Monday, May 17, 2010 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 11 Wolverines grab bid to NCAA Super Regional 'M' scheduled to host Tennessee next week After defeating Notre * Dame twice, Blue wins the Ann Arbor Regional decisively By LUKE PASCH Daily Sports Writer In the 2010 renewal of the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional, the Wolverines saw ddjS vu. For the second year in a row, they were required to beat Notre Dame twice in order to advance in the 64-team tournament. But this time around, the Irish never had a fighting WRIGHT STATE 2 chance. MICHIGAN 11 Michi- gan domi- NOTRE DAME 0 nated every MICHIGAN 8 aspect of both games, MICHIGAN 12 winning 8-0 NOTRE DAME 2 on Saturday and 12-2 in the regional final on Sun- day. Notre Dame entered the tourna- ment ranked 25th with an impres- sive 45-10 record, just one win shy of Michigan's record. They had four selections to the All-Great Lakes first team, which was just two fewer than Michigan. But neither coach expected to see a pair of blowouts. "To come back and attack Notre Dame the way we did was just out- standing," Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. "I thought it started in the circle. (Junior pitcher Jordan Taylor) attacked them." The Notre Dame lineup, which was batting .035 higher than Michi- gan's lineup coming into the regional, was no match for Taylor. She struck out 22 Irish batters in 12 innings of work, walking only one. And the Wolverine lineup wasn't intimidated by Notre Dame pitcher Jody Valdivia, who got the start in both games and entered the tourna- ment with 36 wins and a 1.72 ERA. "They did a good job of jumping on my pitches that I missed," Valdivia said. "I didn't help by putting the runners on-and walking people..L got behind, and they did a giid job wait- ing for their pitch and attacking it." On Saturday, Valdivia was chased from the mound after a third inning Junior Jordan Taylor had 22 strikeouts in two games against Notre Dame this weekend. in which she gave up a pair of three- pair this weekend (Shaw launched run bombs, one to senior third base- two in Friday's regional opener man Maggie Viefhaus and the other against Wright State), that goal looks to senior designated player Nikki more and more achievable. They Nemitz. share the team lead now with 20 home runs apiece. Both are one homer away from e c tying the program's single-season To comeback home run record. and attack Notre But as big as the long ball was for the Wolverines this weekend, Hutchins has been looking to balance Dame ... was just it with small ball. outstanding "We try to make things happen and catch people off guard," Hutchins said after the first game with Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon. "I know the scouting report on us is that Viefhaus' shot ended up in the Ray we don't bunt. So, maybe we will." Fisher baseball stadium outfield, a Hutchins called for four sacrifice solid 50 feet past the Alumni Field bunts this weekend, including two center field fence. perfect ones laid down by sophomore And she wasn't done there. second baseman Amanda Chidester On Sunday afternoon, Viefhaus to move runners into scoring posi- went long off Valdivia two more times tion. - a solo shot in the first and a three- "We always work on bunts in prac- run blast in the third to help the Wol- tice," Chidester said. "It's something verines take the lead for good. that we always do, and sometimes we "If I knew I would tell you," said have competitions with it. Valdivia when asked how Viefhaus "It's always important, but we found such success. "I'mgoingtogive haven't really needed to use it. Just her a lot of credit - I think she does a by practicing it all the time, we were great job of hitting. able to pull it out whenever we need- "She makes you miss and then ed it." waits for that pitch that comes right With Sunday's outcome, Michigan through the zone." advanced to the NCAA Super Region- At the beginning of the season, al, which will be a best-of-three Viefhtas and junior first baseman series against No. 15 Tennessee. Dorian Shaw set an end-of-season The series will take place in Ann goal of 50 combined home runs. Arbor and times will be announced And with five more between the soon. Wo very different teams set to collide in Super Regional By LUKE PASCH Daily Sports Writer With No. 2 Michigan's 12-2 vic- tory over Notre Dame in the Ann Arbor regional final, the team clinched a spot in the NCAA Super Regional -softball's equivalent of a Sweet 16. And minutes after the win, No. 15 Tennessee's Nicole Kajitani ripped a pitch over the head of Louisville's second baseman to drive in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning NOTEBOOK of the Knoxville regional final. Michigan and Tennessee's fates were sealed. The two will face off this upcom- ing Friday and Saturday in the best- of-three super regional series, and it will be held at Alumni Field in Ann Arbor. Next weekend will mark the third time Michigan has hosted the super regional and the first since 2008. SCOUTING THE ENEMY: If there's one thing that stands out when glancing at Tennessee's depth chart, it's youth. The team carries 10 freshmen on its roster, and six underclassmen start in the Lady Vols' everyday lineup. And if there's one deficiency with Michigan's roster, it's youth - the everyday lineup consists of five seniors and no freshmen. But Michigan coach Carol Hutchins has yet to decide wheth- er Tennessee's age is a good or bad quality. "I know they're young," Hutchins said. "But that concerns me as much as if they're old. They always have great talent, and they're always competitive. "So, you know what, we'll focus on us, as always." With the age difference will come two very different styles of softball. Tennessee.js fast. And the Lady Vol hitters h ecome TIibly adept at chopping the ballierW ft side of the infield and legging out base hits. They drill the ball into the ground, bouncing it 25 feet into the air, and by the time the third base- man comes up with it, she has no chance at a play at first. Once they're on base, they run wild - Tennessee has -stolen 119 bases this season, dwarfing Michi- gan's 44. But that's not to say that the Wol- verines aren't willing to give their opponent a taste of its own medi- cine. They surprised their oppo- nents in the Ann Arbor regional by swiping four bases over three games. Michigan will also come into the series with significantly more power than Tennessee. After seven home runs in the regional, Michi- gan has 81 long balls in 2010, com- pared to Tennessee's 47. Senior third baseman Maggie Viefhaus and junior first baseman Dorian Shaw are both sitting one home run shy of the program sin- Youth versus experience. Small ball versus the long ball. gle-season record with 20 apiece. MICHIGAN'S PITCHING STRAT- EGY: Hutchins doesn't appear to have a strict pitching strategy thus far in the postseason. She's only revealed that she'll give the start to whoever gives the Wolverines the best shot at win- ning. And as of now, that means that junior pitcher Jordan Taylor will probably get the start in tougher games. Senior pitcher Nikki Nemitz got the nod for the regional opener against lowly Wright State, and Taylor was tapped for both starts against Notre Dame. In 2005, during Michigan's championship run, Jennie Ritter started every game of the tour- nament. So don't be surprised if Hutchins goes with Taylor from here-on-out. And if Nemitz does get the start, expect Taylor to enter at the first sign of trouble.