Three Wolverines Homer as U-M Power Past WMU in Five Innings

Tuesday, May 2

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

25-21

Western Michigan

16-27

Western Michigan

Michigan

(Michigan Photography)

Three Wolverines Homer as U-M Power Past WMU in Five Innings

5/2/2023 7:51:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan defeated Western Michigan, 9-1, with runs in four of the shortened five-inning contest.
» Ellie Sieler, Lexie Blair and Keke Tholl tallied two hits apiece -- with a home run apiece -- and combined for five RBI at the top of the U-M order.
» Lauren Derkowski posted 10 strikeouts and allowed one run on four hits and no walks.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan softball team knocked out three home runs -- one apiece from the top of its order -- to power past in-state foe Western Michigan, 9-1, in five innings on Tuesday afternoon (May 2) in front 1,037 fans in Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field at Carol Hutchins Stadium.

Sophomore outfielder Ellie Sieler set the tone in the Wolverines' first at-bat, connecting with the 2-1 pitch and lining it deep over the rightfield wall for her second homer of the season. Graduate student first baseman Melina Livingston found a similar spot four batters later, airing a deep fly ball to rightfield that turned around the Bronco outfielder and dropped down to the base of the wall for a two-run triple.

Graduate student outfielder Lexie Blair knocked out a no-doubt two-run shot to centerfield in the second inning -- her first long ball of the season -- and junior catcher Keke Tholl followed suit with a two-run blast to centerfield of her own in the fourth inning. It was her team-best 10th homer of the year. Blair, Tholl and Sieler all posted two hits and combined for five RBI.

WMU spoiled the shutout bid with a run on a pair of doubles in the top of the fourth. Sophomore RHP Lauren Derkowski (18-10) allowed just the one run on four hits and no walks. She struck out 10 -- her fifth game this season with double-digit strikeouts.

The Wolverines pushed the game into run-rule territory with two runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. U-M loaded the bases on a single and a pair of walks for senior pinch hitter Jessica Garmen, who took the first pitch she saw off a bounce and into her leg to earn her second collegiate RBI. Freshman second baseman Indiana Langford ended the game just two pitches later, beating out a one-hop single to third to allow freshman pinch runner Madi Ramey to score easily from third.

Michigan (25-21) will wrap up the home portion of its 2023 schedule with a 6 p.m. slate against Oakland tomorrow (Wednesday, May 3) at Alumni Field at Carol Hutchins Stadium. Admission is free to the contest, and it will be streamed live on B1G+.