Carol Hutchins, whose 38-year stint as head coach at Michigan included leading the Wolverines to the only Women's College World Series championship won by a Snow Belt school (2005), has retired ( Michigan announcement , Michigan photo essay ,  ESPN.com article ).  Among the great Hutch memories, it's hard to top her postgame interview after this year's squad beat Northwestern in the semifinals of the B1G tourney. As shown in the following screenshot, the team snuck up on Hutch, singing "Sweet Caroline" and spraying her with a water-soaker ( source ). UM associate head coach Bonnie Tholl, a fixture on the Wolverine bench for 29 years, has been named head coach .

Here's some summer reading for college softball fans! It's the story of the short-lived Kennedy College of Wahoo, Nebraska, which not only fielded a successful women's softball team but was also instrumental in the creation of a Women's College World Series. The article from the Lincoln Journal Star is available here . Thanks to Merritt Clifton, whose message to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) e-mail discussion group brought the Kennedy College story to my attention.

Over on another of my blogs -- the Hot Hand, pertaining to sports streaks -- I evaluate how Oklahoma softball compares to other women's collegiate sports dynasties such as UConn basketball and North Carolina soccer ( link ).

Texas, a team that has bounced back when facing elimination before, must do it again tonight and tomorrow night, against an Oklahoma squad that may be the best offensive outfit in college softball history.  TOP 1: Estelle Czech starting tonight for the Longhorns, who are the home team... Jayda Coleman lines a sharp single to right to lead off for Sooners, bringing up Jocelyn Alo... Strikeout looking, a rare out for Alo (who was 4-for-4 in the semifinal clincher vs UCLA and 3-for-3 last night vs. Texas)... Tiare Jennings grounder to second bobbled, giving OU runners at first and second with one out... Easy infield pop for second out... Another infield pop to end threat... BOTTOM 1:  Jordy Bahl in the circle for OU... After a brief delay to reduce the slipperiness of the pitching circle, Janae Jefferson steps in and singles up the middle for Texas... Mia Scott follows with single to left... Per ESPN graphic, Texas was 0-for-7 last night with runners in scoring position (RISP).....

Game 1 is underway, with Texas the designated visitors... The ESPN networks are presenting a dual broadcast. Conventional coverage is on ESPN. A special episode of 7 Innings Live  (7IL) appears on ESPN-U, with live commentators combined on a split-screen with the game...  7IL also bringing in guests via online video, starting with former James Madison pitcher Odicci Alexander, now living in Japan... TOP 1: OU's Hope Trautwein retires the first two batters, before Bella Dayton doubles and advances to third on a wild pitch... Walk adds a runner on first... Another walk to load bases, with Courtney Day coming up... 3-0 count... Day takes a strike... Next pitch is low, walking in a run, 1-0 Longhorns... Easy fly to left to end threat... BOTTOM 1:  Jayda Coleman leads off with double for Oklahoma, bringing up Jocelyn Alo... Didn't take long for one of Alo's trademark home runs ( video ), quickly making it 2-1 Sooners... 7IL commentators calling for immediate removal of Hailey...

We're now down to four teams in the Women's College World Series, three from the Big 12* (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas) plus UCLA. TEXAS-OKLAHOMA STATE (Game 2): Czech pitching again for Longhorns... After Texas doesn't score in top of the first, Oklahoma State's Chelsea Alexander leads off the game  bottom of the first with a single, steals second and advances to third on errant throw, then scores on infield grounder, just beating the throw home . 1-0 Cowgirls... One-out walk for Texas in top of second... Nothing comes of it... One-out single for OSU in bottom of second... One out later, Kiley Naomi slugs two-run homer to left ( video ), making it 3-0 Cowgirls... As OSU comes up in bottom of third, Hailey Dolcini in to pitch for Longhorns... Karli Petty with two-run blast to right ( video ), making it 5-0 Cowgirls... Longhorns with runners on first and second with one out in top of fourth... Courtney Day with her second three-run homer of the day, cuts Texas de...

ARIZONA-TEXAS:  Wildcats and Longhorns underway in Sunday's second elimination game. Texas is the home team, with Hailey Dolcini in the circle... U of A goes quietly... Hanah (with one "n") Bowen in the circle for the Cats... UT likewise goes quietly in first... Still scoreless after two... Zona with runner on second, one out in top of third, after HBP and bunt... Fly for second out... Hard grounder to third, but UT fielder picks it up and throw out batter to retire side... Courtney Day solo-shot ( video ) puts Texas up 1-0 in bottom of third...  Single, walk, single to load bases for Arizona with none out in top of fourth... Carlie Scupin doubles deep to right, just inside the foul line, to drive in two ( video ), Zona leads 2-1... Pop to SS for first out... Texas pitching change, with Estelle Czech coming in... K for second out... Another K ends Wildcat threat... Horns with walk to lead off bottom of fourth... Line single up the middle gives UT runners on first and seco...