Wolverines Bounce Back with Graduation-Day Win over Golden Gophers

Saturday, April 30

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

30-15, 10-8

Minnesota

22-21-1, 7-10

Minnesota

Michigan

Alex Storako (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Bounce Back with Graduation-Day Win over Golden Gophers

4/30/2022 8:19:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» No. 23 Michigan scored the game's lone run in the fourth inning to earn a 1-0 win over Minnesota and even the weekend series.
» RHP Alex Storako struck out seven and earned her ninth shutout of the season with no runs allowed on five hits and three walks; Minnesota left 10 baserunners stranded.
» Melina Livingston drove in the winning run with a fourth-inning double to left field.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 23-ranked University of Michigan softball team bounced back with a gritty 1-0 win to even the series against Minnesota on Saturday (April 30) in front of 1,921 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.

Senior RHP Alex Storako (20-7), who became a Michigan graduate during the University's spring commencement earlier in the day, earned seven strikeouts and allowed no runs on five hits and three walks en route to her ninth complete-game shutout of the season.

Minnesota was not without scoring chances and left 10 runners stranded. Three of its five hits came in the first inning with back-to-back bunt singles and another hit through the right side to load bases with no outs. Storako responded with a three-pitch punchout, forced a routine flyout to center, and got herself out of the early jam with a checked-swing strikeout on appeal on a 3-2 pitch high outside the zone.

The Wolverines broke through in the fourth. Senior first baseman Lexie Blair led off with a four-pitch walk, advanced on a sacrifice bunt, and scored when graduate student second baseman Melina Livingston pounded an RBI double down the left-field line, over the Minnesota fielder's head and to the wall.

Minnesota threatened again in the seventh, reaching on a leadoff single back to the circle before taking third base on a deep fly ball to center field to put the tying run just 60 feet away. The threat was short-lived, however, as Storako induced a game-ending flyout to left on the next pitch.

Michigan (30-15, 10-8 Big Ten) will wrap up its home slate with the Minnesota rubber match at noon tomorrow (Sunday, May 1) at Alumni Field. Tickets are available through the MGoBlue.com/tickets, and the game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.