Eighth-Inning Squeeze Highlights Gritty Wolverine Win at Maryland

Friday, April 15

College Park, Md.

6:00 PM

Michigan

25-13

Maryland

22-17

Michigan

MARYLAND

Taylor Bump (Michigan Photography)

Eighth-Inning Squeeze Highlights Gritty Wolverine Win at Maryland

4/15/2022 10:30:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» No. 22 Michigan scored two runs in the top of the eighth to earn a 5-3 win at Maryland.
» Taylor Bump boasted the game-winning RBI on a squeeze bunt; Livingston, who posted two doubles and two RBI, scored the go-ahead run.
» Meghan Beaubien earned the win in relief, posting three strikeouts with one hit and one walk allowed over 2.1 innings.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan softball team successfully laid down a squeeze bunt to score the winning run in the top of the eighth inning in a gritty 5-3 win against Maryland on Friday night (April 15) at the Maryland Softball Stadium.

Michigan, which twice lost its lead but never trailed in the contest, went ahead for good with two runs in the eighth. With graduate student second baseman Melina Livingston on third base after a leadoff double and a subsequent groundout to the circle, fifth-year senior third baseman Taylor Bump bunted on the 2-1 pitch and got it down a few feet in front of the plate to send Livingston sliding in safely behind the Terrapin catcher. Freshman outfielder Ellie Sieler followed with a looped RBI single to infield dirt behind third base to add insurance.

Graduate student LHP Meghan Beaubien (6-4) worked around a one-out fielding error in the home half of the eighth, using a four-pitch punchuout to put two away before inducing a game-winning groundout to first. Beaubien earned the win in relief after coming in with bases loaded in the sixth and sacrificing a two-run single; she finished with three strikeouts and one hit and one walk allowed over 2.1 innings.

Senior catcher Hannah Carson gave the Wolverines their first lead with a no-doubt solo shot to rightfield to lead off the fourth inning -- her fourth homer of the season -- but Maryland took advantage of Michigan mistakes to respond quickly, ultimately scoring on a sac fly, before freshman RHP Annabelle Widra left two stranded in scoring position in the home half.

Michigan plated two to retake the lead in the fifth. Junior outfielder Audrey LeClair beat out a grounder down the first baseline to key the two-out rally, graduate student outfielder Kristina Burkhardt walked, and Livingston scored them both with a roped double over the centerfielder's head.

The Terrapins used a two-out rally of their own to again even the score in the sixth, loading the bases with a single and two walks before punching a two-run single into rightfield after the pitching change. Beaubien responded with a four-pitch punchout to strand the go-ahead run on third base.

Michigan (25-13, 5-6 Big Ten) will take on Maryland in the series rubber match at noon tomorrow (Saturday, April 16) at the Maryland Softball Stadium. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.