Beaubien, Storako Combine for 35 K's in Season-Opening Sweep

Friday, February 26

Leesburg, Fla.

10:20 AM

Michigan

1-0, 0

Purdue

0-1, 0

Purdue

Michigan

Meghan Beaubien (Michigan Photography)

Beaubien, Storako Combine for 35 K's in Season-Opening Sweep

2/26/2021 4:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» No. 17 Michigan earned two 4-0 decisions in a doubleheader sweep of Purdue to open its 2021 season.
» LHP Meghan Beaubien and RHP Alex Storako combined for 35 strikeouts and allowed no runs, three hits and two walks.
» Beaubien tied the Michigan single-game record with a career-best 19 strikeouts, while Storako matched her career best with 16.
» Lou Allan headlined the Wolverine offense with three hits and three RBI.

Site: Leesburg, Fla. (Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex)
Scores: #17 Michigan 4, Purdue 0; #17 Michigan 4, Purdue 0
Records: U-M (2-0, 2-0 Big Ten), PU (2-0, 2-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 27 -- DH vs. Iowa (Leesburg, Fla), 10:20 a.m.

LEESBURG, Fla. -- Led by a dominant performance from its pitchers, the No. 17-ranked University of Michigan softball team kicked off its 2021 season with a pair of 4-0 decisions en route to a doubleheader sweep against Purdue on Friday (Feb. 26) at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex.

The opening-day effort was headlined by a pair of outstanding efforts in the circle from senior LHP Meghan Beaubien and junior RHP Alex Storako, who combined for 35 strikeouts and allowed no runs and just three hits and two walks through 14 innings.

Beaubien matched the Michigan program's single-game record with a career-best 19 strikeouts -- tying Jennie Ritter (May 21, 2006 vs Oklahoma) -- in the opener and tied the Big Ten record for most strikeouts in a seven-inning game. Her no-hit bid was spoiled by a leadoff infield single in the seventh inning, but she responded with a fielder's choice and back-to-back strikeouts to end the game. The complete-game shutout was the 23rd of her career.

Storako, for her part, earned her fifth career shutout and tied her career best with 16 strikeouts in the second slate against the Boilermakers. She allowed two hits -- both third-inning singles -- and three total baserunners. No Purdue runner advanced beyond second base.

The Wolverines scored their runs in two big spurts, plating four in the third inning in the day's first game and four in the seventh of the second slate. Senior designated player Lou Allan headlined the U-M offense with three hits and drove in three runs in the twinbill.

Sophomore third baseman Julia Jimenez also had a pair of RBI, putting Michigan on the board with a one-out, based-loaded single to left-center in the opener. Freshman second baseman Sierra Kersten led off the third with a laced single down the rightfield line in her first collegiate at-bat and scored the first and game-winning run on Jimenez's base hit. U-M followed with two more off an RBI single from senior first baseman Taylor Bump and an Allan sacrifice fly.

Junior leftfielder Lexie Blair provided the late breakthrough punch in the seventh inning of the later game. Her double to the right-center gap scored senior shortstop Natalia Rodriguez, who was on first after reaching on a fielding error to lead off the inning, and Blair scored on another Boilermaker error before Allan drove in two more with a single to center field.

With the lead, Storako made quick work of Purdue in the home half of the seventh, striking out the side on just 12 pitches.

The Wolverines (2-0, 2-0 Big Ten) will continue their opening "bubble" weekend tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 27), taking on Iowa in a 10:20 a.m. doubleheader at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex. Both games will be streamed live on Big Ten Network+.