Softball Tournament Update: Day 3

Photo by Matthew Putney

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Indiana and Michigan advanced to the championship game of the 2024 Big Ten Softball Tournament Presented by DirecTV with wins Friday at Pearl Field.

No. 8 seed Indiana rallied from a three-run deficit to post a 9-3 win over No. 4 Nebraska in the first semifinal.

The Hoosiers (40-17) were down to their last at-bats in the top of the seventh when Alex Cooper homered to force extra innings.

Indiana sent 11 batters to the plate in pushing across six runs in the eighth, sparked by Brianna Copeland's three-run home run.

Nebraska (30-23) opened a 3-0 lead behind a Billie Andrews home run and RBI single along with an Ava Bredwell home run.

The Hoosiers return to the championship game for the second-straight year and become the first 8th-seed to reach the final since 2004.

No. 2 Michigan earned a berth into the championship game for the third time in the last four Big Ten Tournaments with a 6-2 win over No. 11 Wisconsin in Friday's nightcap.

Michigan (40-16) broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth and added three more runs in the fifth on Keke Tholl's home run which gave the first baseman four RBI on the night. Hilary Blomberg recorded a pair of hits and three RBI for Wisconsin (21-31).

Michigan's Lauren Derkowski stuckout 11 batters in a complete game effort.

The Wolverines and Hoosiers meet at 3 p.m. CT Saturday with BTN carrying the broadcast.