Michigan
Michigan State
Wolverines Stay Home to Face Penn State in Three-Game Conference Series
4/5/2022 4:39:00 PM | Softball
THIS WEEK
Tickets | Promotions
Wednesday, April 6 -- vs. Michigan State (Wilpon Complex), 6 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network | Live Video | Live Stats
Friday, April 8 -- vs. Penn State (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.
TV: B1G+ | Live Video | Live Stats
Saturday, April 9 -- vs. Penn State (Wilpon Complex), 2 p.m.
TV: B1G+ | Live Video | Live Stats
Sunday, April 10 -- vs. Penn State (Wilpon Complex), 1 p.m.
TV: B1G+ | Live Video | Live Stats
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan softball team (20-11, 1-4 Big Ten) will host four Big Ten Conference games this week at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. Michigan kicks off its home-and-home series against in-state rival Michigan State (20-15, 1-5 Big Ten) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday (April 6) before welcoming Penn State (22-13, 4-2 Big Ten) for a three-game weekend series. U-M and PSU will play at 4 p.m. on Friday (April 8), 2 p.m. on Saturday (April 9), and 1 p.m. on Sunday (April 10).
• Michigan moved up one spot in the national rankings after earning an 8-3 decision in the series finale at No. 9 Northwestern last Sunday (April 3). The Wolverines led late in all three series contests, but NU used sixth-inning rallies to take both the first and second games. Michigan is 5-7 against ranked opposition this season and 2-6 against top-10 opponents. U-M also defeated No. 10 Kentucky, 8-0, on March 3.
• Graduate student Melina Livingston led the Wolverines with a .444 batting average (4-for-9) over the Northwestern series with a pair of runs batted in and four runs scored, while fifth-year senior Taylor Bump batted .400 (4-for-10) with two doubles and two RBI. The duo headlined U-M's Sunday win as they keyed the Wolverines' first-inning runs and late scoring surge.
• Graduate student Kristina Burkhardt ranks is first nationally with .52 doubles per game this season and is second with 16 doubles. Adding three triples, nearly half of her 44 total hits have gone for extra bases this season. She continues to lead the Wolverines at the plate with a career-best .423 average and boasts 20 RBI. Burkhardt has recorded at least one hit in all but four games this season.
• Senior RHP Alex Storako ranks 12th nationally with 14 wins this season and lists 10th with 175 total strikeouts and 11th with 11.4 strikeouts per seven innings. She owns nine double-digit strikeout games, including 17 last week against Bowling Green. Storako also led the nation last season with a 12.9 strikeout average, while the Michigan staff posted the nation's top team mark with a 10.76 strikeout average.
• Freshman RHP Lauren Derkowski earned her first collegiate save in the Northwestern finale, entering with two outs and the tying run in scoring position in the sixth and ending the threat with a strikeout before retiring the side in the seventh.
Up Next
Tuesday, April 12 -- vs. Central Michigan (Wilpon Complex), 4 p.m.
