigan Past James Madison in Marathon Nailbiter

Saturday, May 18

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

45-11

James Madison

48-8

James Madison

Michigan

Uden's Walk-Off Single Lifts Michigan Past James Madison in Marathon Nailbiter

5/18/2019 5:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery Postgame Report

By: Leah Howard

» Madison Uden drove an RBI single to left-center to propel Michigan to a 1-0 walk-off win in 12 innings against James Madison in the NCAA Regional winners' bracket game.
» Meghan Beaubien (30-4) tossed 12 shutout innings, allowing just five hits and two walks while striking out 12 batters.
» Michigan will await its opponent in the NCAA Regional final, slated for 2 p.m. on Sunday (May 19) with a 4:30 p.m. "if necessary" game; U-M will need to win one.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Event: NCAA Regional (Day 2 of 3)
Scores: #19 Michigan 1, #16 James Madison 0 (12 inn.)
Records: U-M (44-11), JMU (48-8)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 19 -- vs. TBD - NCAA Regional (Wilpon Complex), 2 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior third baseman Madison Uden used a two-out RBI single to end a scoreless duel in the 12th inning, lifting the No. 19-ranked University of Michigan softball team to a 1-0 decision against No. 16 James Madison in the winners' bracket game of the NCAA Regional on Saturday afternoon (May 18) in front of crowd of 2,490 at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.

Senior center fielder Natalie Peters led off the 12th inning with a sliced double just fair down the left-field line and advanced to third on a flyout to bring Uden up the plate with two outs. Uden connected with the first pitch and drove it into the left-center gap, scoring Peters from third to end the nearly-four-hour-long contest. It was the Wolverines' longest game since a 13-inning affair against UCLA in 2010.

It was the Wolverines' fifth walk-off win of the season -- the second in five games -- and Uden's second walk-off hit. She also knocked out a seventh-inning solo homer in the series opener against Penn State on April 26.

While Uden assumed the role of extra-inning hero, it was sophomore left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien (30-4), who was undoubtedly the star of the game, as she tossed 12 shutout innings with just five hits and two walks allowed. She struck out 12 Duke batters -- her fourth game this season with double-digit strikeouts and just one shy of her season high.

For her part of the pitchers' duel, James Madison's Megan Good allowed one run on seven hits and six walks with eight strikeouts. Michigan left 14 runners on base, including five on third base -- and in both the ninth and 10th frames.

Beaubien carried a no-hitter until the fifth inning, but JMU's best chance to score came in the fourth with a two-out walk and a subsequent lined ball into right field that was caught by junior right fielder Haley Hoogenraad with an all-out diving catch to likely save a run. It was her second spectacular catch of the regional.

Beaubien allowed three singles over the fifth and sixth innings before retiring 14 consecutive batters through the 10th. James Madison put a runner on third in the top of the 12th after a leadoff single and two-out fielding error, but the Wolverine ace forced a pop-out just two pitches later to end the threat.

The game against James Madison was the second this season for Michigan, which previously dropped a 3-0 decision in nine innings at the ASU Invitational in March. So, in 42 total half innings between them this season, the two teams have scored in just two.

Michigan will await its opponent for the NCAA Regional final Sunday (May 19), slated for a 2 p.m. start at Alumni Field. An "if necessary" game will follow at 4:30 p.m. Michigan needs one win tomorrow to advance.