Michigan Baseball: Hosting a Regional

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/baseball/article.aspx?id=138880

Michigan Selected as One of 16 NCAA Regional Hosts

May 25, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Twenty-two years after it last hosted an NCAA baseball regional, the University of Michigan will again serve as a starting point for the road to Omaha, Neb., and the NCAA College World Series.

The NCAA announced Sunday evening (May 25) that Michigan's Wilpon Baseball Complex, home to Ray Fisher Stadium, has been selected as one of 16 regional sites for the 2008 NCAA Baseball Championship. The complete field for the 64-team national tournament will be revealed Monday (May 26) at 12:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN.

U-M will host a four-team, double-elimination regional Friday through Monday (May 30-June 2), with two games each of the first three days before the "if necessary" second championship game Monday. The 16 regional winners will advance to best-of-three super regionals that will start either Friday or Saturday, June 6-7, at eight campus sites.

The 16 regional host institutions and sites are: Arizona State (Tempe, Ariz.), Cal State Fullerton (Fullerton, Calif.), Coastal Carolina (Conway, S.C.), Florida State (Tallahassee, Fla.), Georgia (Athens, Ga.), Long Beach State (Long Beach, Calif.), Louisiana State (Baton Rouge, La.), Miami (Fla.) (Coral Gables, Fla.), Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.), North Carolina (Cary, N.C.), North Carolina State (Raleigh, N.C.), Oklahoma State (Stillwater, Okla.), Rice (Houston, Texas), Stanford (Palo Alto, Calif.) and Texas A&M (College Station, Texas).

Michigan has played host to NCAA Regional action on seven previous occasions, most recently in 1986. U-M also hosted in 1953, '61, '78, '80, '81 and '83.

The Wolverines (45-12) claimed the Big Ten Tournament title and an automatic NCAA berth this weekend with three come-from-behind wins in three days at their home park, capturing the tournament crown for the second time in three years. Michigan set a Big Ten single-season record for regular-season conference wins by going 26-5 en route to its third straight Big Ten championship.

Michigan is in the NCAA field for the 21st time overall and will be making its fourth straight NCAA appearance. Last year the Wolverines defeated top-ranked Vanderbilt twice in Nashville, Tenn., on the way to winning their eighth regional championship. U-M lost twice at eventual national champion Oregon State in the super regional.

This is the inaugural season for the Wilpon Complex following a $9 million renovation to Michigan's baseball stadium, thanks in large part to Fred Wilpon, principal owner and CEO of the New York Mets, and his wife Judy.

Additions and improvements included a three-story addition with administrative offices, press box, two suites, improved public restrooms, concession areas and a ticket office, as well as a 1,600-square-foot locker room, 5,750-square-foot indoor hitting facility, and outdoor batting cages along the leftfield and rightfield lines.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGIONAL SCHEDULE (Times TBA)

Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- #1 Seed vs. #4 Seed
Game 2 -- #2 Seed vs. #3 Seed

Saturday, May 31
Game 3 -- Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser
Game 4 -- Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner

Sunday, June 1
Game 5 -- Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser
Game 6 -- Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner

Monday, June 2
Game 7 (if necessary) -- Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser
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Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Rich Maloney
On hosting an NCAA Regional... "I think it is a huge thing for our program. In order to make it to Omaha and the College World Series, it helps to be a host. Teams that get this opportunity have an increased chance of being one of those eight teams in Omaha. We built this facility with the idea of hosting a regional, so in a way this is a dream come true.

"It is a great thing for this ball club as well. We get so few opportunities to play in front of our home fans throughout the year because of the amount of travel we go through in the beginning of the season. This makes it extra special for our followers too."

On what this means to Northern baseball... "For college baseball I think it is important that they have Northern representation. We want to be a sport that is inclusive so everybody has a chance to win the national championship. For years, that hasn't been the case. Hopefully, this is a step in the right direction."

On playing at home this year... "It is extra special to play here in this new ballpark. We have been very successful at home this season, winning 21 of 23 games, and I think that has a lot to do with us feeling comfortable here. We have our brand new locker room. We have our offices. This is our park and we want to go out there every game with the idea that we do not lose at home."

Larry Templeton, NCAA Division I Baseball Committee Chair (from teleconference)
On Michigan hosting a regional... "They're the champions of the Big Ten Conference, and it gave us an opportunity to put a regional a little farther north than we have been able to do previously. Part of our charge is to have national balance with these sites. We're excited about the opportunity. We're excited about the improvements that Michigan has made with their ballpark."

On how much winning the conference tournament benefited Michigan... "It certainly helped. They were on the board, and fortunately they had won that tournament when we made the final decision. It was all part of the selection process. We had the advantage to know they won both the regular season and the tournament."

On Michigan being the only Northern host... "We were trying to find national balance, just as we are trying to find teams on the West Coast and up East. Them (the Wolverines) having won the Big Ten Conference with their record, and with some quality wins in the non-conference schedule, it made that decision a little more comfortable than in years gone by."

Michigan Softball: Michigan lost to Va. Tech

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/softball/article.aspx?id=138878

Michigan's Bats Quieted by Hokies in Super Regional

May 25, 2008
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Event: NCAA Super Regional (Games 2-3)
Scores: #17 Virginia Tech 1, #6 Michigan 0; #17 Virginia Tech 6, #6 Michigan 1
Records: U-M (52-8), Virginia Tech (49-17)
Next U-M Game: Season Completed

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan softball team saw its hopes of a return trip to the Women's College World Series come to an end Sunday (May 25), as 17th-ranked Virginia Tech won twice on U-M's home field, 1-0 and 6-1, to take the best-of-three NCAA Super Regional and earn its first trip to the WCWS.

With a crowd of 2,347 on hand at the Wilpon Complex, home to Alumni Field, Michigan managed just three hits in each contest off Virginia Tech ace Angela Tincher and dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season.

After the teams split 1-0 decisions in the first two games of the series, Virginia Tech took control of the deciding game in the third inning, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring four runs on two hits, three walks and an RBI fielder's choice. The Hokies added single runs in the fourth and fifth before U-M finally dented the scoreboard with freshman first baseman Dorian Shaw's (Burke, Va./Robinson SS) solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.

In Sunday's opener, the Hokies' unearned run in the bottom of the first inning -- aided by two Michigan errors in the frame -- was all that Tincher needed. She allowed three hits and two walks and struck out 15 batters. Over the two games Sunday she gave up just six hits and one run in 14 innings while walking two and fanning 22.

After two quiet innings in game two, the top of the third quickly became a nightmare for Michigan. Sophomore pitcher Nikki Nemitz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS), who earned the start after throwing a perfect sixth inning in the opener, gave up a leadoff infield single to Whitney Davis, who advanced to second when junior Teddi Ewing's (Olathe, Kan./East HS) shovel pass to first sailed wide of Shaw.

That brought freshman pitcher Jordan Taylor (Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS) off the U-M bench. Taylor, who had not given up an earned run during her last 25 innings of postseason action over a five-game stretch that included three complete-game shutouts, had nothing left after going seven innings Saturday and five innings in Sunday's opener. She walked three of the first four batters she faced -- getting the second hitter on a sacrifice bunt -- to force in a run, and when Misty Hall's line shot went off sophomore third baseman Maggie Viefhaus' (Eureka, Mo./Eureka HS) glove and down the leftfield line for a two-run double, Virginia Tech suddenly had a 3-0 lead.

After the Hokies added another run on a fielder's choice grounder to shortstop, Nemitz reentered the game and ended the rally, throwing out a runner at home on a bunt back to the circle and catching the next batter looking to close the inning.

Tech added single runs in the next two innings, as Davis led off the fourth with her first career home run and the Hokies pieced together a walk, fielder's choice, flyout with the runner advancing to second, and single off Ewing's glove and through the hole at short to make it 6-0.

Shaw ended Tincher's string of scoreless innings at 12 when she sent a 2-1 offering high over the fence in leftfield with two outs in the fifth for the 11th home of her rookie season. However, Tincher retired the Wolverines in order in the last two innings to close the game.

A season-high-tying four errors doomed the Wolverines in the first contest as Virginia Tech took advantage of a pair of U-M miscues to score the lone run of the game in the bottom of the first. With one out and Erin Ota on base after a full-count walk, Charisse Mariconda sent a dribbler to second base, but Ewing dropped the throw on an attempted forceout at second and both Hokie runners were safe.

A liner to centerfield in the subsequent at-bat loaded up the bases for Kelsey Hoffman, who sent a soft grounder down the third baseline. Viefhaus forced the lead runner at home plate, but sophomore catcher Roya St. Clair's (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) attempt to double-up the runner at first went awry and Mariconda trotted home from third base.

The Wolverines' only real threat came in the third inning, when senior second baseman Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) led off with a full-count walk and moved to second when Viefhaus struck out swinging and the ball got past the catcher for a wild pitch. After another strikeout, Shaw walked to put runners on first and second with two outs, but Tincher fanned St. Clair to end the inning.

Michigan had single baserunners in the third, fifth and sixth innings but could not advance them past first base. Tincher, who had at least one strikeout in each inning of the opener and struck out the side in the second and fifth frames, earned her 37th double-digit strikeout performance of the season and dealt Michigan its most single-game strikeouts in three years.

U-M ends the season with a 52-8 overall record. The Wolverines shared the Big Ten regular-season title and won their 11th NCAA regional championship.

Michigan Softball: Va. Tech vs. Michigan Game 2

Michigan Softball:

"Super Regional" Game 2

Va. Tech vs. Michigan

1:00pm EDT. - 3:30pm EDT.

DirecTV Channel 206

ESPN

Michigan Softball: Michigan beats Va. Tech 1-0

from MGoBlue.com
http://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.

BTN: Michigan vs. Purdue: Saturday Game

BTN Game highlights of Michigan's Big Ten Championship game

Michigan Baseball: Michigan wins Big Ten Tournament

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/baseball/article.aspx?id=138750

Michigan Rallies Past Purdue to Win Big Ten Tournament

May 24, 2008
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Complex)
Event: Big Ten Tournament
Score: #18 Michigan 3, Purdue 2
Records: U-M (45-12), Purdue (32-26)
Next U-M Game: Friday, May 30 -- NCAA Regional (Site TBA)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 18-ranked and No. 1-seeded University of Michigan baseball team claimed its eighth Big Ten Conference Tournament championship with a 3-2 victory over No. 2-seeded Purdue University Saturday night (May 24) in the Wilpon Baseball Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium.

Senior/junior Michael Powers (St. Clair Shores, Mich./South Lake HS) shut down the Boilermakers over the final two innings for his third save in as many days and was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player. Junior CF Kevin Cislo (Novi, Mich./Novi HS) led the way offensively with three hits and scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh inning.

The Wolverines threatened in each of the first four innings, as they had runners on second and third with two outs, but Purdue's starter Tony Sedlmeyer held them off the scoreboard.

The Boilermakers struck first with two runs in the bottom of the second inning when CF Jon Moore and SS Nick Overmyer had RBI hits in the frame. Designated hitter Tony Jaffe led off the inning with a walk and scored on the ensuing at-bat, as Moore doubled to left-centerfield, giving PU the 1-0 lead.

Following a sacrifice bunt to advance Moore to third, Overmeyer singled through the right side past a diving Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) at second base to bring Moore down the line for the 2-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Boilermakers had chances to increase their lead, as they had runners on second and third with one out against Michigan's sophomore starting pitcher Eric Katzman (Harrington Park, N.J./Northern Valley Old Tappan HS). However, Katzman induced a ground ball to SS Jason Christian (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland HS), who held the runners and got the out at first.

Freshman RHP Tyler Burgoon (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance HS) then entered the game and got Moore to ground out to junior tri-captain 3B Adam Abraham (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS) to end the inning.

Michigan cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the fifth. Abraham began the rally with a two-out walk. Cislo followed with a double down the leftfield line, and when Jordan Comadena had trouble fielding the ball, Abraham motored around the bases for a 2-1 ballgame.

One inning later, freshman RF Ryan LaMarre (Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi HS) tied the game with his second home run of the season. The leadoff hitter in the frame took a 1-2 pitch to the deepest part of the park and over the 395-foot wall in centerfield to tie the score at 2-2.

Burgoon gave up a leadoff double in the bottom half of the sixth, but he retired the next three batters in order, bringing the Wolverines back to the plate in the top of the seventh.

With one out, Cislo ripped his second double of the game, again to leftfield. The junior speedster advanced to third on a Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair HS) bounceout to second base. During the next at-bat, Cislo scored the winning run when Andy Loomis threw just his second wild pitch of the year. As soon as the ball bounced past the catcher, Cislo broke for home and scored without a throw, giving the Wolverines the 3-2 lead.

In his final inning of work, Burgoon put the Boilermakers down in order, setting himself up for his second win of the season. The freshman gave way to Powers in the bottom of the eighth and the senior/junior registered the first two outs of the inning by striking out the first two batters he faced. Following a single by Jaffe, pinch-runner Kyle Reesing was thrown out attempting to steal second base as senior C Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS) threw to Mahler, who applied the tag.

Powers closed the door in the bottom of the ninth but not before PU put two runners on with two outs. Drew Madia singled to centerfield and Brandon Haveman walked, putting runners on first and second for Ben Wolgamot. Wolgamot worked the count to 2-2, but Powers earned his third K of the game and ninth of the weekend when he blew a fastball by him to give Michigan the Big Ten Tournament title.

With the victory U-M earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship. The field will be announced live on ESPN Monday (May 26) at 12:30 p.m.

Michigan Baseball: Indiana/Purdue vs. Michigan on BTN

Michigan Baseball: (Live)

Big Ten Tournament Championship Game

Indiana/Purdue vs. Michigan

7:00pm EDT. - 10:00pm EDT.

DirecTV Channel 220

BTN HD