Michigan softball repeats as Big Ten Tournament champs, secures NCAA berth
The Michigan softball team ensured itself a spot in the NCAA Tournament with its second straight Big Ten Tournament championship.
Michigan, the No. 8 seed, defeated No. 2 seed UCLA, 2-0, in the title game on Saturday at Bittinger Stadium on Purdue’s campus. The Wolverines (38-19) also beat Oregon, the tournament’s top seed, en route to the title.
“It’s unbelievable,” Michigan coach Bonnie Tholl said after the game on Big Ten Network. “I’m so incredibly happy for the group and for the seniors who led us.
"The season, we say it all the time, it is an investment. I tell them all the time, you know how you become a millionaire? You invest all you have in all your accounts. The most you have, the most energy, the most effort you have, you give to the program, you give to each other. Like a season, the market goes up and down, but you stay the course, and the reward is coming, the millions are coming, and it happened today.”
Jenissa Conway gave Michigan a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI double to center field that scored Indiana Langford. The Wolverines built a 2-0 lead when Ella Stephenson’s two-out single scored Conway.
Full @BigTenNetwork highlights from today's 2-0 win over No. 9 UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. pic.twitter.com/6ONeYTJpIq— Michigan Softball (@umichsoftball) May 10, 2025
Michigan had four hits and UCLA had three hits but left six on base.
Lauren Derkowski pitched five innings, giving up three hits and two walks with two strikeouts. After UCLA drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth, Erin Hoehn entered the game. Tholl had used both pitchers throughout the tournament, and Hoehn carried Michigan to the finish line. She didn’t give up a hit and had one strikeout in two innings.
The Wolverines will find out their NCAA Tournament destination Sunday night during the selection show.
achengelis@detroitnews.com
@chengelis
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan softball repeats as Big Ten Tournament champs, secures NCAA berth
