The No. 2 Michigan softball team entered this weekend’s series against Michigan State with bitter memories on its mind.

In last year's final regular season game, a relatively weak Spartan lineup upset the Wolverines 2-1 and ended their 21-game winning streak in the process.

In this year’s renewal of the home-and-home series, Michigan’s in-state rival wasn’t given the same chance, as the Wolverines shut out the Spartans 10-0 in Ann Arbor and won 4-1 in East Lansing.

“Obviously, it taught us a lesson last year, and that was to go out there and don’t take anyone lightly,” senior leftfielder Angela Findlay said. “You got to go out there, and you have to play the same, whether you’re playing Michigan State, Kentucky (or) Alabama.”

Saturday’s matchup at Alumni Field was the last regular season home game for Michigan’s five senior starters — catcher Roya St. Clair, designated player Nikki Nemitz, third baseman Maggie Viefhaus, centerfielder Molly Bausher and right fielder Angela Findlay. They were honored on the field alongside their parents before the game.

And it was a pair of those seniors who owned the night.

St. Clair put on a show on both sides of the ball, as she smacked two doubles, drove in one run and scored another. From behind the plate, she showed her prowess, gunning down Spartan Karen Fox at second base in the second inning. Findlay also had a big day, as she drilled a two-run homer to right center in the second inning and scored two runs.

“I just watch (the seniors), and I’m really proud,” Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. “I’m like a mom. I’m sad. I never look forward (to) this day — I’m always kind of nervous about it.”

Junior first baseman Dorian Shaw added to Michigan's power display with her team-leading 18th homer of the season in the second inning. Sophomore second baseman Amanda Chidester contributed three RBI of her own on a solo shot in the second frame and hits in the third and fourth.

Junior pitcher Jordan Taylor got the nod on Saturday. She pitched five innings of one-hit ball, striking out nine and walking none in the effort.

Sunday afternoon’s matchup at Old College Field in East Lansing had a much different look than the day before, as Spartan starting pitcher Lauren Kramer, who was forced from the mound after two innings of work on Saturday, allowed just two hits through the first six innings.

Michigan State held a 1-0 lead entering the seventh inning — it was just the second time all season that Michigan hadn’t scored heading into the final frame.

“I was thinking the same thing the whole game, ‘What is wrong with this place?’ ” Chidester said. “ ‘I do not want to come out of here with another loss like last year.’ ”

But that was when the wheels came off for Kramer.

A down-and-in pitch to start the inning got away from her, hitting Viefhaus in the ankle. In the following at-bat, Kramer mishandled St. Clair's sacrifice attempt, allowing the senior to reach base. Then, after hitting Shaw on the thigh, Kramer loaded the bases.

Chidester stepped into the batter’s box and wasted no time. With one swing of the bat, she smashed a grand slam far beyond the left-field fence, handing the Wolverines (16-1 Big Ten, 44-6 overall) an insurmountable three-run lead.

“(We weren’t) swinging at our pitches,” Chidester said. “Swinging at her pitches was the big thing, and once we settled down and started swinging at our pitches that we needed to swing at, things started to turn around for us.”

Nemitz came back to the mound in the bottom of the seventh to finish off the Spartans. She gave up just three hits on the day, striking out 10 and walking two.

Hutchins credits her players’ ability to focus on one pitch at a time for the late breakthrough in Sunday’s game against the Spartans (4-14, 20-30).

“We try to stay focused on one-pitch (softball), and I think you see when we get away from it,” Hutchins said. “It’s clear as day. If you start visioning last season’s ending, you start visioning negative thoughts. And if you start trying too hard to get a hit, you’re not playing Michigan softball.”