If Michigan wants to return to the Women's College World Series for the first time since 2009, it will need a pair of wins against Alabama on Friday. This is because Michigan lost to Alabama in the opening game of its Super Regional in the 2012 NCAA softball tournament on Thursday night. The Crimson Tide rolled to a 4-1 victory over Michigan, putting themselves one win away from the WCWS.
Michigan got off to a slow start against Alabama and could never recover. The Crimson Tide took a 1-0 lead in the second inning and then added three more runs in the fifth inning. Michigan got one run back in the top of the sixth, but that was all the damage the Wolverines were able to do on Thursday night. Alabama went on to win by a score of 4-1.
Here's a look at the schedule for Friday's games in the best-of-three series (all times Eastern):
Thursday, May 24
Game 1: Alabama def. Michigan, 4-1
Friday, May 25
Game 2: Michigan at Alabama (4:30 p.m., ESPNU/ESPN3)
Game 3 (if necessary): Michigan at Alabama (7 p.m., ESPN2/ESPN3)
You can check out the full 2012 NCAA softball tournament bracket right here.