Michigan Sacrifices Eighth-Inning Lead in Series Finale Against Nebraska

Friday, March 12

Leesburg, Fla.

1:30 PM

Michigan

6-3, 6-3

Nebraska

4-5, 4-5

Michigan

Nebraska

Lexie Blair (Michigan Photography)

Michigan Sacrifices Eighth-Inning Lead in Series Finale Against Nebraska

3/12/2021 7:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» No. 23 Michigan sacrificed an eighth-inning lead in a 5-4 walk-off loss to Nebraska in the series finale.
» Lexie Blair posted three hits and three runs as U-M held one-run leads at four different points in the game.
» RHP Alex Storako took the loss in relief, allowing three runs -- two earned -- on three hits and a walk in four innings pitched; she and Meghan Beaubien combined for 12 strikeouts.

Site: Leesburg, Fla. (Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex)
Scores: Nebraska 5, #23 Michigan 4 (8 inn.)
Records: U-M (6-3, 6-3 B1G), Nebraaska (4-5, 4-5 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 13 -- DH vs. Wisconsin (Leesburg, Fla), 10:20 a.m.

LEESBURG, Fla. -- The No. 23-ranked University of Michigan softball team could not hang onto its eighth-inning lead against Nebraska, falling, 5-4, in walk-off fashion in the series finale on Friday afternoon (March 12) at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex.

The Wolverines were one strike away from the series sweep when Huskers third baseman Sydney Gray drove a two-out, two-run single into the left-center gap. With the international tiebreaker in place, Nebraska (4-5, 4-5 Big Ten) started the inning with a runner on second and followed with a leadoff walk before a flyout and stolen base moved both runners into scoring position.

Michigan had taken advantage of the tiebreaker to score in the top half of the eighth, advancing and scoring sophomore pinch-runner Audrey LeClair on back-to-back groundouts. The Wolverines claimed the lead at four different points of the game with single runs scored in the first, third, fifth and eighth innings but could never put away Nebraska.

Junior outfielder Lexie Blair posted a season-high three hits and three runs, leading off each of Michigan's scoring innings in regulation play with singles and coming around to score. Senior first baseman Lou Allan tallied two RBI, while freshman second baseman Sierra Kersten earned her first collegiate RBI with the run-scoring groundout in the eighth.

Junior right-handed pitcher Alex Storako (3-2) took the loss in relief, allowing three runs -- two earned -- on three hits and a walk through four innings pitched. She and senior left-hander Meghan Beaubien posted six strikeouts apiece; Beaubien allowed two runs on four hits and a walk through 3.2 innings.

Michigan (6-3, 6-3 Big Ten) will shift its focus to its second opponent of the Big Ten "bubble" weekend, kicking off a three-game series against Wisconsin with a 10:20 a.m. doubleheader Saturday (March 13) at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex. U-M will also face the Badgers at 9:20 a.m. on Sunday (March 14) in the weekend finale. All games will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus.