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Softball ousted in Series

Title walks away

Relaxation does not pay off for 'M' in Series

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Wolverines have been here before. In fact, the Michigan softball team has been here the last three years. The Wolverines rationalized that their previous experience in the College World Series would pay dividends for them this year. It didn't.

After a seven-run first inning in their first-round victory over Texas on Friday, the Wolverines performed as if they had never been to the College World Series before.

MARGARET MYERS/Daily Michigan coach Carol Hutchins scolds pitcher Sara Griffin during Saturday's 3-1 loss to Oklahoma State. The Cowboys scored three unearned runs on Griffin, largely due to seven walks.

While Oklahoma City is not exactly the tourist hotspot of the United States, it is the mecca of American softball, and getting there is the goal of every collegiate team.

With that said, it's clear that Michigan craved its trip to the heartland of America.

So why does Michigan tend to melt in the heat of the southern plains every May? It has been said that the southern way of life is more stress-free and relaxed.

After four years of failure in Oklahoma, maybe Michigan should take a lighter, more "southern" approach to its game plan.

While that may be a viable suggestion, don't try to tell the Wolverines that they're uptight.

According to Michigan, the Wolverines were relaxed, even-tempered, and happy to be there.

"I don't think there was any pressure on us," Michigan pitcher Sara Griffin said after the Wolverines were eliminated by Oklahoma State. "All we kept talking about was how we were going to be relaxed, and I think we were."

If the Wolverines were relaxed, it was awfully hard to tell by watching them at Don Porter Stadium.

The game against the Cowboys appeared pretty stressful for Michigan as coach Carol Hutchins and Griffin were at constant war with the home-plate umpire.

"Do you have 10,000 bucks?" Hutchins said after being asked about the umpiring behind home-plate.

The fine for criticizing officiating in the NCAA just happens to be $10,000.

Umpires weren't the only thing that caused Hutchins stress. Her team's play in the field and in the pitching circle drew her ire. In the first couple of innings alone, Hutchins met with the whole infield twice and had a one-on-one meeting with Griffin after Griffin gave up her fifth walk.

And Hutchins wasn't asking Griffin about going out to a postgame meal either.

Even with Hutchins on edge, it would be wrong to blame her intensity for Michigan's performance this weekend. It seemed as if each Wolverine was trying too hard to be the star and pull the team out of its downward spiral.

"A lot of us were trying too hard" at the plate, Michigan rightfielder Kellyn Tate said. "We were out in front of the pitches, which is a product of trying too hard. We never could get our timing."

The pressure of the World Series was felt in the field as well. Are old softball axiom says that if you take time to think while fielding, you're taking too much time. If that's the case, the Wolverines were doing their best imitation of Socrates. Even on routine grounders and easy forceouts, the Michigan infielders hesitated before throwing.

The Michigan batters seemed to be trying to get the winning hit, while the infielders seemed to be trying not to screw up. Until this weekend, the Michigan hitters played within their means and the fielders invited the opposition to hit the ball to them.

How do the Wolverines solve what ails them? Well, a little Southern cooking and a few lazy days in the warm Oklahoma air wasn't enough to do it, so maybe a hot Ann Arbor summer will help.

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