M Softball wins second today; remains in 1st in the B1G.

Submitted by MGoSoftball on

M SB won the second game today at Wiskey 7-5.  The top half of the order was really clicking in this one.  Bree went 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored, Colie went 3 for 5 with an RBI and run scored, Chiddy went 4 for 5 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored and Sara Driesenga went 1 for 2 with a run scored.

Sara got the start and things were looking very good for her.  She got the first batter to line out then gave up a single.  Hutch pulled her for Haylie: reason unknown.  Haylie struggled a little in the 3rd and Wiskey score 4 runs total.

Haylie steeled in and only gave up 1 more run in the bottom of the 7th to pick up her 26th win.

Purdue lost to Minny today in their first game.  These two play again later today.  Nebraska lost 2 today against Indiana.  So M will be a full game ahead of Purdue, maybe 2 if P loses tonight.  Nebraska and Purdue did not help themselves at all; while we took care of business.  Here are the current B1G Standings:

1) M 15-5

2) Purdue  12-6 (plays later tonight)

3) Nebraska 12-7

4) Wisconsin 12-8

Alton

May 5th, 2012 at 7:02 PM ^

Don't forget Iowa.  B1G standings with games remaining--

1. Michigan (15-5) [1 game at Wisconsin and 3 vs Purdue remaining]

2t. Iowa (12-6) [3 at Ohio State and 3 at Minnesota]

2t. Purdue (12-6) [2 at Minnesota and 3 at Michigan]

4. Nebraska (12-7) [1 at Indiana and 3 vs Wisconsin]

5. Wisconsin (12-8) [1 vs Michigan and 3 at Nebraska]

Iowa plays a DH at Ohio tonight and 1 more tomorrow afternoon.

MGoSoftball

May 5th, 2012 at 8:18 PM ^

about Iowa.  They have to take 3 from ohio.  That will not be easy.  I predict ohio will take 2 out of 3.

We host Purdue and Nebraska plays Wiskey next weekend.  Iowa travels to Minny next weekend.  Minny is hot right now. 

If we take Wiskey tomorrow, then all we need is 2 out of 3 to clinch.  If things fall into place, we may only need a single win next weekend.

Alton

May 5th, 2012 at 10:31 PM ^

With 4 games to go for every team, Michigan & Iowa have put some distance over everybody else:

1. Michigan (15-5)

2. Iowa (14-6)

3t. Purdue (12-7)

3t. Nebraska (12-7)

5. Wisconsin (12-8)

If Michigan wins its last 4 games, it clinches the Big Ten championship outright.  3 wins out of 4 will guarantee at least a co-championship with Iowa.  Michigan plays Wisconsin at 1:00 EDT tomorrow, and Iowa is at Ohio State at 2:00.

MGoSoftball

May 6th, 2012 at 1:09 AM ^

to play ohio tomorrow and then go to Minny to face a very hot Sara Moulton.  We are still one full game ahead of Iowa.   I say Iowa will lose 2 of their next 4.

If we win tomorrow then we will be 16-5.  If Iowa goes .500 they will only tie us.  So all we would need is to win 1 next weekend for the Championship.

MGoSoftball

May 6th, 2012 at 12:59 PM ^

has been cancelled due to the weather.  A line of strong thunderstorms moved through the Madison area at 11:30CDT dropping over an inch of rain.  There is another line of thunderstorms approaching the campus in about 30 minutes.

The game could have probably been played later today.  I imagine the field has proper drainage but if the game started at 2 pm local (3pm EDT) the game would not have been completed until 6pm local time.  Then with the 5-6 hour bus ride back, arrival in AA at midnight is probably not good.

This puts a new wrinkle in the B1G standings now.

Alton

May 6th, 2012 at 4:19 PM ^

Good news for Michigan, who now has a magic number of 2.  They don't need to worry about any results other than their own:  win the series against Purdue and win the Big Ten.

Complete standings with 3 games left for everybody:

1. Michigan (15-5)

2. Iowa (14-7)

3. Purdue (13-7)

4t. Wisconsin (12-8)

4t. Nebraska (12-8)

6t. Indiana (11-10)

6t. Northwestern (11-10)

8. Illinois (10-11)

9. Minnesota (9-12)

10. Ohio State (8-12)

11. Penn State (8-13)

12. Michigan State (0-20)

The last series of the season, played Friday & Saturday:  Purdue at Michigan, Iowa at Minnesota, Wisconsin at Nebraska, Illinois at Northwestern, Indiana at Michigan State, Ohio State at Penn State.

MGoSoftball

May 6th, 2012 at 4:24 PM ^

beat me to it.  Iowa is not deep enough to beat ohio 3 straight.  They will lose 1 or 2 at Minny next weekend too.  Either way, we are in the driver's seat.  If we win 2 of 3 next weekend, we are the champs regardless of what Iowa does.

Overall, I like our chances this weekend.  The battle for second place will happen in Lincoln as the Huskers host Wiskey.  If Nebraska sweeps, they will be in second place.  If they take 2 of 3 they will likey tie with Iowa for second place.

Nothing like going down to the wire.

Smash Lampjaw

May 6th, 2012 at 5:37 PM ^

Not that they know, but I am watching the forecast to see if I can come to Michigan to put my boat in and it doesn't look like it's going to be worth it. I would not mind much if they moved softball to the fall. Weather is a great equalizer, and it seems like I've been complaining about it for 2 months now.

MGoSoftball

May 6th, 2012 at 4:34 PM ^

to mention is the fact that ND keeps winning.  They swept Pitt this weekend. Pitt has an RPI of 55; while Wisconsin has an RPI of 46. 

ND has an RPI of 28, we are at 29.  If we have any chance of hosting a Regional at the #2 seed, we have to leap frog ND.  The Committee would not put ND in the Louisville Regional.  We are a better fit; however, someone in the upper mid-west should get a bid to hold a tournament.

Maybe Mizzou will get a Regional at RPI 17.  We really need to sweep Purdue to improve our chances.

justingoblue

May 6th, 2012 at 4:51 PM ^

If the end of this week goes the way I hope it does, the NCAA better select Ann Arbor as a regional host. Missouri is more than 400 miles from Ann Arbor, so the NCAA would probably be just as likely to stick Michigan in LA or something, which would be concerning for me because MGB could easily end up down south or out west without a host up here.

Family, maize, Zingerman's > paying to stay in South Bend, BK Purple and...whatever there is to eat in South Bend.

Overall, though, it looks like Michigan will be able to pull off a championship. Taking two out of three for an outright title or even dropping two and being able to tie make the odds pretty good, IMO.

Alton

May 6th, 2012 at 5:56 PM ^

I was looking at the recent history of regional hosts in this part of the country, and there is kind of a pattern.

The following teams outside of the south and west hosted regionals...

2008:  Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan, Hofstra, Massachusetts

2009:  Missouri, Louisville, Michigan, Ohio State, Massachusetts

2010:  Missouri, Michigan, Ohio State, Maryland, Massachusetts

2011:  Missouri, Louisville, Michigan, Penn State, Maryland

So every recent year, there have been exactly 5 regionals outside the southern & western US.  The general pattern seems to be 1 midwestern site west of the Mississippi (such as Missouri), 2 more midwestern sites (such as Michigan & Louisville) and 2 eastern sites (such as Maryland and Massachusetts).  I don't think Missouri is going to take a hosting opportunity away from Michigan or Notre Dame, because they seem to be competing for different spots.

The good news is that the Big Ten has recently hosted at least 2 regionals every year, so maybe we can also count on a site or two again this year.  If that's the case, then certainly one of them will be in Ann Arbor.