from MGoBlue.comhttp://www.mgoblue.com/softball/article.aspx?id=138736#
Video Report:
http://www.mgoblue.com/Multimedia/MultimediaCenter.aspx?id=138456&categoryId=82016
Michigan Blanks Virginia Tech in Super Regional Opener
May 24, 2008
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Event: NCAA Super Regional (Game 1)
Score: #6 Michigan 1, #17 Virginia Tech 0
Records: U-M (52-6), Virginia Tech (47-17)
Next U-M Game: Sunday, May 25 -- vs. Virginia Tech in NCAA Super Regional (Wilpon Complex), 1 p.m.
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
Virginia Tech....... 000 000 0 - 0 3 0
Michigan............ 000 001 X - 1 4 0
-----------------------------------------
Win - J. Taylor (31-3). Loss - Tincher, A. (36-8). Save - None.
Pitches/strikes: Tincher, A. 107/72; J. Taylor 96/62.
Start: 12:07 pm Time: 1:40 Attendance: 2267
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan softball team finally broke through against Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher in the sixth inning and won the first game of the NCAA Super Regional by a 1-0 score Saturday (May 24) in front of 2,267 fans at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. After a rocky first inning, freshman pitcher Jordan Taylor (Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS) was magnificent in the circle for the Wolverines, throwing a three-hit shutout and striking out seven without a walk to improve to 31-3.
The win gives the Wolverines a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series as they seek their ninth Women's College World Series appearance and first since winning the NCAA title in 2005. The 17th-ranked Hokies will need to beat Michigan twice Sunday (May 25) to earn their first WCWS trip.
With one out in the sixth, senior leftfielder Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS) fouled off six pitches before lining a 2-2 offering to left-centerfield for a double -- her U-M record-tying 61st career two-bagger -- on the ninth pitch of the at-bat. Senior pinch runner Michelle Weatherdon (Marquette, Mich./Marquette HS) came on to run for Giampaolo, and after Tincher struck out freshman pinch hitter Marley Powers (Owosso, Mich./Owosso HS) on three pitches, sophomore rightfielder Angela Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) singled up the middle to bring home Weatherdon just ahead of a high throw from the centerfielder.
Tincher (36-8), a USA Softball Player of the Year finalist who no-hit the Team USA in an exhibition earlier this season, limited the Wolverines to three baserunners in the first five innings -- on a walk, a bunt single by junior shortstop Teddi Ewing (Olathe, Kan./East HS) in the third, and Findlay's base hit down the rightfield line in the fourth -- and did not allow a runner past first until Giampaolo's double. Tincher finished with 10 K's in six innings.
Virginia Tech threatened at the game's outset, as Jenna Rhodes reached on an infield single and moved to second when Erin Ota was plunked by Taylor's 1-2 offering. After Taylor struck out Charisse Mariconda swinging, a flyout to rightfield advanced the runners to second and third with two outs, but Taylor got Kelsey Hoffman on another fly to right to end the inning.
Taylor retired 16 straight Hokies until Rhodes reached on an infield single with one out in the sixth. After U-M catcher sophomore catcher Roya St. Clair (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) cut down Rhodes trying to steal on the first pitch of the next at-bat, Ota singled to center but was left stranded. Taylor set down Virginia Tech in order in the seventh, with the final out coming on a nice running catch by Findlay just on the foul side of the rightfield line.
The Wolverines and Hokies will return to Alumni Field at the Wilpon Complex on Sunday (May 25) to complete their best-of-three NCAA Super Regional. Game two of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m., with the third game (if necessary) to follow. All action will be televised by ESPN.
No comments:
Post a Comment