Livingston Slam, Rookie Pitchers Highlight Midweek Win over CMU

Tuesday, April 12

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

24-12

Central Michigan

16-17

Central Michigan

Michigan

Lauren Derkowski (Michigan Photography)

Livingston Slam, Rookie Pitchers Highlight Midweek Win over CMU

4/12/2022 8:10:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

• No. 22 Michigan rallied from an initial deficit to earn a 5-1 win over Central Michigan in its final non-conference game of the season.
• Melina Livingston knocked out a fourth-inning grand slam; she and Kristina Burkhardt posted two hits apiece at the top of the order.
• Lauren Derkowski earned her first collegiate win, striking out four while allowing a run on four hits and three walks, while Annabella Widra secured her first save with three scoreless relief innings.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Graduate student Melina Livingston bombed out a fourth-inning grand slam to propel the No. 22-ranked University of Michigan softball team to a 5-1 comeback win over in-state foe Central Michigan in its non-conference finale on Tuesday afternoon (April 12) in front of 1,081 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.

The Chippewas used a leadoff solo homer to break open scoring in the top half of the fourth before Michigan responded and then some in the home half. After leaving the bases loaded in the previous inning, the Wolverines capitalized in the fourth. Graduate student outfielder Kristina Burkhardt worked back from a 1-2 count to draw a bases-loaded walk and push across the tying run.

CMU went to the bullpen after the Burkhardt walk, and just two pitches later, Livingston sent a line-drive shot over the leftfield wall for her third homer in five games and U-M's first grand slam of the season.

Michigan followed with two more singles to no avail in the fourth and threatened again with a Burkhardt leadoff triple -- her fourth of the season -- in the sixth but did not score again. Burkhardt and Livingston posted two hits apiece to headline the Wolverines' offensive effort from the top of the lineup.

Freshmen RHP Lauren Derkowski (1-3) earned her first collegiate win from the circle, allowing a run on four hits and three walks while striking out four over four innings, while freshman RHP Annabelle Widra earned her first collegiate save. Widra tossed three shutout innings, giving up just one hit and striking out a pair.

Derkowski got herself into and out of a jam early when CMU loaded the bases with one out in the first; the Wolverine rookie responded with a punchout and lined foulout to escape unscathed. After the Chippewa homer in the fourth, CMU only advanced one additional base runner into scoring position -- on a leadoff single and wild pitch in the fifth -- but Widra used back-to-back strikeouts and a foul pop to end the threat.

Michigan (24-12) will head to College Park, Maryland, this weekend for a three-game set against Maryland. The series kicks off with a 6 p.m. games on Thursday (April 14) and Friday (April 15) before wrapping up with a noon slate on Saturday (April 16) at the Maryland Softball Stadium.