Youngstown State draws defending national champion Michigan in NCAA Softball Tournament

May 14, 2006

Youngstown State will make the trip to Ann Arbor, Mich. to face defending national champion Michigan in the regional-round of the 2006 NCAA Softball Tournament, as the brackets were announced today (May 14) on ESPNews.

YSU has not played any Big Ten opponents this season and owns an 8-15 record in non-conference play.

The Penguins (22-25, 10-10 Horizon League) stormed through the 2006 Horizon League Championship with four-straight victories, including two over the top-seeded UIC Flames. Designated Player sophomore McKenzie Bedra led the Youngstown State offense with five home runs and nine RBI for a 2.200 slugging percentage on her way to the tournament's MVP. She broke the tournament record for home runs and total bases (22). In the circle, junior Karlie Burnell went 4-0 for the Penguins with a 2.76 ERA in 25.1 innings.

Michigan (40-13, 14-4 Big Ten) annihilated the competition in the Big Ten Tournament, winning the three games by a combined score of 23-0. Jennie Ritter threw all three games for the Wolverines, totaling 29 strikeouts in 19.0 innings of work while surrendering just six hits.

The other Ann Arbor Regional game pits Oklahoma against Kent State. The Sooners go into the tournament as an at-large bid after falling to Kansas in the Big 12 Championship, while the Golden Flashes won their first MAC title with a 2-1 victory over Western Michigan.

The Women's College World Series will take place in Oklahoma City, Okla. from June 1-7 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium with the University of Oklahoma serving as the host institution.

Click here for a complete tournament bracket.