Wolverines Rally Twice but Fall in 11 Innings to No. 21 Northwestern

Friday, April 21

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

23-17, 9-6

Northwestern

29-9, 14-1

Northwestern

Michigan

Jessica LeBeau (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Rally Twice but Fall in 11 Innings to No. 21 Northwestern

4/21/2023 10:51:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan twice evened the score but fell to No. 21 Northwestern 4-3 in 11 innings in the weekend series opener.
» Keke Tholl posted two hits and two RBI, while Lexie Blair reached base in five plate appearances, including a double and two walks.
» Jessica LeBeau took the loss despite a stellar relief effort, striking out seventh while allowing two runs on six hits and three walks in 7.2 innings.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan softball team rallied from a deficit in fifth inning and again in the 10th but fell just short in a 4-3, 11-inning loss in the series opener to No. 21 Northwestern on Friday evening (April 21) in front of 1,384 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field at Carol Hutchins Stadium.

Northwestern used a pair of singles and a fielding error in the 11th to push across the game-winning run -- on a looper to shallow center. The Wolverines drew consecutive one-out walks to threaten in the bottom half but could not advance the tying run past second as a flyout and strikeout ended the game.

The Wildcats also took the lead in the 10th, leading off the inning with a shot that bounced off the top of the wall for a double and scoring on a single to the right side in the next at-bat. The Wolverines responded quickly in the bottom of the inning; junior catcher Keke Tholl pushed a line drive down the right-field line for a leadoff double, and after a passed ball moved the tying run to run, senior third baseman Audrey LeClair belted a two-out, line-drive double past the Wildcat left fielder. Michigan had two baserunners thrown out at the plate in the inning, including the potential game-winning run off of LeClair's hit.

Both teams had scoring opportunities to win the game in the seventh inning with runners on base. U-M stranded a Wildcat runner on third then loaded the bases with sophomore shortstop Ella McVey's leadoff single and a pair of free bases but could not capitalize. Both teams stranded 13 runners on base in the contest.

Northwestern (29-9, 13-1 Big Ten) tallied solo homers in the second and fourth innings to build a two-run lead, but Michigan broke through to even the score with a two-run fifth. Sophomore outfielder Ellie Sieler looped an infield single over the circle and scored, along with graduate student Lexie Blair, who reached in five plate appearances with four free passes, when Tholl ripped a two-run, line-drive single over the leaping Wildcat shortstop.

Junior right-handed pitcher Jessica LeBeau (7-10) took the loss despite a stellar effort in relief, striking out seven Wildcat batters while allowing two runs -- just one earned -- on six hits and three walks through 7.2 innings. She entered in the fourth with a runner on second and struck out two of the three batters she faced to get out of the jam. Sophomore RHP Lauren Derkowski struck out three while allowing four hits and four walks over the opening 3.1 frames.

Michigan (23-17, 9-6 Big Ten) will resume the Northwestern series at 2 p.m. on Saturday (April 22) at Alumni Field at Carol Hutchins Stadium. The game will be streamed live on B1G+, and tickets are still available through the U-M Ticket Office.