The Michigan softball team (34-20) will face Kansas (35-19) in its NCAA Tournament opener in Norman, Oklahoma at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, airing on ESPNU. The Wolverines’ appearance marks their 32nd selection to the NCAA Tournament, including 30 in the last 31 seasons.
Host school No. 3 overall seed Oklahoma (48-8) and Binghamton (20-25), the America East Conference champion and automatic qualifier, make up the rest of the four-team field in the Norman Regional. To advance to Super Regional against the Eugene
Regional champion, the Wolverines must survive the double-elimination bracket, which runs from May 15-17.
Michigan enters the NCAA Tournament after winning four of its last five games, including a sweep against rival Michigan State to conclude regular season play and a run-rule victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament before losing to eventual Big Ten Tournament champion, No. 4 national seed Nebraska.
“The conference especially, gave us a really good shot,” Michigan head coach Bonnie Tholl told the media on Monday. “We didn’t have really any poor losses. And so to see our name, it just reaffirms that we have another season to play. And what I mean by that is, I told the team that there are three seasons: the pre-conference season out of the gate, the conference season, and the postseason.”
With two of those seasons behind them, the Wolverines are as prepared as possible for the ultimate season. Presuming a round-1 win against the Jayhawks in a non-conference rematch, the best path to the Super Regionals means defeating the Sooners’ powerhouse offense on their home field. Oklahoma has reached 15 consecutive Super Regionals, and its last Regional round loss came in 2019. While it’s a tall task, here are some keys to the Wolverines pulling off the upset:
Lauren Putz Setting the Tone
Sophomore right fielder Lauren Putz is a large part of Michigan’s offense, an unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection closing in on multiple program records. With 77 RBIs and 21 home runs, Putz not only leads the Wolverines in both categories but is just shy of four-time All-American Sierra Romero’s single-season records in the categories. Romero hit 23 home runs in 2012 and set the single-season RBI mark with 83 in 2015, both metrics Putz could top in the Norman Regional with a return to form.
Despite recent struggles at the plate during the Big Ten Tournament, Putz’ offensive consistency and power set the tone for the Wolverines all season long. Her .442 batting average, .554 OBP and .987 SLG is a slash line few replicate. Combined with 41 walks and Putz’ ability to stretch hits into more, while stealing 10 bases, she wreaks havoc on the bases.
“Anytime that she picks up the bat and steps into the batter’s box, you know, you’re anticipating something exciting happening, and not just because she swings the bat so darn well and she’s so strong, but because she runs the bases so well, and I don’t think that people expect her to scoot around the bases as quickly as she does,” Tholl said. “She can turn a double into a triple in a heartbeat … her impact and her presence is felt. It forces the opposing team to strategize differently or to change game plans.”
Particularly against Kansas, an opponent who Putz went 1-2 with a home run and walk as one of five hits for Michigan, it’s practically a guarantee that Putz will be circled in the scouting report. Even with the advanced scouting and research the Jayhawks are undoubtedly doing on her tendencies, it’s ever-important for Putz to continue taking games one pitch at a time and generate offense at the top of the lineup for the Wolverines.
Power Hitting
In the NCAA Tournament facing Kansas and potentially Oklahoma, who have hit 81 and record-breaking 174 home runs, respectively, Michigan will likely need to unleash the long ball also to keep pace.
While scrappy manufactured runs may keep the Wolverines in games, their power hitting has the capacity to separate them and clinch victories. Particularly as the away team in its opener, Michigan’s power hitting attack can unsettle the Jayhawks’ young pitching staff by jumping on early. When the two teams faced off in February, the Wolverines secured a 4-2 victory in part due to two solo shots.
Michigan’s offense has totaled the most home runs in a season (74) since 2016 (86), a year in which the Wolverines made the Women’s College World Series. Facing home run-heavy teams, to keep pace and limit the impact of the seemingly-inevitable opposing blasts, Michigan’s bats will need to wake up and set the tone.
Top of the Lineup
In addition to Putz, senior infielder Indiana Langford, junior left fielder Ella Stephenson and junior center fielder Jenissa Conway round out the top of the Wolverines’ lineup.
Conway’s sophomore season marked NFCA All-America third team and unanimous All-Big Ten first team selections with a .379 batting average, 59 runs, 75 hits and 52 RBI. While Conway’s junior season has been a slight drop-off with a .373 batting average, 54 runs, 69 hits and 44 RBI, she’s still performing at a high level and her ability to maintain that performance while stringing hits together with Putz, Langford and Stephenson will be key to manufacturing runs.
Putz, Conway and Langford’s speed on the bases will also be crucial in helping Michigan scrap runs across the board. The trio are the only Wolverines with double-figure stolen bases and attempts, and their speed is a weapon that can help elevate singles and walks into runs. With the top of the lineup firing in sync, Michigan can put itself in position for the Wolverines to pull off the upset.
Low-Scoring Affairs
Michigan’s best chance at scrapping its way to a Super Regional is by containing opposing offenses while manufacturing some runs of its own. To do that, the Wolverines will rely on their two-pitcher tandem of junior right handers Erin Hoehn and Gabby Ellis.
The duo have near-identical statlines, throwing 111.0 and 111.2 innings apiece, respectively. Ellis’ 1.40 WHIP and 4.20 ERA narrowly edge Hoehn’s 1.68 and 4.29. In the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal, Michigan utilized the tandem approach against eventual champion Nebraska, and complete game outings from each hurler in the preceding four-game win streak. Ellis has started each of the last four games, posting a 1.62 ERA and .190 opponent batting average along with a 3-1 record.
Regardless of which pitcher starts, both will likely play an important role in maintaining low-scoring contests. With power-hitting teams Kansas and Oklahoma in the Regional, preventing those hitters from elevating pitches will be paramount — especially the record-breaking Sooners lineup highlighted by freshman catcher Kendall Wells’ 36 dingers. Even with Conway in center field to rob some rockets, it will be key to keep the ball in the ballpark and utilize the Wolverines’ defense.
Final Notes
The Regional is a difficult road. With the double-elimination format, no matter how the first one goes, Michigan needs to take the weekend one game at a time. As the underdog and one of the last teams selected for the NCAA Tournament, the Wolverines have a bit of a chip on their shoulder. Yet they also have important postseason experience. Michigan’s won two high-stakes Big Ten Tournaments in the last three years, and won its opening game in the NCAA Regional last year. With experience playing the field’s No. 3 overall seed, the Wolverines are more mature and prepared.
“We’e going to respect our opponent, but we’re not going to over-respect our opponent, right?” Tholl said. “I think that’s important, because we have to be true to who we are and be confident in what we do, in who we are as a program, and we have a legacy of our own.”
While it’s a tall task to advance out of Norman, by keeping it a low-scoring affair, capitalizing with the top of the lineup and getting some scrappy runs across the board, Michigan can’t be counted out.
