Extra-Base Hits, Stingy Pitching Push U-M Past Maryland in B1G Quarterfinals

Thursday, May 12

East Lansing, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

35-15

Maryland

29-23

Maryland

Michigan

(Big Ten Conference Photo)

Extra-Base Hits, Stingy Pitching Push U-M Past Maryland in B1G Quarterfinals

5/12/2022 9:53:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» No. 23 Michigan took advantage of extra-base hits to score seven runs over the first three innings and cruise to a 7-0 shutout against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
» Taylor Bump hit a two-run homer, while Kristina Burkhardt and Annabella Widra posted triples -- all in the third inning.
» RHP Alex Storako struck out six and allowed three hits and one walk; she combined for the shutout with Widra, who added three more strikeouts in two perfect frames.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The No. 23-ranked University of Michigan softball team used a pair of big innings and stingy pitching to cruise to a 7-0 win over Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday evening (March 12) at Michigan State's Secchia Stadium.

With the win, the Wolverines (35-15) will advance to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals tomorrow (Friday, May 13), where they will face top-seeded Northwestern in the second game at 5 p.m. at Secchia Stadium.

Senior RHP Alex Storako (23-7) was spectacular from the circle, allowing just three hits -- two in the first inning -- and one walk through five scoreless innings. She struck out six Terrapin batters, including two apiece in the second and third amid a stretch of retiring 13 in a row.

Michigan earned extra bases in half of its six hits, with a two-run homer from senior third baseman Taylor Bump and triples from graduate student outfielder Kristina Burkhardt and freshman RHP Annabelle Widra. Widra also posted two RBI, while Burkhardt scored a pair of runs.

The Wolverines took advantage of a Maryland miscue to take the early lead in the first. After using back-to-back flyouts to center field to strand two Terps in scoring position in the top half, Michigan threatened in similar fashion with one out in the home half with a Burkhardt hit-by-pitch and a single from senior first baseman Lexie Blair. Senior catcher Hannah Carson drilled a hard grounder to shortstop, and the throw home went wild and bounced around the backstop to plate both base runners.

Michigan broke it open in its second turn through the lineup in the third, using two triples and a home run to plate five and provide Storako a big cushion. Burkhardt led off with a triple to the left center gap -- her seventh, the most for a Wolverine player since 1993 -- and scored on an RBI groundout in the next at-bat.

Michigan's next four runs all came with two outs. Bump, three pitches after bombing one out well foul, straightened it out for a no-doubt two-run shot to left center -- her fifth homer of the season. The Wolverines put the next two batters on, and Widra scored them both with a scorched triple down the right field line -- her first collegiate three-bagger.

Widra entered the circle in the sixth and retired all six batters faced, striking out the side in the seventh and closing out the shutout effort for Michigan.