The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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BY JOHN BORTON D on't buy those Women's College World Series tick- ets yet. That's the stern mes- sage delivered by Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins, underscored by a doubleheader split with Kent State in the March 14 home opener at Alumni Field. Hutchins questioned her team's readiness to battle, in 47 degrees and blustery winds. "We need to be one-pitch tougher," Hutchins insisted. "We've been shut out twice, and it's been a case where it's all or none. You get 10 runs or no runs. How about being able to manufacture runs when the pressure seems to be on? I don't think we're where we need to be there." They weren't where they expected in the doubleheader opener, manag- ing a mere three hits against Kent State's Emma Johnson in the open- ing-game loss. Johnson likes to ride the ball up on hitters, and the Wol- verines just couldn't hold off. "We'd given them a game ap- proach and a game plan, and we did not begin to execute it," Hutchins said. "It's laying off her upper pitch. We said, 'Don't let her get away with it. Let it go.' And we just kept try- ing harder and trying harder to hit it over the fence. "We practice hitting balls on the ground and to the opposite field so we have bat control, and ability to handle good pitchers. So, maybe we'll have their attention." Of course, all this isn't about fea- turing a good team. At 24-4 and No. 3 in the nation through March 15, it's not a question of being competitive, a strong challenger for an eighth straight Big Ten championship, or even a prospective World Series team. It's about being the best, and that's where Hutchins will lock onto Michi- gan's shortcomings like a python on prey and look to squeeze out those weaknesses. Even during the rest of that home opening weekend, the Wolverines demonstrated what pushed them to elite status in college softball this season. They dispatched the Golden Flashes in five innings in the night- cap, 10-1, fueled by absolute bombs of home runs off the bats of the high- ONE-PITCH TOUGHER Carol Hutchins' Crew Gets Sobering Reminder Entering Big Ten Play