321 Orientation Edition 2008 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com MICHIGAN SOFTBALL Michigan softball is arguably one of the most dominant teams on campus. The Wolverines have gone to JM lo se s 1i the NCAA super regionals every year since their 2005 National Championship, and they don't seem to be slowing down. Even with a talented pair of seniors leaving the program, next year should be a fun one. By RUTH LINCOLN Daily Sports Writer May 27, 2008 - When Michigan coach Carol Hutchins walked into the postgame, press conference fol- lowing the Wolverines' 1-0 and 6-1 NCAA super regional losses to Vir- ginia Tech on Sunday, not a single player accompanied her. "Just me," Hutchins said calmly before she took her seat at the table, which she had'shared with her play- ers at every other postgame press conference this postseason. It was just Hutchins there to answer questions about why her team lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. Only the winningest coach in Michigan history was there to rea- son the decision to pull sophomore pitcher Nikki Nemitz in the final game and replace her with fresh- man Jordan Taylor in the third, just to bring back Nemitz one out and four Virginia Tech runs later. And why after taking game one 1-0 on Saturday in a tight pitchers' duel between Taylor and Virginia Tech's All-American senior Angela Tincher, the Wolverine defense fal- tered and looked thwsloppiest it had all season the next dy. "When things don't go our way, I look to the coach first," Hutchins said. "I make the decisions. You make decisions, and when they The Michigan softball team waits to greet Samantha Findlay, whoojust hit the Women's College World Series-winning home run. Blue claims 2005 National Title By SCOTT BELL and comeback victory in as many moment for' Michigan and for Daily Sports Writer nights, defeating No. 7 ,UCLA 4-1in Michigan softball and all the alums 10 innings to win the2005 College in the Big Ten Conference," Michi- June 9, 2,005 - OKLAHOMA CITY* World Series. The rational chan- gan coach Carol Hutchins said. - After 1299 days since Michigan's pionship is the first title that any of "I'm mostly so proud of these kids last championship, three more the 26 varsityteams from Michigan because they' are incredible and innings couldn't hurt. has won sincethe field hockey team have been all week." The No.-1 ranked Michigan won its national title in 2001. After several failed attempts by softball team put together its sec- "This is obviously a great See SOFTBALL, Page 35 . . . in supers work you look brilliant, and when they don't - that's the way itgoes." She may have been protecting her players, but there were few Wolver- ines with much to celebrate Sunday. Freshman first baseman Dorian Shaw had her first hit of the week- end, a solo home run once the final game was out of reach. But that still left four Michigan starters hitless in the three-game series, including senior slugger Samantha Findlay. Findlay hoped to lead the No. 4- seeded Wolverines (52-8) back to the Women's College World Series for the first time since her fresh- man campaign when Michigan won the 2005 National Championship. But Findlay and fellow senior co- captain Alessandra Giampaolo will have to settle with just one trip to Oklahoma City. "My seniors have established careers, and they were part of our greatest moment," Hutchins said. "It wasn't meant to be for them this year, and theyctook us awful close." And Michigantyinga season-higb four errors in its 1-0loss in game two didn't help the cause either. The Wolverines' defense was nearly flawless in Saturday's win, but the consistently crisp throws and solid catches were nowhere to be seen Sunday. Key defensive contributors like second baseman Findlay, shortstop Teddi Ewing and catcher Roya St. Clair stumbled. "The key to (Saturday) was play defense," Hutchins said. "Defense starts on the mound ... Our defense let us down, and it hurt us." Meanwhile, the unseeded Hok- ies had much more to enjoy. Virginia Tech coach Scot Thomas and three of his players filled the chairs behind the same table Hutchins had just occupied by herself. The Hokies rejoiced and recollected how it felt for a team of walk-ons and passed-over recruits to upset the powerhouse Michigan. Tincher pitched all three games, allowing just two runs in 19 innings and struck out 15 Mich- igan batters in game two, the most the Wolverines have been struck out in a game in three years. "She seemed to have a differ- ent approach for each batter,' Hutchins said. "She didn't give us anythingto get on. "I thought we needed to con- tinue to get better and lay off some pitches. I didn't feel we made adjustments, and that's on us." 4 4 ', I -l PEN INSULAR 734.485.9999 jLP 1000 N. Huron Rliver Dr. PLAC E ypsistudenthousing.com OWNED AND PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED BY Th AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES I