Wolverines Power to Doubleheader Sweep at Indiana

Saturday, March 27

Bloomington, Ind.

Noon

Michigan

11-3, 0

Indiana

7-7, 0

Michigan

Indiana

Julia Jimenez (Michigan Photography)

3/27/2021 7:07:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» No. 25 Michigan swept a Saturday doubleheader against Indiana, 3-1 in nine innings and 8-1.
» U-M posted 25 hits on the day, including a season-best 13 in the nightcap; Lexie Blair and Natalia Rodriguez posted four hits apiece.
» RHP Alex Storako and LHP Meghan Beaubien each allowed just one run and four hits; Storako struck out 17 in the first game, while Beaubien fanned eight.

Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Andy Mohr Field)
Scores: #25 Michigan 3, Indiana 1 (9 inn.); #25 Michigan 8, Indiana 1
Records: U-M (11-3, 11-3 B1G), IU (7-8, 7-8 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, March 28 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), Noon

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The No. 25-ranked University of Michigan softball team took both ends of a doubleheader against Indiana, rallying to a 3-1 win in nine innings before powering to an 8-1 rout in the nightcap on Saturday (March 27) at the Hoosiers' Andy Mohr Field.

Michigan (12-3, 12-3 Big Ten) registered 25 hits on the day, including a season-best 13 in the second game, and has posted double-digit hits in each of its last three games. Junior center fielder Lexie Blair posted two hits in each game, extending her hit streak to all 15 games this season, and drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning in the day's first game, while senior shortstop Natalia Rodriguez also tallied four hits on the day, including a career-high three in game one.

Both Wolverine starting pitchers earned complete-game wins. Junior right-hander Alex Storako (7-2) struck out 17 -- the second most of her career -- while allowing one run off four hits and a walk in the first game. Senior lefty Meghan Beaubien (5-1) also gave up just one run on four hits and a pair walks with eight strikeouts in the later game.

Indiana (7-8, 7-8 Big Ten) struck first on the day with a leadoff homer in the fourth inning of the opening slate -- just the first home run allowed by U-M this season -- but Michigan responded in kind with a leadoff blast from junior catcher Hannah Carson in the sixth. Carson connected on the 0-2 and drove it deep over the center-field fence for her first long ball of the season and third of her career.

Rodriguez led off the ninth with a double to left-center and scored the go-ahead run when Blair sent a high-chop single over the Hoosier pitcher's head and up the middle in the next at-bat. Carson tacked on one more with a tricky RBI single between the first and second basemen with two outs.

The Hoosiers put a runner in scoring position in the home half of the inning with a leadoff single and subsequent throwing error, but Storako retired the next three batters to hold her at second, earning a big second-out strikeout before an unassisted groundout to first end the game.

Michigan carried the momentum into the second game with a seven-run second inning to break the game open early. Sophomore second baseman Julia Jimenez kicked off the scoring surge with a two-run homer to left field -- her first of the season and second of her career. The home run forced Indiana to make a pitching change, but U-M picked up where it left off with RBI hits from freshman left fielder Sierra Kersten, Rodriguez and Carson. The Wolverines added three more after another IU pitching change, including a two-out, two-run single just fair down the right-field line from senior first baseman Lou Allan.

Indiana spoiled the shutout bid with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, but Michigan promptly got it back in the next half inning, loading the bases with no outs before a groundout to second pushed across another Wolverine run.

Michigan will wrap up its series at Indiana on Sunday (March 28) with a noon slate at Andy Mohr Field. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus.