Spring Break
Softball team set for NCAA Super Regional against Ohio State
ZACH DILLARD
Issue date: 5/20/09 Section: Sports
The Georgia softball team is entering uncharted territory against Ohio State.
No. 8 Georgia (42-10) hosts an NCAA Super Regional Thursday for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs have appeared in two NCAA Super Regionals in previous years, traveling to Los Angeles, Calif. both times to face host UCLA in 2005 and 2008.
"We could have gone and played anywhere in the country," said senior shortstop Kristin Schnake. "Ohio State is a good team and we know that it is going to be a dog-fight."
Sixth-seeded Georgia advanced to the national second round by posting a 3-0 record in the Chapel Hill Regional. The 11th-seeded Buckeyes (46-9) advanced to their first Super Regional in school history by going undefeated in the Columbus Regional.
No. 11 Ohio State punched their ticket to Athens in large part thanks to strong team pitching this entire season, led by senior Kim Reeder and junior Lindsay Bodeker.
The high-scoring Georgia lineup will need to find a way to solve Reeder (25-5) and Bodeker (16-4), who were the main contributors to Ohio State's microscopic 1.60 team ERA and struck out over 350 batters.
Reeder was recently named to the All-Midwest Team after setting team records in single-season and career wins. The senior pitcher earned all three wins against Canisus, BYU and Kentucky in regional play.
Ohio State had two other players make the All-Midwest Team - catcher Sam Marder and shortstop Alicia Herron - and five Buckeyes total earned All-Big Ten honors.
Marder and Herron lead an offense that scores nearly six runs per game, hitting 62 home runs and hitting .288 as a team. Marder set single-season and career home run records this year for the Buckeyes, hitting 18 homers in 2009 to give her 43 overall. Herron hit 14 homers and 46 RBIs in her freshman season.
The Georgia lineup was once again led by sophomores Alisa Goler and Taylor Schlopy in Chapel Hill, N.C. - the two combined to reach base 13 times in 22 at-bats in the three games.
The Bulldogs also received a huge boost from left fielder Megan Wiggins, an All-SEC first team selection as a freshman, who had missed 20 games with a broken hand this season. Wiggins returned for her first action during regional play, getting her timing better with every at-bat, culminating in a walk-off home run in the final game against North Carolina.
"We are just preparing like we always do…we are going to take it like every other game," said Wiggins.
The two teams will square off in a best-of-three games series starting on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Georgia Softball Stadium. The series will follow on Friday at 4:30 p.m. with a third game following if necessary.
No. 8 Georgia (42-10) hosts an NCAA Super Regional Thursday for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs have appeared in two NCAA Super Regionals in previous years, traveling to Los Angeles, Calif. both times to face host UCLA in 2005 and 2008.
"We could have gone and played anywhere in the country," said senior shortstop Kristin Schnake. "Ohio State is a good team and we know that it is going to be a dog-fight."
Sixth-seeded Georgia advanced to the national second round by posting a 3-0 record in the Chapel Hill Regional. The 11th-seeded Buckeyes (46-9) advanced to their first Super Regional in school history by going undefeated in the Columbus Regional.
No. 11 Ohio State punched their ticket to Athens in large part thanks to strong team pitching this entire season, led by senior Kim Reeder and junior Lindsay Bodeker.
The high-scoring Georgia lineup will need to find a way to solve Reeder (25-5) and Bodeker (16-4), who were the main contributors to Ohio State's microscopic 1.60 team ERA and struck out over 350 batters.
Reeder was recently named to the All-Midwest Team after setting team records in single-season and career wins. The senior pitcher earned all three wins against Canisus, BYU and Kentucky in regional play.
Ohio State had two other players make the All-Midwest Team - catcher Sam Marder and shortstop Alicia Herron - and five Buckeyes total earned All-Big Ten honors.
Marder and Herron lead an offense that scores nearly six runs per game, hitting 62 home runs and hitting .288 as a team. Marder set single-season and career home run records this year for the Buckeyes, hitting 18 homers in 2009 to give her 43 overall. Herron hit 14 homers and 46 RBIs in her freshman season.
The Georgia lineup was once again led by sophomores Alisa Goler and Taylor Schlopy in Chapel Hill, N.C. - the two combined to reach base 13 times in 22 at-bats in the three games.
The Bulldogs also received a huge boost from left fielder Megan Wiggins, an All-SEC first team selection as a freshman, who had missed 20 games with a broken hand this season. Wiggins returned for her first action during regional play, getting her timing better with every at-bat, culminating in a walk-off home run in the final game against North Carolina.
"We are just preparing like we always do…we are going to take it like every other game," said Wiggins.
The two teams will square off in a best-of-three games series starting on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Georgia Softball Stadium. The series will follow on Friday at 4:30 p.m. with a third game following if necessary.
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