Michigan Powers Past PSU in Five Innings in Series Opener

Friday, April 8

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

22-11, 3-4

Penn State

22-14, 4-3

Penn State

Michigan

Michigan Powers Past PSU in Five Innings in Series Opener

4/8/2022 7:11:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» No. 22 Michigan scored eight runs in the fourth and fifth inning to earn an 8-0 win over Penn State in the first game of its three-game weekend set.
» Taylor Bump and Melina Livingston both recorded three-run home runs; Livingston's homer – her second in as many games – ended the game in the fifth inning.
» RHP Alex Storako struck out nine and allowed one hit and two walks over five innings.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan softball team kicked off its Penn State weekend series in style, putting up eight runs over the fourth and fifth innings to claim an 8-0, five-inning decision Friday afternoon (April 8) in front of a crowd of 1,057 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field.

Graduate student second baseman Melina Livingston continued her hot streak at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a three-run homer that ended the game in the fifth – her second long ball in two straight games. Fifth-year senior third baseman Taylor Bump also knocked out a three-run home run in the fourth, while graduate student outfielder Kristina Burkhardt went 2-for-2 on the day, including the first hit of the game to break up a Nittany Lion no-hitter in the bottom of the fourth.

Senior RHP Alex Storako (16-4) posted nine strikeouts over five innings while allowing one hit and two walks -- it is Storako's fourth game of the season that she has allowed one hit or less.

Michigan recorded both its first hit and first run of the game after setting up two base runners from a Burkhardt single and walk for Bump, who blasted a two-out, three-run home run off the baseball batter's eye beyond the left-field wall in the bottom of the fourth inning -- her second home run of the season.

Michigan continued the momentum into the fifth inning, loading the bases with no outs for Burkhardt, who registered an RBI single on a blooper to shallow right field. Freshman outfielder Ellie Sieler drove in another on a sac fly to right field before Livingston ended the game with her two-out, three-run shot against her former team. Livingston connected with the 1-0 pitch and lined it to left field.

Michigan (22-11, 3-4 Big Ten) will continue their weekend set against Penn State at 2 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday, April 8) at Alumni Field. Tickets are still available through the U-M Ticket Office.