With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh inning on Friday night, a record-setting crowd of 2,479 at Alumni Field rose to its feet.

Michigan softball senior catcher Roya St. Clair stepped to the plate against Tennessee’s freshman pitcher Ivy Renfroe, who had tossed a complete-game two-hitter on Thursday night. The Wolverines were down 4-3, and a base hit would possibly give them a lead heading into the bottom of the seventh and forcing a game three.

St. Clair made solid contact on the 0-2 pitch, smashing a screaming liner to the left side of the infield. But Lady Vol shortstop Ashley Andrews didn’t need to move her feet to make the grab.

The Wolverines' season was over, and Tennessee promptly formed a mosh-pit celebration in the infield. The Lady Vols advanced to the eight-team Women's College World Series by winning the first two games in the best-of-three series.

“You have to really tip your hat to Tennessee,” Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. “They came into our house and took it in two. I thought we battled, but unfortunately it wasn’t soon enough and it wasn’t quite enough.”

Michigan came into Friday's matchup forced to deal with a shorthanded lineup. In the fourth inning of Thursday's game, junior first baseman Dorian Shaw ripped a line drive into her own dugout, fracturing the right arm of sophomore leftfielder and leadoff hitter Bree Evans.

Senior centerfielder Molly Bausher moved up to the leadoff spot Friday, and a combination of freshman utility player Amy Knapp and junior outfielder Marley Powers filled the vacated nine-hole for the Wolverines.

Tennessee pitching picked up right where it left off Thursday, as sophomore hurler Cat Hosfield didn’t allow a run until senior rightfielder Angela Findlay cracked a two-out home run to left center. Hosfield was promptly replaced by Renfroe, who gave up a two-run shot off the bat of Shaw in the following inning.

In the seventh, sophomore shortstop Stephanie Kirkpatrick drew a leadoff walk. Bausher singled to left after Knapp struck out, and Findlay blooped one into center to load the bases with her third hit of the day. Kirkpatrick was held at third, as Hutchins was well aware of the rocket arm of Tennessee centerfielder Kelly Grieve.

“That kid’s got a gun,” Hutchins said. “And at that point, we couldn’t afford any outs at the plate."

Senior third baseman Maggie Viefhaus struck out on a 1-2 pitch to set the stage for St. Clair’s line-out, which would end Michigan’s season.

On the mound, senior pitcher Nikki Nemitz got off to a rough start for the Wolverines, as she hit her first batter on the hand. She would hit another batter later in the first inning with the bases loaded, allowing the Lady Vols to seize the first lead.

After giving up a leadoff solo shot in the second, junior pitcher Jordan Taylor replaced Nemitz, who promptly gave up a first-pitch home run to Erinn Webb for back-to-back Tennessee long balls.

Webb would hit another solo shot in the fourth frame.

With the loss, Michigan said goodbye to what was once a promising bid for a spot in the WCWS. Six seniors will be leaving Ann Arbor this offseason, five of whom played in the Wolverines' everyday lineup.

“It hasn't set in that I won't be packing my bags for Oklahoma City this week,” Shaw said. “But when I go home (and) think about it and watch the rest of the games, it's going to hurt.”