Michigan
36-15
Northwestern
40-10
Bump's Seventh-Inning Blast Propels U-M to Comeback Win in B1G Semis
5/13/2022 8:34:00 PM | Softball
» Taylor Bump knocked out a two-out, two-run homer in the seventh inning to secure Michigan's 2-1 comeback win against No. 11 Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
» Two of U-M's three hits came with two outs in the seventh; Hannah Carson preceded the Bump homer with a single to right field.
» RHP Annabelle Widra earned the win in relief, allowing no hits and one walk and one strikeout through three innings.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Fifth-year third baseman senior Taylor Bump bombed out a two-out, two-run homer in the seventh inning to propel the No. 23-ranked University of Michigan softball team to a 2-1 comeback win against No. 11 Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on Friday afternoon (May 13) at Michigan State's Secchia Stadium.
Michigan (36-15) will face No. 2 seed Nebraska in the tournament championship game tomorrow (Saturday, May 14). The final is slated for an 11 a.m. start -- moved earlier than originally scheduled due to inclement weather in the forecast. Michigan, the reigning Big Ten Tournament champion from the 2019 event, is going for its 11th tournament title in program history.
The teams posted just three hits apiece in a pitchers' duel that kept the game scoreless through four innings. Michigan posted two of its hits with two outs in the seventh inning. Senior catcher Hannah Carson initiated the rally with a single to right field and, just three pitches later, Bump connected on the 1-1 and drove a no-doubter deep to left. It was her sixth homer of the season and second in as many days.
Northwestern struck first on a fluke play in the bottom of the fifth when ball four of a two-out intentional walk got away and allowed the Wildcat runner on third base to score easily. Michigan got out of the jam with a flied foul out two pitches later.
Freshman RHP Annabelle Widra (2-0) earned the victory in relief, striking out one while allowing no outs and one walk through three innings. She retired seven in a row after the wild pitch and, with the lead in hand, set down the side in order in the bottom of the seventh, inducing a fly-out to center field that graduate student Kristina Burkhardt tracked down for the final out.
Graduate student LHP Meghan Beaubien was also solid from the start, allowing one run on three hits and two walks and earning three strikeouts.
For her part in the duel, Northwestern ace Danielle Williams struck out five Wolverines and allowed three hits and one walk through seven innings.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Widra, Annabelle (2-0)
L: Williams, Danielle (26-4)
Batting:
HR: Bump, Taylor 1
RBI: Bump, Taylor 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kersten, Sierra 1 ; Bump, Taylor 1
CS: Rodriguez, Kaylee America 1
HBP: Bump, Taylor 1 ; Livingston, Melina 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lindsey, Ayana 1
SB: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Nieto, Grace 1
HBP: Caldrone, Lauren 1
