Michigan Softball gets No. 2 seed in NCAA tourney, baseball back in top 25

Michigan softball is back in the NCAA Tournament which starts this week, plus the Michigan baseball team is back in the top 25. 

It’s been another exciting season for the Michigan softball team, one that culminated with the Wolverines winning the Big Ten championship.

That earned them an automatic berth into the NCAA softball tournament which starts this weekend. The bracket was revealed on Sunday, and after U-M, a major conference champion was given a No. 2 seed, instead of the No. 1 seed needed to host, it didn’t sit well.

At least not with Michigan softball head coach Carol Hutchins, who has led the Wolverines to two national title game appearances and now 28 NCAA appearances.

"“(The NCAA selection committee) absolutely did not do a very good job,” Hutchins told the Detroit News. “They disrespected our entire conference and you know what, they have to give credence to all different areas of the country. Clearly, there’s a little bias with at least one conference in particular. I would say the NCAA committee, I’m not very pleased with at all.”"

The South has always been known to have an advantage in baseball and softball. For one, they don’t have to deal with the cold weather. The SEC earned five of the top eight seeds and Hutchins wasn’t happy about it.

But there isn’t anything Michigan can do and despite winning 15 of their last 16, the Wolverines will travel to Washington to be part of a region with the No. 16 overall seed Washington.

The University of Seattle and Portland State are also there for the double-elimination, four-team tournament. The winner advances to the Super Regional.

The action gets underway Friday when Michigan plays Seattle, the No. 3 seed in the region. The first pitch will be at 8 p.m. and it will be televised on ESPN2.

Michigan baseball back in top 25

Over the weekend, Michigan baseball took two of three games from Indiana, the No. 21 team in the country, and now, the Wolverines find themselves back in the top 25 at No. 24.

Michigan is currently the only Big Ten team ranked in the top 25, but the Wolverines trail Nebraska by one game in the Big Ten standings. As of last week, Michigan was projected as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA baseball tournament, and that was before taking the series against the Hoosiers.

Nebraska is 25-11, while Michigan is 25-13. The Huskers had a game canceled Sunday and have seven more on the schedule, including a three-game set to close the season at home vs U-M.

Michigan also has a three-game series against Maryland, before finishing up against Nebraska. Just like in softball, there won’t be a postseason tournament, so the conference champion gets the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

But either way, Michigan baseball should be among the 64-team field.