When Michigan’s biggest strength became its Achilles’ heel

Bats go quiet, come up short against Nebraska

SEATTLE — All year, there were 

two people Michigan could count 
on.

Pitchers 
Alex 
Storako 
and 

Meghan Beaubien.

One was the Big Ten pitcher of 

the year, and the other, a senior who 
came into the weekend ranked 12th 
in the country with her ERA of 1.08. 
No other team in the field of 64 in 
the NCAA softball tournament had 
a pair of pitchers better. And with 
a superb outfield behind them, it 
was easy to see why the Wolverines 
posed a threat to any team that 
came across them.

At least on paper that is.
In the biggest game of Michigan’s 

season, where it was just one win 
away from its first super regional 
since 2016, its two aces combined to 
give up 13 hits and ten runs — season 
highs in both categories.

To name a few more of the 

absurd hitting stats Washington 

compiled against two of the best 
pitchers in the nation. The Huskies 
batted 0.419, they hit three for five 
with the bases loaded and batted 
over 0.400 with runners in scoring 
position. Numbers the Wolverines 
simply haven’t given up all year, 
not even close. With the majority 
of that damage being done in just 
the bottom of the fourth, where 
Washington scored seven runs.

An inning that truly showed 

Michigan what type of night it was, 
and the aces up its sleeve were gone. 
An inning that started off with a solo 
home run from Husky outfielder 
Jadelyn Allchin that cut into the 
Wolverines’ lead and sent Storako to 
the dugout. Just under three weeks 
after she threw 23 strikeouts in an 
eight inning game against Michigan 
State, a program record, Storako 
was benched. The pitcher, fresh off 
a no-hitter on Friday and a perfect 
game last Sunday, Beaubien, was 
brought on to try and patch up the 
wound and stop the bleeding. 

That did not happen.
Instead, the Huskies smelled 

blood and like a pack of wolves, they 
jumped on their prey, piling on six 
more runs and eating up every pitch 
Beaubien flung their way.

By the time the inning was over, 

Washington’s entire lineup made it 
up to bat. And, the scoreboard read 
10-5, Huskies.

“I don’t know what to say,” 

Michigan coach Carol Hutchines 
said in a somber post game press 
conference. 
“They’re 
a 
strong, 

powerful 
team 
and 
they…,” 

Hutchins 
paused. 
“They 
were 

pretty formidable.”

But there are, in fact, things to be 

said. One of which being that in the 
biggest game of the year, they were 
outdone by what gave them the edge 
all year. All year long Michigan lived 
by its pitching, but on Sunday night, 
it also died by it.

Juxtapose 
that 
with 
their 

opponent, another team who lived 
and died by their star pitcher — 
Gabbie Plain — all year, and the 
difference is striking. Plain threw 
over 200 hundred pitches on the 
night — including her count from 

the first game of the doubleheader 
— and yet, she still came up big. 
After Plain gave up five runs in the 
first two innings, she only saw 15 
batters over the final five innings, 
the minimum, and didn’t allow a 
single run.

And that was the difference 

between the two sides. Strength 

against 
strength, 
Washington 

overpowered the Wolverines, and 
ended their season.

On a night where the Huskies 

were the better team. On a night 
where Plain was the better pitcher.

On a night where Michigan’s 

biggest strength was its Achilles’ 
heel.

Trailing 5-1 in the top of the 

ninth inning, sophomore first 
baseman Jimmy Obertop launched 
a home run over the left-field wall. 
Obertop brought the Wolverines 
within two runs, leaving the 
door open for another comeback 
opportunity. 
Michigan 
went 

down swinging, a microcosm of 
their offensive struggles this past 
weekend at Nebraska. During 
their three games against the 
Cornhuskers, 
the 
Wolverines 

mustered a measly five runs.

In the opening game on Friday, 

Michigan was stumped at the plate. 
Through the first four innings, 
they produced hardly any offense. 
Their lone baserunner came via 
a hit by pitch in the top of the 
fourth. In the fifth, however, the 
Wolverines appeared poised to 
break the scoreless tie. Sophomore 
infielder Ted Burton worked a 
walk and sophomore outfielder 
Tito Flores lined a single down the 
left-field line. 

With two men on and no outs, 

Michigan finally had a chance 
to score. Unfortunately for the 
Wolverines, the next three batters 

were silenced. Michigan would 
have a few more chances with 
runners in scoring position, but 
they were unable to put anything 
on the scoreboard, falling 1-0. The 
lineup may have disappointed 

against Nebraska, but that did not 
deter the team’s confidence.

“What doesn’t show is the 

amount of barrels that we did put in 
play,” Flores said. “We understand 
that this is baseball, failure is going 

to come. But when that hits, how 
can we overcome that adversity 
and keep competing.”

During the first half of Saturday’s 

doubleheader, 
the 
Wolverines’s 

early struggles continued. Through 

three innings, they had done 
nothing. Then, they finally scored 
against the Cornhuskers thanks to 
a pair of walks, a passed ball, and a 
fielder’s choice RBI. 

Michigan would tack on another, 

but the story of game two was 
sophomore right-hander Cameron 
Weston. He more than made up for 
the quiet offensive performance, 
pitching seven scoreless innings. 
His excellence pushed his team 
over the hump and propelled them 
to an even series.

Weston’s offense may not have 

given him much support, but 
like Flores, his mindset remains 
unchanged.

“We were hitting balls hard, 

I don’t have any concern for it 
moving forward,” Weston said. 
“We feel prepared. We feel like 
we’ll 
play 
our 
best 
baseball, 

whenever the lights turn on. 
We’re pretty confident. Whatever 
happens, happens.”

In the second half of the 

doubleheader, 
the 
Wolverines 

had an opportunity to erase their 
offensive shortcomings and steal 
the series. They did not come 
through. For the first eight innings 
of the game, they were shut out.

 SPENCER RAINES

Daily Sports Writer

 SAM BERNARDI
Daily Sports Writer

Thursday, June 3, 2021

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com SPORTS 15

Read more at michigandaily.com

MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily

Michigan relied on its pitching all year. On Sunday night, it came back to bite them.

BECCA MAHON/Daily

Michigan’s offense struggled against Nebraska.

