It took until the fourth inning for Michigan to get a hit, it took a pinch-hit double from a sophomore with three hits all season to score enough runs, and it took plenty of stress as Minnesota stormed back after a rain delay, poised for a comeback until the game's final pitch. But by the time Saturday evening's festivities wound down, the Wolverines had survived, holding off the three-time reigning champions to capture the 2019 Big Ten Tournament title with a 3-2 win. The title snapped an 11-game win streak in the event for Minnesota (20-2 Big Ten, 41-12 overall) that spanned four seasons, while Michigan (22-1, 43-11) captured its first Big Ten Tournament since 2015 and just its second since 2006 despite 11 regular-season crowns. As many bouts between top-tier teams do, Saturday’s championship game opened as a dominant pitchers’ duel. Michigan ace Meghan Beaubien was crisp and controlled, allowing six hits in her first five innings of work but only two runners to get to second base. Minnesota’s Sydney Smith was even better early, not allowing a hit until the top of the fourth inning. But when Natalie Peters singled to open the fourth inning, it opened things up. Three batters later, Madison Uden doubled to drive Peters home and open the scoring. The next inning, Michigan began to take control. Former walk-on and Saline native Katie Alexander opened the fifth inning with a double to chase Smith. Then Lou Allan — who entered the game just 3-for-14 hitting off the bench all season — belted the second pitch she saw to the left-field wall to drive in a run. For good measure, Allan’s pinch runner scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 3-0 and give the Wolverines’ some security. As it would turn out, Michigan needed it. As an anticipated storm descended upon Bloomington, the two teams begrudgingly broke for a 22-minute rain delay in the top of the sixth inning. And despite little momentum entering the break, the Golden Gophers stormed out, delivering base hits on their first three at-bats out of the break, including a solo home run from Hope Brandner. Minnesota also scored on a sacrifice fly, but left a pivotal runner in scoring position and trailed 3-2. Michigan tacked on two more hits in the top of the seventh, but was unable to score any insurance runs. That made for a nail-biting bottom of the seventh, where a walk allowed Brandner to get on final at-bat as the go ahead run. But Brandner’s pop fly fell about eight feet short of the fence, and Michigan hung on to take home the title. With the win, the Wolverines capture their 10th Big Ten Tournament title to go with 21 regular-season titles in the last 28 years. They also appear far more likely to be able to host a regional round in the NCAA Tournament.<doc-sep>Lane Kizziah Special to Detroit Free Press It was as if history was daring to repeat itself. In the 2016 Big Ten championship, Michigan softball fell to Minnesota in a dramatic walk-off play. Three years later, the Wolverines almost found themselves in the same situation. Except this time, they avoided it, beating the Golden Gophers 3-2 in the championship game of the Big Ten tournament. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Michigan led by a narrow one-run margin. Freshman right-hander Alex Storako — in her second inning in the circle — gave up a leadoff walk, leaving the Wolverines vulnerable to a walk-off hit. Storako took a minute to compose herself as teammate Madison Uden helped shake the mud from her cleats. With the heart of the Golden Gophers’ lineup due up at the plate, Storako couldn’t afford another slip. Two outs later, Minnesota first baseman Hope Brandner, who has the third highest batting average in Minnesota’s lineup, came to test her bat against Storako’s arm. Brandner fired the ball far into left field. The ball arched high, looking like it would clear the wall. Instead, the ball dropped into the warning track where freshman Lexie Blair was poised to make the game-ending catch. With that, No. 1 seed Michigan edged out No. 3 seed Minnesota, giving the Wolverines and coach Carol Hutchins their 10th Big Ten tournament title in program history and first since 2015. The Wolverines clinched both the Big Ten regular and postseason titles — a feat they hadn’t accomplished since '15 when they advanced to the elimination round of the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, where they lost to Florida in three games. While Storako pitched the final out, sophomore left-hander Meghan Beaubien dominated the rest of the game. The Wolverines’ ace — who has a 2.00 ERA — struck out four, keeping them in the game despite a lackluster offensive performance. “(Beaubien) is dominating,” Blair said. “I’m really confident when she’s on the mound. I have no doubt she’s going to get the job done.” When Minnesota did get a bat to Beaubien’s pitches, the outfield was there, ready to back her up. Senior Natalie Peters was an asset in the outfield, making several good snags. And it was Peters who made the difference at the plate with a leadoff single in the top of the fourth. She scored the first run off an Uden double. Michigan scored two runs in the fifth from a Lou Allan double and a Peters ground out. Minnesota finished with eight hits, three from the bat of Bradner. While Michigan squeaked out the victory, its offensive production was nowhere near its top capacity. In their semifinal game facing No. 5 seed Wisconsin, the Wolverines posted more runs (eight) than they got hits against Minnesota (seven). The momentum of this win will carry Michigan into the start of the NCAA postseason next weekend. The Wolverines will find out who they'll face in the NCAA tournament on Sunday night, when the 64-team field is announced at 9 p.m. on ESPN2. While locations will be announced during the selection show, Ann Arbor could be a regional site after winning both the regular season and postseason crowns. “Home field advantage (is important) for us, for sure,” Uden, a junior third baseman, said. “We’re just excited to get going and we topped it off this weekend. You should see more of this exciting ball going into postseason.”<doc-sep>By Jared Rigdon Special to The Detroit News Bloomington, Ind. – If ever Michigan needed its ace and 2018 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Meghan Beaubien to rise to the occasion, it was in the top of the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against Wisconsin. Beaubien had been removed after the fourth inning with a 7-1 lead to rest for a potential Big Ten tournament championship game later in the afternoon. Friday’s starter, freshman Alex Storako, came on in relief but quickly surrendered two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs. Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins went back to her ace and her decision paid off. Beaubien retired the side, allowing just two runs off a double from Big Ten Player of the Year Kayla Konwent, and preserved Michigan’s lead in an eventual 8-3 win over No. 5 Wisconsin (40-12). BOX SCORE: Michigan 8, Wisconsin 3 The top-seeded Wolverines (42-11) advance to Saturday’s championship game against the winner of the second semifinal between No. 2 Northwestern and No. 3 Minnesota. “We knew we could rely on (Beaubien),” Hutchins said. “If anything, it’s disappointing, we wanted Storako to have that opportunity, and we wanted Meghan to have those innings of rest. Storako did not look ready physically or mentally and that was disappointing because we had to put Meghan back in. That’s the way it goes though.” Michigan needed eight innings Friday to score its first run, but Saturday morning needed just two batters to get in the run column. Senior infielder Faith Canfield singled to lead off the bottom of the first and senior outfielder Natalie Peters brought her around to score with a double over the head of the Wisconsin center fielder. The hit from Canfield was part of a 4-for-4 day at the plate for her and a part of Michigan’s 15 total team hits. Junior third baseman Madison Uden added a solo home run in the third inning. The shot to right field, that cleared the ambulance sitting 40 feet behind the fence, proved that the game was nearly out of reach. Michigan scored at least one run in the first five innings and built a steady flow of offense off line drives and timely bunts. “We were freer, looser. Faith (Canfield) started the game off with a well-hit ball and it just woke us up. It sparked us.” Hutchins said. “They fight together. They believe and they don’t get too caught up when something isn’t going their way.” As impressive as the offense was, Beaubien’s day in the circle trumped it. Beaubien went seven innings, striking out eight Wisconsin batters while only allowing one run. Michigan now moves on to its first Big Ten tournament championship game appearance since 2016. The Wolverines last won the tournament in 2015. A win would give Michigan a strong case to host postseason softball in Ann Arbor next weekend and would complete the season sweep of Big Ten titles, following the regular-season championship the Wolverines claimed last weekend. “I think that’s why they came here,” Hutchins said. “They came here to win it and we’ll have our work cut out for us, regardless of who we play. It’ll be one of the best teams we’ve played all year. We just want to play good ball and have a chance to win.” Big Ten tournament At Bloomington, Indiana; all games on Big Ten Network THURSDAY ►No. 5 Wisconsin 7, No. 12 Iowa 4 ►No. 9 Illinois 6, No. 8 Nebraska 4 ►No. 7 Indiana 4, No. 10 Penn State 2 ►No. 11 Purdue 4, No. 6 Rutgers 3 FRIDAY ►Wisconsin 10, No. 4 Ohio State 1 ►No. 1 Michigan 1, Illinois 0 ►No. 2 Northwestern 2, Indiana 0 ►No. 3 Minnesota 4, Purdue 3 SATURDAY ►Semifinal: Michigan 8, Wisconsin 3 ►Semifinal: Minnesota vs. Minnesota ►Championship, 2 p.m. Jared Rigdon is a freelance writer.<doc-sep>
Lane Kizziah Special to the Detroit Free Press BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — No. 1 seed Michigan squeezed out a win, 3-2, against No. 3 seed Minnesota in the Big Ten softball tournament championship game on Saturday afternoon. The win gave Carol Hutchins and the Wolverines their first Big Ten tournament title since 2015, and 10th in her 35 seasons at Michigan. The Wolverines will find out who they'll face in the NCAA tournament on Sunday night, when the 64-team field is announced at 9 p.m. on ESPN2. With a slow start in Saturday's final — the game was scoreless after three innings — the Wolverines relied on their defensive prowess to hold down the Golden Gophers. Finally, in the fourth, Michigan’s offense had two doubles to put the Wolverines up, 1-0. Michigan added two more runs in the fifth for a 3-0 lead. But a rain delay in the sixth inning seemed to stop Michigan in its tracks. Minnesota cut into Michigan’s lead with two runs, bringing the score to 3-2. More:Michigan softball was taken over by its seniors. Why that saved their season In the bottom of the seventh, impressive outfield grabs saved the game for the Wolverines after a walk to lead off the inning. Freshman Alex Storako locked down the win for the Wolverines with two innings of scoreless relief. Sophomore Meghan Beaubien picked up her 28th win of the season — and second of the day — with five innings of work in which she allowed two runs on eight hits and no walks. The 2015 season saw Michigan advance to the elimination round of the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, where they lost to Florida in three games. Michigan returned to the World Series in 2016, but failed to win a game, finishing in a tie for fifth in Oklahoma City. Hutchins and the Wolverines won the national championship in 2005. Friday:Michigan softball hits walk-off HR for first Big Ten tournament win since 2016