Five Wolverines Garner All-Big Ten Team Accolades
5/8/2019 2:10:00 PM | Softball
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The University of Michigan garnered five team selections, including three first-pick honorees, as the Big Ten announced its 2019 all-conference softball teams and award recipients Wednesday afternoon (May 8).
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien, freshman outfielder Lexie Blair and senior second baseman Faith Canfield represent the Wolverines on the first team. Blair was one of just six unanimous selections, while Beaubien and Canfield earned repeat selection to the first team. Michigan has boasted at least three representatives on the first team in each of the last 12 seasons.
Senior outfielder Natalie Peters and senior first baseman Alex Sobczak were named to the All-Big Ten second team, while Beaubien, Sobczak and Canfield earned a spot on the All-Defensive Team and Blair and freshman right-handed pitcher Alex Storako were named to the All-Freshman Team. Peters was selected as Michigan's sportsmanship honoree.
Beaubien earned her second straight first-team selection -- she also was Big Ten Pitcher and Freshman of the Year last season -- after posting a Big Ten-best 16-2 record in conference play with a 2.25 earned-run average and 105 strikeouts. She also recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage to earn selection to the All-Defensive Team.
Blair boasted a .507 batting average in Big Ten play -- the third-best mark in the conference -- with a .773 slugging percentage and .549 on-base percentage. She also ranked top five in the conference with 28 runs, 38 hits and 27 RBI. She posted at least one hit in all but two Big Ten games with 13 multi-hit and five multi-RBI games.
Canfield earned first-team honors for the third consecutive year after posting a .405 batting average, 30 runs scored, 32 hits and .515 on-base percentage in league games -- ranking among the top-seven conference leaders in those categories. Canfield repeated as an All-Defensive Team honoree, posting a .987 fielding percentage with 46 putouts and 29 assists.
Peters returns to the All-Big Ten teams after previously earning second-team distinction in 2017. She batted .405 in league play this season with a .479 on-base percentage, 25 runs scored and 15 RBI.
Sobczak, who earned All-Big Ten honors in her first season starting at first base, posted a .348 batting average with seven homers and 30 RBI in Big Ten play -- the latter two being among the top-five leaders in the conference. She also posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on 88 touches to earn All-Defensive Team recognition.
Storako, who has earned back-to-back Big Ten Freshman of the Week recognition, joined Blair on the All-Freshman Team. She owns a 6-0 record and 2.16 ERA in conference play -- the fourth best in the league -- with 85 strikeouts over 55 innings pitched.
No. 1-seeded Michigan will open up play in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday (May 10) in Bloomington, Indiana. U-M will play either Nebraska or Illinois in the 1:30 p.m. quarterfinal at Andy Mohr Field. All quarterfinals, semifinals and the championship game will air live on the Big Ten Network and BTN2Go.
