WEST LAFAYETTE — The odds were against the Michigan softball team as it headed into the Big Ten Tournament. Ending the Big Ten season 11-11 — with no ranked wins to its name — and entering the tournament as the No. 8 seed, the Wolverines’ likelihood of making it to the end of the tournament seemed low.
But they pulled through. In a tournament defined by great defense, especially in the circle, coupled with just enough of an offensive surge to topple opponents, Michigan finally did what Wolverines coach Bonnie Tholl had wanted all season: click. And that’s what helped them stun some of the most formidable teams from their regular season.
“Getting the offense and defense clicking at the same time has been a little bit of our Achilles’ heel this year,” Tholl said April 29 after the UCLA series. “And we need a moment to win and believe, and you learn how to win by winning.”
In the tournament’s first round, Michigan faced No. 9 seed Wisconsin in what would be a predictable win for the Wolverines. After all, Michigan swept the Badgers in the regular season. Playing a team like Wisconsin helped the Wolverines acclimate to the tournament pressure while also evening out play on both sides of the ball. In what was an impressive showing by senior right-hander Lauren Derkowski and Michigan’s infielders, the game against the Badgers set the tone for the rest of the tournament.
However, the true test for the Wolverines would be if they could continue this well-roundedness against the No. 1 seed and No. 7 Oregon.
In what was perhaps a defensive masterclass by Michigan, the Wolverines shutout the most powerful team in the conference. Derkowski and sophomore right-hander Erin Hoehn stayed resilient in the circle. Michigan’s fielders put everything on the line to prevent any runs scored — sophomore right fielder Ella Stephenson even made a clutch catch that prevented a home run from the Ducks — and the Wolverines found some much-needed offensive momentum thanks to tactful hitting by sophomomre center fielder Jenissa Conway.
They simply clicked.
“You saw great defense, outstanding tough pitching and timely hitting,” Tholl said Thursday after the Oregon game. “I think it’s just 100 (%) belief in the preparation we’ve been doing since September. And I think I’ve said it all along, … the reward is coming, and you saw a little bit of the reward today.”
Not only did Michigan click, it learned to win. And after the game against the Ducks, the Wolverines knew they were unstoppable.
They ended No. 12 seed Purdue’s string of upset victories after the Boilermakers destroyed No. 5 seed Northwestern and No. 4 seed Ohio State. Derkowski and Hoehn again tagteamed a win while Michigan’s fielders gave it their all — including a massive double play that prevented the Boilermakers from taking the lead. On top of that, the Wolverines scored just what they needed to get the job done. In what has been a season of Michigan’s bats struggling to heat up when the team needed it the most, the tournament showed a different story.
The Wolverines had finally found their groove. They just needed to get past the No. 2 seed and the 10th-ranked Bruins to finally get their hands on the coveted Big Ten championship title.
It was a grueling battle in the Big Ten Tournament finals as no team had made it to second base until the bottom of the fourth inning, But with belief on its side, Michigan fought hard to again shut out a top-ranked team.
Derkowski and Hoehn combined for three strikeouts and two walks while leaning on their fielders to make the catches and keep UCLA off the board. And of course, Conway again pulled through to help bring in two runs for the Wolverines.
“It’s a great feeling knowing that we can do it when we’re playing our best,” Conway said. “… It didn’t matter how good UCLA was, we knew it was gonna be fighting. We knew we were gonna get it.”
Tholl knew what her team needed to do, and they went out and pulled it off. In what an impressive Cinderella run for Michigan, the Wolverines put the pieces together and clicked at the right time. And the once 11-11 team with no ranked wins to its name is now lost beneath the excitement of a second consecutive Big Ten Tournament title.
