University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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I I

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' Mllll 1 Sprint To the Finish. Dig It, Set It, Spike It. Rumbling and Tumbling. It ' s In the Hole! Hit the Ball Touch ' em All. Rah Rah Sis-Boom-Bah! BALANCING ACT Making Waves. Pin To Win. Dipsy Doo Dunkeroo. Pigskin Polka. Serve and Volley. He Shoots, He Scoooores!

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Catcher Karla Kunnen readies herself for a play at the plate. For her performance on the field, Kunnen was selected to the All-BiglO First-Tea Photo co of Sports SfL UGGINQ FOR A TITLE e Softball team came up short in its national title quest but by no meani s it a season not to be proud of. by Adam Hundley w, clinckjd it HutcnWi c achieveme hen the Michigan Softball team its second straight Big Ten title Coach Carol i could not decide what was the highlight of the achievement. Winning a back-to-back Big Ten con- ference titl is Michigan Softball ' s greatest moment, she said first K hen she considered Michigan ' s first- ever hosting of theA AA regional tournament, though, she had to reconsicHw ' This i Michigan Softball ' s greatest moment to hosfflM B gional. In- deed, although the season endedl Ert of the goal of a national championship, the team earned honors throughout the year and had many great achievements to remember. During the first two months of the season team leaders said they learned that a veteran team needed to adapt to many different circumstances and difficulties to be victorious. By mid-season they had already heeded this lesson in nearly twenty wins, per- haps most characteristically in a double-header sweep of Minnesota. In game one Michigan won easily 8-0, scoring five runs in the first two innings and benefitting from senior pitcher Kelly Forbis ' complete game shut- out. Being relaxed and playing the game the way it ' s supposed to be played is the key to victory, Forbis said. Game two was a much different story, though, as the teams were scoreless into the thirteenth inning. Senior 334 Sports pitcher Kelly Kovach had given up only one hit in the first nine innings, but with no run support she had to pitch out of four consecutive innings with runners on third. The closest call came in the eleventh inning when Minnesota had runners on second and third with no outs, but Kovach quickly induced a strikeout and two easy groundouts to end the threat. Michigan ' s Michelle Silver finally ended the game with a drive off the outfield fence which led to an inside-the-park home run and a 1-0 win. By the last month of the season the team had perfected its skills as team records and opponents fell with equal ease. In the span of one week Kovach and Forbis became only the fourth and fifth Michigan pitch- ers to strike out 200 batters during their careers. In doing so, Forbis became the third Michigan pitcher to earn 20 victories in a season, and even as she secured Michigan ' s thirty-third win in forty-two games she had her sights set on more. It feels pretty good, she said, But I ' m always shooting higher. Perhaps the highlight of the month came with an easy double-header sweep of rival Michigan State. Senior left-fielder Patti Benedict, who was Big Ten Player of the Year and All- American, lead the 6-0, 6-0 humiliation with a 5 for 6 performance and three runs batted in. The victories secured a number 1 7 national ranking and an impressive 18-game winning streak. A few days later the team ended its seaso: with a 46-13 overall record, easily the best in t conference, and Mumber 10 seed in the NCAA chai pionship tournaJint. Players hoped that by hosti the regional tourn jnent the home-field advantage woul carry them past s Ac stronger teams, but after an easy 81 2 win over Bowl Green the team was edged out 6 and 2-1 by 51-5 mwerhouse Southwestern Louisiana. I thought our teaBplayed their guts out, said Hutchinsj We just didn ' t gBthat timely hit when we needed it. Indeed, MichiganJnad a late two-out rally in the firs: game and a runn Apn third with no outs in the seven inning of game t |, but it could not get the tying run either game. by the losses, they were proud of the effort they hac given all year. We just said we would never give up, ' said senior shortstop Mary Campana, and we didn ' give up. Indeed, from blow-out wins to extra-innin] marathons the team found ways to win in all situation and against all obstacles. Although they fell short of th :, national title, they certainly earned the name of cr pions.