Last weekend against Michigan State, senior right-hander Lauren Derkowski had an uncommonly rough series.
On Friday, Derkowski allowed six hits and four runs in the Michigan softball team’s first loss to Michigan State in more than seven years. In the second game on Saturday, things worsened when she made it just three innings before being pulled. In those innings, she walked four batters, allowed two hits and four runs and hit one batter with a pitch. The performance was one of her worst of the season, with a game ERA of 9.33.
Against the Spartans, Derkowski struggled to find the zone, attempting to line the margins of the box, but was often unable to do so. Michigan State’s batters worked her to full count after full count, wearing her down over the course of the weekend. The Spartans were making solid contact with her pitches, ultimately resulting in a grand slam from Kaelin Cash that would end Derkowski’s weekend. But this wasn’t just a case of a tough few games — it was an opposing team coming in with a game plan to shut down an elite pitcher they’ve faced for four years and executing that plan to perfection.
So the Wolverines aren’t taking last weekend as a sign that Derkowski isn’t up to the task in her final season. Michigan coach Bonnie Tholl feels she’s still just as elite as she ever was.
“When you pitch against a team for four years, there’s so much scouting information out there,” Tholl said on Saturday. “It’s really difficult for juniors or seniors in our league to be super successful, because teams have seen her for three and a half years. So I don’t think it was her best weekend, for sure, but you have to give Michigan State some credit for really executing whatever their game plan was.”
Even in defeat, Derkowski is still an exceptional pitcher. She struck out eight batters in Friday’s loss to Michigan State, and one of the runs was unearned due to a fielding error. And even after a terrible outing by her high standards, Derkowski’s season ERA still did not rise above 1.95. She remains elite, among the top-10 pitchers in the Big Ten.
It’s not just Derkowski in Michigan’s bullpen, either. Sophomore right-hander Erin Hoehn has recovered from a poor start and is maintaining a solid 2.36 ERA. She was stellar in relief of Derkowski in the Michigan State series despite giving up four runs, including two home runs. But it is still the senior captain’s circle, and will likely remain that way until she graduates.
“I’m not worried at all, personally, because Derk is Derk,” junior infielder Indiana Langford said on Tuesday. “She’s gonna shut teams down at the end of the day, she’s gonna go out there and do her thing. And anytime she’s on the mound, I know we have a chance at winning every single game.”
The upcoming matchup against Oregon will provide Derkowski an opportunity to rebound after last weekend. But even if her numbers suffer, Michigan still won’t be worried about Lauren Derkowski. The circle is firmly hers in the Wolverines’ eyes.
