As Michigan first baseman Samantha Findlay trotted around the
bases after crushing a two-run home run to give the Wolverine
softball team a one-run lead over UCLA in the top of the seventh
inning, it brought back familiar painful memories for the
Bruins.
But rather than accept their fate, the No. 3 Bruins (27-1)
battled back and found some heroes of their own.
Junior designated player Whitney Holum hit her second career
home run to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Then
sophomore right fielder Krista Colburn hit a walk-off home run in
the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Bruins a 6-4 victory on
national television over a team that defeated them in the
championship game of the Women’s College World Series last
year.
“I was looking for her curve ball out, and I think
that’s what I got,” said Colburn, who was still in
disbelief after the game. “Did that just happen?”
But before all the late-inning heroics were even necessary, the
Bruins started off the game in great shape.
The Bruins jumped out to a 3-1 lead after five innings behind
solo home runs from junior short stop Jodie Legaspi, senior second
baseman Caitlin Benyi and junior left fielder Ashley Herrera.
But in the top of the sixth inning, the Bruins ran into
trouble.
Sophomore pitcher Anjelica Selden gave up her first home run
this season to Michigan catcher Becky Marx to lead off the top of
the sixth. Selden then proceeded to walk and hit the next two
batters, but got out of the inning after a sacrifice bunt and two
groundouts.
Then in the seventh inning, with one out and one on, Findlay,
who hit the game-winning home run for the Wolverines (11-6) in last
year’s championship game, launched a two-run bomb to center
field to put Michigan ahead 4-3.
“Certainly I thought of the last time (when Findlay
homered last year),” Colburn said. “But I knew that our
team is so different from last year when we played them. I
don’t think it even shook any of us.”
“We’re in a different place now,” Holum
agreed. “We knew we could come back. It wasn’t pungent
at all ““ it was just, here we go again, no big
deal.”
After walking the next hitter in the 10th inning, Selden struck
out the last two Michigan hitters of the inning to get the Bruins
out of the inning and keep them just one run back.
After junior Lisa Dodd struck out to lead off the bottom of the
seventh inning, Holum brought the packed Easton Stadium crowd of
1,080 to its feet with a game-tying home run to left field.
“By far the best hit of my life,” Holum said of the
home run. “It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in
my life.”
Selden, who struggled to find her best stuff all day on the
mound and made a costly throwing error in the third inning,
courageously returned to pitch three shutout innings for the
Bruins. Selden completed the 10-inning game striking out 10
hitters, allowing seven hits and four runs.
“It’s great to know that we can win ball games when
Jelly doesn’t have her A game,” coach Sue Enquist said.
“To see her hang in there knowing that she didn’t have
her control was great to see.”
In the bottom of the 10th inning it was Colburn’s turn to
be the hero. With two outs and a runner on second base, Colburn
ripped a pitch from Wolverine pitcher Jennie Ritter over the fence
to cap what was a thrilling night for the Bruins.
“They believe that until someone tells them the game is
over, they are in a position to win it,” Enquist said.
“They believe they’re in a position to win even when
the situation is daunting.”