Notes and Quotes: #7 Michigan 4, #25 Notre Dame 0
5/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
N O T E S
• With their perfect 3-0 performance over the weekend competition, the Wolverines claimed their 13th NCAA Regional title in program history and their sixth in a row. All but one of those regional crowns were won at Alumni Field.
• Michigan has reached the NCAA Super Regionals each year since the format was adopted in 2005.
• With its victory in the NCAA Regional championship game, Michigan improved to 11-4 in the all-time series against Notre Dame. U-M has won seven in a row against the Irish; the last three came in NCAA Regional competition.
• With three straight NCAA Regional wins, Michigan remains undefeated at home this season, improving to 17-0 at Alumni Field.
• Michigan has outscored its opposition 78-13 in the sixth and seventh innings this season. In this weekend's NCAA Regional slate, eight of U-M's 17 runs came in those final two frames.
• Three Wolverine hitters batted .500 or better in this weekend's NCAA Regional action. Junior LHP Nikki Nemitz hit .625 (5-for-8) with three RBI, junior third baseman Maggie Viefhaus hit .571 (4-for-7), while freshman outfielder Bree Evans hit .500 (6-for-12) with two RBI from the leadoff spot.
• Junior LHP Nikki Nemitz improved her season record to 26-5 with today's victory, earning her a share of the eighth spot among Michigan's all-time single-season win leaders. She needs one more to climb into the seventh spot, currently held by Marissa Young (27, 2002).
• Sophomore RHP Jordan Taylor's four saves this season match the second-highest single-season total in U-M program history. The Wolverine hurler boasts seven saves in her career, placing her tied for third -- with Lorilyn Wilson (2004-07) and Marie Barda (1998-2001) -- among Michigan's all-time leaders in the category.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins
On the Wolverines' victory ... "I thought it was an outstanding effort by my group and by Michigan softball all weekend. It was very exciting as regionals often are. This time of year it's all very exciting. I thought we stayed very composed, and we certainly have to compliment Notre Dame for a great game plan. We really struggled with [Notre Dame pitcher Brittney] Bargar, and she did a great job. She attacked us with a pitch that we did allow to get to us. We were out in front of it a lot, and so they just attacked that corner and she mixed up her speeds well. When it comes down to winning close games you have to play good softball. We need to pitch well and we need to play good defense until we get our offense going. That is all it's really about, and I thought we did a great job of that."
On Michigan's offense ... "The key to success at our level is being able to get the clutch hit, and it took us a while today. The key is not getting down and making more of it. The only at-bat that matters is your next at-bat and the only pitch that matters is the next pitch. As a hitter, it's easy to go the other direction and get frustrated, and I saw a little bit of that today. But clutch hitting is ultimately going to be the key to whether we get further or not. Good pitching, good defense and timely hitting."
On using both U-M pitchers ... "I thought Nikki [Nemitz] pitched excellent. She followed her game plan, and she was excellent. It was a one-run game with a runner on base, and we've got Jordan [Taylor], who they haven't seen all game and who throws totally different than Nikki. Their job is to do their part when they're in the game, and Nikki did her part. Jordan's job today was to come in and finish it, and she did her part. It was a momentum shift in a tight game. I didn't want any momentum going their way. I have two great pitchers, and I'm going to use them both every game if that's what it is going to take to win. At this point it is about surviving and moving forward, and these two can do it."
On the difficulty of the NCAA Tournament ... "We've been in the World Series eight times, and it's never been easy to get there. It's getting harder and harder. The addition of the Super Regionals made it additionally hard -- that and the parity of college softball. That's a good Notre Dame team, and we're in the same regional together. To get through regionals -- I don't take anything for granted, any championship. I listened to a quote by Jordan Taylor recently, and she said, 'Championships are hard to win.' They're really hard to win. It's our goal, it's what we strive for, and we strive to win that Super Regional as well. But I'm really proud of my kids for coming out and playing well this weekend and doing what we had to do to win. We were shut down two games in a row by Brittney Bargar, and we found a way to win both of those games. That's tough softball. That's a tough team. I think we are a very tough team, and I think that's the biggest advantage we have. Being at home doesn't assure you of anything, but it sure beats the heck out of getting on a bus."
U-M Sophomore RHP Jordan Taylor
On her relief effort ... "It wasn't my best outing today. It was just about staying tough. I usually do well in pressure situations, but it was definitely a little nerve-racking. I never ever get nervous and today I did. I'm not sure why. It was a little weird having butterflies because it's never happened before."
On pitching against the same team in back-to-back games ... "It makes it a little different just because the batters have seen the pitch. They did a good job yesterday of starting to lay off some of my pitches towards the end of the game. I think that carried on into today, and they weren't chasing as much."
U-M Junior LHP Nikki Nemitz
On her seventh-inning home run ... "I was just going up there to hit the ball hard. We weren't hitting her all day, and it was the seventh inning and the last chance to score and really get the momentum going our way. I just wanted to have a good at-bat, see the ball, hit it hard, and it just happened to go over the fence. I was hoping it was fair."
On the Wilpon Complex homefield advantage ... "We practice here every day. We've played on this field here a hundred times. We love this field, we love our fans, it just fires us up to play at home and it's a great atmosphere here. I think it's a great advantage."
U-M Freshman Leftfielder Bree Evans
On hitting better today off Notre Dame's Brittney Barger ... "Today, I was able to read her pitches better than yesterday. I knew coming into today, I really wanted to hit her because of how I did yesterday -- I didn't have my best outing. I was just really able to see her good, and I was just getting my hits when I needed them."
On her conversation with Hutch before her seventh-inning double ... "She just told me that I was trying to kill it too much, and I just needed to relax and just make contact."
