Wolverines Score Early, Late Against Gauchos in UC Santa Barbara Tourney Finale

Sunday, February 25

Santa Barbara, Calif.

11:30 AM PT

Michigan

10-4

UC Santa Barbara

3-10

Michigan

UC Santa Barbara

Lauren Derkowski (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Score Early, Late Against Gauchos in UC Santa Barbara Tourney Finale

2/25/2024 7:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan rallied from an initial deficit, taking the lead in the second and adding late insurance in a 6-1 win over host Gauchos in its UC Santa Barbara Tournament finale.
» Keke Tholl belted out a three-run homer in the seventh, while Maddie Erickson, Lilly Vallimont and Ella Stephenson all posted two hits.
» RHP Lauren Derkowski won in relief, striking out seven while allowing one hit and two walks over the final four innings.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- The University of Michigan softball team closed out the first leg of its spring-break trip, rallying from an initial deficit to defeat UC Santa Barbara 6-1 in its final game of the UC Santa Barbara Tournament on Sunday (Feb. 25) at Campus Diamond.

The Gauchos struck first with a pair of singles and an RBI groundout in the first inning, but Michigan responded immediately, taking the lead in the next half-inning before adding insurance in the late innings.

Senior catcher Keke Tholl belted out her second homer in as many games with a three-run shot in the seventh, while sophomore third baseman Maddie Erickson, sophomore/freshman Lilly Vallimont and freshman outfielder Ella Stephenson all posted two hits apiece.

Junior right-handed pitcher Lauren Derkowski (4-2) earned the win in relief, striking out seven Gaucho batters while allowing just one hit and two walks over the final four innings.

Stephenson drove in the tying run with an RBI single down the left-field line then, after a walk moved her into scoring position, crossed home for the go-ahead when junior shortstop Ella McVey floated an RBI single up the middle and into shallow center field.

Michigan added another in the fifth inning on an Erickson bloop single to right-center, then Erickson scored as part of Tholl's three-run homer in the seventh. Junior outfielder Ellie Sieler initiated the surge with a single down the right-field line and Erickson reached with a ball off the shortstop's glove before Tholl launched one deep over the right-center field wall. The three-run homer followed Tholl's game-winning grand slam against Northern Colorado yesterday.

The Wolverines (10-4) will remain in California for spring break this week and will take on Long Beach State on Wednesday (Feb. 28) at 6 p.m. PST at LBSU Softball Complex in Long Beach, Calif. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.