Wolverines Drop Nebraska Doubleheader to Open Big Ten Play

Friday, March 25

Ann Arbor, Mich.

3:00 PM

Michigan

18-8, 0-1

Nebraska

20-9, 1-0

Nebraska

Michigan

Sierra Kersten (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Drop Nebraska Doubleheader to Open Big Ten Play

3/25/2022 11:18:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Leah Howard

» No. 19 Michigan dropped its first Big Ten Conference games of the season, falling 3-2, 7-4 to Nebraska at Alumni Field.
» U-M scored four first-inning runs in the nightcap but allowed three homers to sacrifice the lead in the fifth inning; the Wolverines scored in the fifth and sixth innings of game one but twice left the tying run stranded.
» Melina Livingston posted three hits and a pair of RBI on the day, while U-M's pitchers allowed 15 hits and five walks in the twinbill.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan softball team dropped both sides of its Big Ten-opening doubleheader against Nebraska, falling 3-2 and 7-4 on Friday evening (March 25) in front of 1,011 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.

The Wolverines sacrificed an early lead in the nightcap after plating four in the first inning. U-M scored the runs in four consecutive at-bats, including RBI singles from senior catcher Hannah Carson, junior first baseman Lauren Esman and graduate student designated player Melina Livingston, who was among Michigan's offensive highlights on the day with three hits and a pair of RBI.

Nebraska used home runs to chip away at the Wolverine advantage before stealing the lead. The Huskers knocked out back-to-back homers to the rightfield grandstand in the third to chase graduate student LHP Meghan Beaubien from the circle before belting a three-run shot to right center to take their first lead in the fifth.

Three different Wolverine pitchers threw multiple innings, but it was freshman RHP Lauren Derkowski (0-3) who took the loss despite the most effective appearance, allowing two runs on no hits and three walks with three strikeouts. She was responsible for both base runners at the time of the go-ahead homer in the fifth.

Michigan's late rally fell short in the first game as the Wolverines plated runs in the fifth and sixth to pull within one on the scoreboard. Livingston broke through for the fifth-inning tally, banging a pinch-hit RBI single off the second baseman's glove, while U-M used a fielding error for the run in the sixth -- before a diving catch on the leftfield line left two stranded.

The Wolverines also put the tying run aboard in the seventh but a double play ended the threat and the contest.

Nebraska took the lead with a two-run homer in the third inning and added another with a bases-loaded walk in the fourth after Michigan nearly got out of the jam when junior rightfielder Audrey LeClair threw out a runner at home from rightfield and then was a dropped ball away from a 6-5 double play.

Storako (13-2) took the loss from the circle, allowing three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.

The Wolverines (18-9, 0-2 Big Ten) and Huskers (21-9, 2-0 Big Ten) are scheduled to close out the series with a 2 p.m. game on Saturday (March 26) at Alumni Field.