Michigan softball NCAA tournament update: Wolverines lose first game
The Michigan softball team opened the NCAA tournament on Friday but the Wolverines went down to Kentucky in walk-off fashion.
Ella Stephenson came up big for Michigan softball with a two-run home run in the fifth to tie the game for the Wolverines. However, Michigan wasn't able to force extra innings as the Wildcats notched a walk-off single with the bases loaded.
The NCAA regional is a double elimination tournament though. So Michigan softball is still alive. Lauren Derkowski pitched all seven innings for Michigan and allowed four runs on seven hits. She struck out eight Wildcats and so far, she's thrown every single pitch this postseason.
Derkowski will likely get the start on Saturday at 2:30 PM CST which will follow Kentucky and Oklahoma State, which is the No. 5 overall seed. The loser of that game will face the winner of Michigan softball and Northern Colorado.
So Michigan needs to win four straight games in order to advance to the Super regional. The Wolverines would need to beat Northern Colorado. Then, Michigan would have to beat the loser of Oklahoma State and Kentucky, before beating the winner of that game twice on Sunday.
It's definitely a tall order. But just getting a win in the NCAA tournament would be an achievement for Michigan softball which missed the tournament altogether in 2023. Ava Costales also notched two hits in the loss for U-M and drove in a run in the second that put the Wolverines in front 1-0. Ellie Sieler also notched two hits in the loss.
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If Michigan wins today, it will play again on Saturday at 6 PM EST.