2004 NCAA Softball Regional -- Game 11 Recap
5/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
2004 NCAA Softball Regional
#6 Michigan 3, #20 Oregon State 2
Game 11 -- Saturday, May 22 -- 9:30 p.m.
Alumni Field, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Records: Michigan (53-10), Oregon State (42-27)
Next Michigan Game: Sunday, May 23 -- Championship Game, 2:30 p.m.
Next OSU Game: Sunday, May 23 -- vs. Tennessee/Illinois-Chicago winner, Noon
Haas, Ritter Power Michigan Past Oregon State into Final
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- No. 1 seed Michigan defeated the No. 3 seed Oregon State 3-2 in the winners bracket final of the 2004 NCAA Regional 6 Softball Tournament Saturday (May 22) at Alumni Field. The game's hero for the Wolverines proved to be second baseman Tiffany Haas, who drilled a two-out, three-run home run in the top of the fifth to put Michigan ahead 3-2.
The contest began with the Beavers getting out to an early lead as OSU centerfielder Adrienne Alo knocked a two-run shot over the fence in center with nobody out in the top of the third. It looked as though momentum would remain in favor of the Beavers until Michigan put two runners on for Haas, who put Michigan on top with her fifth home run of the year.
Pitching for the Wolverines was the combination of Nicole Motycka and Jennie Ritter, with Ritter receiving her 24th victory of the season. After Motycka got into some trouble in the third when OSU put another runner on after the two-run blast by Alo, Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins made the call to the bullpen. After Ritter got out of the jam, she held the Beavers scoreless for the remainder of the contest. She went 4.2 innings, allowing just three hits and striking out nine.
Oregon State will now face off against the winner of the Tennessee vs. Illinois-Chicago game tomorrow (May 23) at noon at Alumni Field. Michigan advances to the championship game and will play the losers bracket winner at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow. Whichever team comes out of the losers bracket will have to defeat the Wolverines twice in order to claim the Region 6 championship.
N O T E S
With the win, Michigan sophomore Jennie Ritter improved to 24-6 on the season. Over three days of action this weekend Ritter has two wins and one save for the Wolverines. Ritter struck out nine Beavers in 4.2 innings of relief.
Michigan sophomore Tiffany Haas connected for her fifth home run of the season and second of the NCAA Regional. Both of Haas' home runs have been three-run shots and have proved to be game-winners.
Oregon State sophomore Adrienne Alo's first hit of the regional sailed over the leftfield wall for her seventh home run of the season. Alo's two-run shot gave the Beavers' their only two runs of the game. Alo led the Beavers with a game-high two hits.
Oregon State stole three bases as Alo, junior Carrie Syphers and freshman Ashley Brown all swiped a bag against the Wolverines.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins
Opening statement ... "Give us credit; give Oregon State credit, they're a great team. They're a great hitting club and I give my pitchers credit for doing what I ask them to do, that's the only chance we have. The best place to be is in the winners bracket, but we have to fight, it's not ours. You have to fight for it."
On Michigan's hitting approach ... "We just want to hit the ball hard, period. When Tiffany (Haas) came to bat with two runners on we just wanted to get a hit in that situation and get a runner to score. We can't play for the home run. We have to string together base hits. I'd like to see us be a little better at the plate. We are still in my mind really tight."
Michigan Sophomore Pitcher Jennie Ritter
On coming on in the situation in which she did ... "When I go out there Coach Hutchins expects me to get the job done. That's what I wanted to do."
Michigan Sophomore Second Baseman Tiffany Haas
On her home run ... "The pitch looked pretty fat to me, and I took advantage of the opportunity she gave me. I was hoping just to make contact with the ball; the rest just followed."
Oregon State Head Coach Kirk Walker
On Michigan's three-run home run being the difference in the game ... "Well, they hit a home run and we hit a home run. It was a good ballgame. That is what a good softball game is all about -- clutch hitting and clutch pitching. They were able to put three hits together that inning and end it with the three-run home run. It was a hard-fought game and that is what an NCAA Regional game should be all about."
On the team's demeanor ... "It certainly wouldn't be the first time a team came out of the losers bracket to win the regional. The games are played on the field and we have a great team. There are three other great teams in here already and we just have to go after it."
Oregon State Senior Monica Hoffman
On the home run she gave up to Tiffany Haas ... "I wasn't tired. You are running on adrenaline come NCAA Regionals. You can't really get tired. It was a pitch inside and she did a good job of staying in on it."
On Michigan's hitting approach ... "They seem to capitalize on mistakes more than other teams did and they make adjustments quicker. I couldn't get the same pitch by them twice in a row. If I beat them with one, they would come back and get a base hit on the next one. I mixed up my pitches more and I couldn't make as many mistakes."
