Erickson Homers, Blair Robs One as U-M Beats Illinois to Even Series

Saturday, April 8

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

18-15, 4-4

Illinois

23-16, 2-7

Illinois

Michigan

Jessica LeBeau (Michigan Photography)

Erickson Homers, Blair Robs One as U-M Beats Illinois to Even Series

4/8/2023 5:16:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan defeated Illinois 3-2 to even the weekend series.
» Maddie Erickson belted out a three-run, pinch-hit homer in the fourth inning; Lexie Blair saved a potential game-tying homer at the wall in the seventh inning.
» Jessica LeBeau earned the win with no runs allowed on four hits and three walks and combined with Lauren Derkowski to earn 10 strikeouts.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan softball team registered a fourth-inning home run and robbed one in the seventh to earn a 3-2 win against Illinois and even the weekend series on Saturday (April 8) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field at Carol Hutchins Stadium.

Freshman Maddie Erickson broke a scoreless tie with a three-run, pinch-hit bomb with two outs in the fourth -- her second home run of the season. Graduate-student outfielder Ellie Mataya keyed the rally with a double to the left-center gap and junior catcher Keke Tholl followed with a walk to put two aboard. Erickson connected with the second pitched she saw and drove it deep over the left-field wall.

The Fighting Illini (23-16, 2-7 Big Ten) nearly tied the game in the seventh when Kelly Ryono, who homered in yesterday's content, rocketed a deep ball to center field. Graduate-student outfielder Lexie Blair climbed the wall, and though she could not hang on to make the grab, saved it from going out as Illinois settled instead for a two-run double. Three pitches later, Michigan (18-15, 4-4 Big Ten) ended the game with a foulout to right.

Junior right-handed pitcher Jessica LeBeau (7-8) earned the win from the circle, allowing no runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 4.1 innings. Sophomore RHP Lauren Derkowski picked up her second save of the season with five more strikeouts through 2.2 innings and allowed the runs on three this and a walk.

LeBeau worked through some early jams, using a strikeout to leave the bases loaded in the first and again stranding a runner on third with a third-out strikeout in the fourth. Illinois appeared to have an RBI single in the second inning but the batter was instead called out of the box and a groundout on the next pitch ended the threat.

Michigan will face Illinois at 2 p.m. on Sunday (April 9) for the series rubber match at Alumni Field at Carol Hutchins Stadium. Tickets are still available through the U-M Ticket Office. The game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.