M Softball v Notre Dame Regional Open Thread

Submitted by tlo2485 on

Tune in live now on ESPN2. 

Live Stats: http://sidearmstats.com/ukentucky/softball/

(this hasn't updated yet, but hopefully will if you want to follow online)

WatchESPN: http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/3321282/notre-dame-vs-michigan-site-2--g…

https://twitter.com/umichsoftball

The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan softball team (43-11) will head to Lexington, Kentucky, to kick off NCAA Tournament play this weekend (Fri-Sun., May 18-20) at the University of Kentucky's John Cropp Stadium. The Wolverines will open play against Notre Dame at noon on Friday, live on ESPN2.

• Michigan is making its 26th NCAA Tournament appearance (1992-93, '95-2018) and has earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament every season since 1995. It is just the sixth time in program history that U-M will play a regional round on the road. The Wolverines are 81-15 all-time in the NCAA Regional round and have won 18 regional titles.

• The winner of the Lexington Regional will move on to a super regional against the winner of the regional being hosted by Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. That regional consists of No. 1 overall seed Oregon, BYU, Drake and Albany.

 

MGoBoard

1975Blue

May 18th, 2018 at 3:52 PM ^

for Michigan to bat.  Do you think they will score at least 1 run ?  Between this game and the last two games against MSU & OSU, Michigan has scored 1 run in 16 innings. 

Joined: 03/29/2015

MGoPoints: 622

ak47

May 18th, 2018 at 3:58 PM ^

Using a sacrifice bunt when you have a pinch runner in and a catcher who has given up 92 of 99 steals is a poor decision by hutch

Joined: 05/05/2011

MGoPoints: 33614

tlo2485

May 18th, 2018 at 4:01 PM ^

Well, that was a mess. I don't think I saw anything wrong with Rodriguez? This is really frustrating because the ND pitcher isnt't that good.

Joined: 08/06/2010

MGoPoints: 7429

ak47

May 18th, 2018 at 4:17 PM ^

Being a great coach doesn't mean you don't make mistakes. Hutch has always been a small ball player and just didn't adjust her strategy. You don't waste an out when you are 3 for 3 in steals and a cather gives up 93% of stolen bases. If you are willing to give up the out try the steal and then bunt.

Joined: 05/05/2011

MGoPoints: 33614

UM Fan from Sydney

May 18th, 2018 at 6:19 PM ^

Man....get off your high horse. I’m sorry most people are not like you and watch every single UM sport. Real life calls sometimes. Most people don’t have the time to dedicate spare hours to non-revenue sports like you apparently do.

Joined: 09/17/2015

MGoPoints: 58076

Solecismic

May 18th, 2018 at 4:08 PM ^

I like the rule change. Don't see why a well coached team would suddenly forget about it, or why a player with Peters' experience wouldn't be extra-careful after seeing Rodriguez called out for the same thing. Slapping is an abomination. Agreed on the mess with Rodriguez and the pinch runner against a catcher who can't throw.

Joined: 11/27/2016

MGoPoints: 7264

SDCran

May 18th, 2018 at 4:04 PM ^

But the way I read that rule as ESPN showed it, those were both terrible calls. At contact, Peters had one foot on the ground right in the middle of the box.

Joined: 01/27/2010

MGoPoints: 4685

Ty Butterfield

May 18th, 2018 at 4:06 PM ^

Sad way to end the season. Inability to score runs when it really matters has been an issue for 3-4 seasons.

Joined: 09/07/2009

MGoPoints: -81685

tlo2485

May 18th, 2018 at 4:14 PM ^

I can't believe no one in our lineup has adjusted to sitting back on these grapefruits this pitcher is sending into every one of them after giving them 2-0 counts nearly every time with drop ball after drop ball in the dirt. 

Joined: 08/06/2010

MGoPoints: 7429

ak47

May 18th, 2018 at 4:21 PM ^

Still can't hit a line drive. 3 more outs to go. Even if they get this win there just isn't any chance this team with this offense is getting past kentucy and oregon. Good year, have a great pitcher, just need some big steps forward on offense next year.

Joined: 05/05/2011

MGoPoints: 33614

Solecismic

May 18th, 2018 at 4:24 PM ^

I don't have a problem with that inning. Holloway mixes speeds well, and with the umpire (consistently) calling the low strike, you can't count on a lot of walks. The ball just didn't fall in. Looks like Allan will lead off the seventh - Hutch called Alexander back late in Hoogenraad's AB. Definitely need some pinch hitting here - I wonder if last year's power specialist, Vargas, is ready.

Joined: 11/27/2016

MGoPoints: 7264

ak47

May 18th, 2018 at 4:31 PM ^

And ND gets two insurance runs, game over. Just get Beaubien out and get her some rest becaues the offense isn't going to get it done this weekend.

Joined: 05/05/2011

MGoPoints: 33614

South Bend Wolverine

May 18th, 2018 at 4:35 PM ^

Well, shit.

I gotta say, in the grand scheme, I can never be too disappointed with a Big 10 championship season.  But everything that's happened since we locked up the regular season title has just been soul-crushing.  Hope next year can be a lot better.

Joined: 09/11/2009

MGoPoints: 7918

Wolverine Devotee

May 18th, 2018 at 4:36 PM ^

Seems like the focus on getting that B1G title back this year was emphasized so much that it was a mission accomplished type deal. Haven't been the same since that title-clinching 8-0 win. Scoreless in last 17 innings of play.

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

Alton

May 18th, 2018 at 4:39 PM ^

Is the Big Ten schedule.  Michigan spent 2 months not playing a single good team, and nobody should be surprised by what is happening here.  This is clearly the worst Michigan softball team of the last 20 years.  Not only is it not close, it isn't even close to being close.

But they won the Big Ten.  While that's a good thing, not a bad thing, we need to ask ourselves (and ask the conference) whether this unbalanced schedule format, split out by region, is the best thing for the conference's long-term success.

 

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 13312

South Bend Wolverine

May 18th, 2018 at 4:42 PM ^

It's been a problem for ages, even before Maryland & Rutgers came into the conference, but adding them plus bringing back the Big 10 tournament has been absolutely brutal on our strength of schedule.  I like racking up big win totals as much as anyone, but its terrible for our strength of schedule and for our tournament preparation.

Joined: 09/11/2009

MGoPoints: 7918

tlo2485

May 18th, 2018 at 5:02 PM ^

We should try to get some midweek games in during the B1G season with Notre Dame. They were a bubble team as the 2nd best team in the ACC.... so it could help us both out. They can replace EMU. I'm pretty sure MSU and ND do it, so theres no reason we couldnt. We are really limited beyond that, though with options. Pitt/Louisville?

Joined: 08/06/2010

MGoPoints: 7429

Wolverine Devotee

May 18th, 2018 at 6:03 PM ^

We're pretty much guaranteed to face 2 of these 3 teams next year for our "cross division" series: Illinois, Northwestern, Nebraska.

We haven't played Illinois at home since 2012, Northwestern on the road since 2011(!) and have never hosted Nebraska. 

That's all gonna change next season because the B1G made sure to give us Purdue at home this year who we hadn't faced at home since 2012 and Iowa who we hadn't traveled to since 2010.

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528