OKLAHOMA CITY - Saturday was full of mixed emotions for the Michigan softball team at the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
In the day's first game, Kelly Holmes shut out South Carolina, 1-0, as Michigan (56-16-1) won its first World Series game in its third trip to the WCWS.
Later the same day, the careers of Holmes and the other four Michigan seniors came to an end as the sixth-seeded Wolverines fell to No. 5 seed UCLA, 7-3. With its second loss, Michigan was eliminated from the World Series. The Wolverines lost to Iowa on Thursday, 3-2.
Against UCLA (49-13), Michigan led off the fourth with defensive miscues. With one out and a runner on first, UCLA third baseman Julie Marshall hit a low line drive to center. Michigan centerfielder Lisa Kelley dove for the ball, which got by her and rolled all the way to the wall. Marshall reached third while teammate Julie Adams scored, tying the game 1-1. UCLA took the lead for good on a two-out single by UCLA designated hitter Kim Wuest.
The Bruins broke the game open with three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth, taking a 7-1 lead. Michigan mounted rallies in both the sixth and seventh, but could score only one run in each inning.
"Even when we were down 7-1, we still had heart, we still wanted to come back," Michigan catcher Jennifer Smith said. "For some of us, this was our last game and there is no way we just wanted to give up."
Michigan took an early 1-0 lead in the game when third baseman Melissa Gentile homered to leftfield. It was the second home run of the tournament and sixth of the season for the freshman.
Although Michigan's seniors provided the leadership and experience, it was the underclassmen who led the team at the plate throughout the series.
Gentile was the leading Michigan hitter, batting .429 with two home runs and four RBI in her first World Series appearance. Sophomore Cathy Davie benefited from a switch from right field to designated hitter and hit .444 in the three games. One of Davie's singles came against South Carolina and led to the lone run of the game.
The Gamecocks came into the contest with a 63-4 record and a No. 2 national ranking. South Carolina's Trinity Johnson - the Southeastern Conference player of the year - entered the WCWS with a 34-2 record and an astounding 0.21 ERA.
But against South Carolina, Holmes was the standout pitcher. She allowed only three hits - one after the first inning - and struck out five in the complete-game shutout. Michigan scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs, Traci Conrad singled. On a hit and run, Davie pulled a single down the rightfield line. Conrad scored from first as South Carolina rightfielder Chanda Lee missed the cutoff player.
In the seventh, Holmes set the Gamecocks down in order, and the Wolverines recorded their first victory at the Women's College World Series.
"Well, obviously we're very happy to win the game," Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. "Trinity Johnson is a great pitcher, and she was on today. We were fortunate to win the game."
Michigan traveled to Oklahoma City with an 0-4 record in its previous two trips to the World Series. In each of the past two years, the Wolverines have fallen to Iowa to end their post-season run.
On Thursday, Michigan faced the Hawkeyes. In this meeting, however, the two Big Ten foes played in the first round - with no chance for elimination for either team. But the result was the same as in the past two years.
After going up 2-0 on Gentile's first home run, the Wolverines relinquished their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Iowa won the game in dramatic fashion as Brandi Macias singled in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Despite falling short of the championship, Michigan completed an immensely successful season. The Wolverines won a school-record 56 games.
"We had a great season," Hutchins said. "This is the best season we have ever had."