Back-to-Back Pitching Gems Key Day-One Wins at Judi Garman Classic

Thursday, March 2

Fullerton, Calif.

3:00 PM PT

Michigan

8-8

UCF

10-9

Michigan

UCF

Lauren Derkowski (Michigan Photography)

Back-to-Back Pitching Gems Key Day-One Wins at Judi Garman Classic

3/2/2023 11:53:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan defeated UCF, 2-0, and host CSU Fullerton, 2-1 in eight innings, to kick off the Judi Garman Classic.
» Jessica LeBeau and Lauren Derkowski combined for 24 strikeouts and allowed no earned runs over 15 innings in back-to-back complete-game wins.
» Lexie Blair used a two-out, two-run single to plate the winning runs in the eighth against Fullerton; she tied the Michigan career doubles record (61) as part of a 2-for-4 effort vs. the Titans.

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Junior RHP Jessica LeBeau and sophomore RHP Lauren Derkowski tossed a pair of complete-game gems as the University of Michigan softball team opened the annual Judi Garman Classic with a pair of quality wins, beating UCF, 2-0, and host CSU Fullerton, 2-1 in eight innings, on Thursday (March 2) at Anderson Family Field.

LeBeau and Derkowski combined for 24 strikeouts and did not allow an earned run over 15 combined innings pitched on the day. LeBeau (5-3) fanned 10 UCF batters -- her second double-digit strikeout effort in four games -- while allowing just three hits and no walks. Derkowski (4-4) boasted a career-high 14 strikeouts in the nightcap against CSU Fullerton and allowed one unearned run -- with the international tiebreaker in play in the eighth -- on four hits and a walk.

Michigan avenged an 8-2 loss to UCF earlier this season in its TaxAct Clearwater Invitational opener on Feb. 17 -- already the second time this season that U-M has flipped a loss in the rematch. This time, the Wolverines broke through early, posting three singles in the second and plating the winning run on freshman shortstop Avery Fantucci's RBI fielder's choice to short. The Knights tried to turn two on the play, but Fantucci was safe at first and freshman pinch runner Madi Ramey scored easily from third.

Graduate student designated player Melina Livingston pushed across a big insurance run with an infield single in the sixth to score freshman pinch runner Indiana Langford from second base.

UCF sprinkled three hits across the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, including leadoff singles in each in the latter two. LeBeau handled back-to-back comeback grounders in the sixth, turning a 1-3-5 double play to end the frame. The Knights used a throwing error to reach with one out in the seventh, but LeBeau responded with a clutch punchout before a game-ending groundout to third.

Derkowski claimed a pitchers' duel in the nightcap; the Titans' Myka Sutherlin struck out 11 and allowed five hits for the other side. Derkowski retired 15 straight between the second and sixth innings but found herself in a major jam in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on third and no outs after a leadoff walk and two balls to the backstop. The Wolverine hurler struck out the next three Fullerton batters, including two with a 3-2 count, to strand the winning run just 60 feet away.

The Wolverines broke through in extra innings. With two in scoring position and two outs, graduate student outfielder Lexie Blair looped a two-run single into shallow left. Ramey scored easily, while graduate student outfielder Ellie Mataya slid in safely when the Fullerton catcher couldn't hang onto the ball for the tag. Blair went 2-for-4 from the plate and, earlier in the game, picked up her 61st career double to tie the Michigan program record in the category.

CSU Fullerton got one back in the home half of the eighth, scoring on a dribbler to the left of the circle with two outs before Derkowski answered with another swinging strikeout -- her second of the inning and eighth over the final 10 outs of the contest.

The Wolverines (9-8) will continue action at the Judi Garman Classic with two more games tomorrow (Friday, March 3), facing No. 15 LSU at 9:30 a.m. PST and Seattle at noon PST at Anderson Family Field.