Michigan Softball: Michigan will host Regional

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/softball/article.aspx?id=137514

Michigan Earns No. 4 NCAA Seed, Regional Host Role

May 11, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan softball team will be the No. 4 overall seed for the 2008 NCAA Tournament and host a regional for the seventh straight year, as announced by the NCAA Sunday (May 11) on ESPNU. The Wolverines (48-6) are one of 16 schools to host a four-team NCAA Regional tournament with contests running Friday through Sunday (May 16-18) at the Wilpon Softball Complex, home of Alumni Field.

Michigan is joined by regional No. 2 seed Notre Dame, No. 3 seed Kent State and No. 4 seed Wright State in the double-elimination event. Michigan opens regional play against Wright State on Friday (May 16) at 7 p.m., following the Notre Dame and Kent State opener, which begins at 4:30 p.m. The tournament winner earns the right to advance to the NCAA Super Regional the following weekend (May 23-24).

Tickets for the regional tournament will go on sale through the U-M Ticket Office on Tuesday (May 13) at 8:30 a.m. Admission for each day of the event is $8 for grandstand chairback seating, $7 for grandstand bleacher seats and $5 for outfield bleachers. All tickets must be picked up in person. Ticket will call on game days will be located near the Wilpon Complex scoreboard at the entrance gate near the U-M Indoor Track Building.

The winner of the regional in Ann Arbor will move on to a Super Regional against the winner of the regional being hosted by Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn. That regional consists of No. 13 overall seed Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Louisville and Winthrop. The Super Regional is a best two-of-three format with the winner advancing to the eight-team WCWS May 29 through June 5 in Oklahoma City, Okla.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish earned an at-large bid to the tournament after posting a 37-20-1 record and finishing fourth in the Big East standings. Kent State and Wright State earned automatic bids to the postseason with the Golden Flashes winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament and the Raiders claiming the Horizon League Tournament title. Kent State owns a record of 44-10, while Wright State is 33-22.

Michigan owns a perfect 2-0 record in the all-time series against WSU, with the last meeting coming at the 2003 NCAA Regional. Michigan defeated the Raiders 13-0 to eliminate them from NCAA Tournament play. U-M is 9-4 against Notre Dame and carries a four-game winning streak against the Irish, while the Wolverines lead Kent State 4-0 in the all-time series between the two programs.

Michigan is making its 14th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Michigan plays host to a regional for the seventh straight season and 14th time overall. The Wolverines boast their highest NCAA Tournament seeding since 2005 when they entered with the No. 1 overall spot. They've claimed the No. 9 NCAA seeding each of the last two seasons. Last year U-M earned three straight victories -- one against each regional opponent -- en route to its third consecutive Super Regional appearance.

Ann Arbor Regional Schedule

Friday, May 16
Game 1 -- #2 seed Notre Dame vs. #3 seed Kent State, 4:30 p.m.
Game 2 -- #1 seed Michigan vs. #4 seed Wright State, 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 17
Game 3 -- Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, Noon
Game 4 -- Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2:30 p.m.
Game 5 -- Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 5 p.m.

Sunday, May 18
Game 6 -- Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 7 (if necessary) -- Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 3:30 p.m.