Wolverines Flex Power, Pitching Depth in Series-Opening Win at Wisconsin

Friday, May 6

Madison, Wis.

5:00 PM CT

Michigan

32-15, 12-8

Wisconsin

27-16, 12-9

Michigan

Wisconsin

Audrey LeClair (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Flex Power, Pitching Depth in Series-Opening Win at Wisconsin

5/6/2022 10:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» No. 23 Michigan cruised to a 10-2 win at Wisconsin in its final regular-season series opener.
» Lexie Blair tallied four hits, while Taylor Bump and Audrey LeClair each had a three-run homer as part of two-hit, four-RBI efforts from the plate.
» RHP Lauren Derkowski earned the win in relief with three strikeouts through 2.2 hitless innings, while Annabelle Widra added five strikeouts over 2.1 frames to earn the save.

MADISON, Wis. -- The No. 23-ranked University of Michigan softball team flexed some power from the plate and snapped its recent string of Friday bad luck to claim a decisive 10-2 win over Wisconsin in its final regular-season series opener Friday night (May 6) at the Badgers' Goodman Diamond.

The Wolverines scored their most runs in 26 games behind 12 hits and six walks. Senior first baseman Lexie Blair boasted the fifth four-hit game of her career, while fifth-year senior third baseman Taylor Bump and junior outfielder Audrey LeClair both knocked out three-run homers as part of matching two-hit, four-RBI efforts from the plate.

Three Michigan pitchers saw at least two innings in the circle and combined for 12 strikeouts in the contest. Freshman RHP Lauren Derkowski (2-3) earned the win in relief, fanning three Badgers through 2.2 hitless innings, while freshman RHP Annabelle Widra secured her second save of the season with five strikeouts and two hits allowed over the final 2.1 innings.

After Wisconsin tied the game with a two-run double in the second, Michigan answered quickly with a three-run third and never let up. Bump keyed the surge with her three-run blast to left field -- her fourth homer of the season -- and added an RBI infield single in the fourth inning.

Blair and senior catcher Hannah Carson, who posted three hits after missing the previous two games with injury, posted back-to-back doubles to plate another run in the sixth before LeClair capped the game's scoring with a first-pitch, three-run shot to right field in the top of the seventh for the first long ball of her collegiate career.

Michigan's rookie pitchers, Derkowski and Widra, both worked out of big jams upon their entry. After an error loaded the bases with no outs in the third inning, Derkowski struck out three straight Wisconsin batters to end the threat and strand them all; the Badgers left 12 on base in the contest. Widra came in with two on, two outs and the potential tying run on deck in the fifth and delivered a four-pitch strikeout before adding two K's apiece in the sixth and seventh to close out the game.

U-M (32-15, 12-8 Big Ten) will resume the weekend series at Wisconsin with a 1 p.m. CDT slate tomorrow (Saturday, May 7) at Goodman Diamond. The game will be streamed on B1G+.