Ann Arbor — It seems a rarity, that special player who can come in her freshman season and not only fulfill promise that season but for her entire career. Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins saw it once before in Sierra Romero.
She’s witnessing it again in freshman pitcher Meghan Beaubien.
Beaubien on Wednesday was named the Big Ten’s Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year. She was 16-1 in the Big Ten with a 0.93 ERA, six shutouts, 117 strikeouts and a .123 opponents’ batting average in conference games.
She has helped lead the Wolverines (43-10) to the top seed in the Big Ten tournament that opens Thursday.