Against Ohio State on Sunday, the Michigan softball team experienced deja vu.
Trailing 2-0 early on against the Buckeyes, the Wolverines’ outcome was also reminiscent of Saturday’s matchup as they fell to Ohio State in the final game of the series.
But unlike yesterday, Michigan’s defense didn’t crumble. Led by junior right-hander Lauren Derkowski’s powerful arm, the Wolverines’ defensive efforts served as a bright spot amid their offensive struggles, keeping the majority of the game within one run.
After its loss on Saturday, Michigan knew keeping the Buckeyes’ formidable offense at bay would be a daunting task. That’s why the Wolverines’ robust defensive performance started with its ace: Derkowski.
A familiar face in the circle, Derkowski’s pitching prowess proved to be a vital asset for Michigan as the game progressed. But before settling into her groove, Derkowski got off to a rocky start.
Though Derkowski kept the Buckeyes scoreless in the first frame, a solo home run from Ohio State center fielder Kirsten Eppele put it on the board early in the second inning. Still struggling to settle in, Derkowski walked two batters in the subsequent inning but quickly rebounded by preventing them from capitalizing with the use of her changeup.
In spite of early-inning difficulties, Michigan’s defensive game still largely relied on Derkowski’s dominance in the circle. But her troubles weren’t yet behind her. After striking out Ohio State’s first batter in the fourth inning, Derkowski was once again face-to-face with Eppele. And once again, Eppele rocketed a dinger down the right field line to extend the Buckeyes’ lead.
Though rattled by the two earned runs, Derkowski knew she couldn’t dwell on it. The Wolverines needed her to focus on what was left to play.
“(It’s) just (the) one pitch mentality,” Derkowski said. “(You) just have to let it go and play the game the same way.”
Though Ohio State was now up 2-0, junior left fielder Ellie Sieler cut Ohio State’s lead to just one with a solo home run. So it was now up to Derkowski and the defense to keep it that way — and they delivered.
“I think (it’s) being able to slow the game down,” Derkowski said. “I know that everyone has their own kind of techniques, but going back to trusting your work, trusting our practice, and finding ways to feel good and to just really control every aspect that you can in that moment.”
Confident in her abilities, Derkowski found a way to control the game.
Three singles in quick succession loaded the bases for the Buckeyes early in the fifth inning. With only one out in the inning, Ohio State was thirsty for a run. But Derkowski left that thirst unquenched.
Rocking back in the circle, Derkowski relied on her changeup. Unleashing the ball, she successfully coaxed a line drive off the bat the Buckeyes’ designated player Jasmyn Burns that became a double play to end the inning and mitigate the threat.
“She was really solid,” Michigan coach Bonnie Tholl said. “Derk pitched really well. Unfortunately, they tagged her for two runs out of those five hits, but she only had three base-on-balls, which is pretty good. … She battled through all the at-bats.”
Indeed, having found her rhythm, Derkowski had no intention of letting up now.
At the top of the sixth inning, sitting at a 3-2 count, Derkowski delivered yet another pitch into the strike zone to send the Ohio State batter back to the dugout. Derkowski repeated this process throughout the remainder of the game, relying on her changeup to outmaneuver the Buckeyes’ batters. Though not every series of pitches resulted in a strikeout, Derkowski was a crucial component in the Wolverines’ sturdy defensive wall by holding Ohio State’s offense to just five hits, keeping them scoreless in the final three innings of the game.
As the bottom of the seventh inning approached, Michigan’s offense had one final chance to put up a run and earn the win, a chance only afforded to them thanks to the Wolverines’ defense. But just like before, Michigan’s offense struck out at the plate and lost the final game of the series, 2-1.
In spite of the lack of productivity in its offense, the same cannot be said of Derkowski and the Wolverines’ defense. Pitch after pitch, Derkowski played an essential role in keeping the victory within Michigan’s reach — but its offense just couldn’t grasp it.