Notes & Quotes: #6 Michigan vs. #17 Virginia Tech
5/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
N O T E S
With the two losses to Virginia Tech, the Wolverines' all-time record in the series dropped to 4-3.
Michigan's all-time NCAA Tournament record fell to 55-35.
For the third time in as many seasons, Michigan fell one game shy of advancing to the Women's College World Series. U-M captured the NCAA championship in its last WCWS trip in 2005.
Senior captains Samantha Findlay and Alessandra Giampaolo started every game of their collegiate careers and wrapped up with 251 career games. The pair took over the sixth position on Michigan's career games played list and rank fifth on the program's career starts list.
Findlay wrapped up her U-M tenure with a .348 career batting average, ranking ninth among Michigan's all-time leaders in the category. Giampaolo lists in the 10th spot with a .346 career average.
The senior captains also end their collegiate tenure with four U-M career records between them. Findlay owns the standard in home runs (62), runs batted in (219) and walks (157), while Giampaolo tied the all-time mark for doubles (61).
Adding a solo shot in the fifth inning of the rubber match, freshman Dorian Shaw posted 11 home runs in her rookie campaign -- the second most by a U-M freshman in program history. Samantha Findlay knocked out 21 during her freshman season in 2005.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins
Opening statement... "You have to congratulate Virginia Tech. They beat us. To come into our house -- you have to give them all the credit. We are a very disappointed group right now, but we've had a great season and we have to move on and we will. My seniors had fabulous careers, and they were part of our greatest moment [winning the 2005 Women's College World Series] and it wasn't meant to be this year. They took us awful close but, as I tell them, athletics is very humbling. I congratulate Virginia Tech."
On the pitching decisions in game three... "We started [Nikki] Nemitz because we thought that we needed to give them a different look. We had a very short hook, clearly. We didn't feel that Nikki threw as well as we would have liked her to. Her first inning was pretty good, but we know when her pitches are working and when they are not. She didn't have her best stuff, and we thought it would be a good move to put Jordan [Taylor] back in. Jordan knows when it's a close game, and she knows how important that one run is in a close game. She threw pretty tentatively, concerned that they would get any piece of the ball, and that's not the best way to approach it."
On if the loss is a lesson learned for a young team... "I hope it's learned, but you don't know. You are facing [Angela] Tincher. She was outstanding all weekend, and she's been outstanding for them [all season]. Jordan [Taylor] has had a tremendous season for us, as has Nikki [Nemitz]. I don't know if I can reflect on that yet."
On what made VT pitcher Angela Tincher so successful... "She continued to change her patterns against us. She seemed to have a different approach for each batter, and she didn't give us anything to get on. I thought we needed to continue to get better and lay off some pitches. I didn't feel we made adjustments, and that is on us."
On her thoughts between game two and game three... "I thought we could turn it around. We gave them a few minutes to change uniforms and change dugouts. We told them that we've been in this boat before, it's a new game and come out and play. I felt really good about it, and I felt good about going at them with Nikki [Nemitz]. We knew it may not be Nikki the whole game, but we felt we could give them a different look and get some things going for us. The key here was who was going to score first. I think everybody knew that would be key."
On what she said to the seniors after the game... "I congratulate them always and thanked them for representing Michigan so well and to be proud that they are always part of Michigan softball."
