Freshman pitcher Haylie Wagner has a way with numbers. After picking up her 19th victory of the year for No. 21 Michigan (18-5 Big Ten, 39-15 overall) on her 19th birthday on April 7 at Ohio State, it seemed like just a coincidence.

But Wagner continued this pattern last weekend by picking up two wins against Purdue, and she was rewarded with the Big Ten’s Pitcher of the Week award – the fifth time she has won the award this season. And last weekend — with her pitching contribution and her first career grand slam — Wagner helped the Wolverines clinch their fifth consecutive Big Ten title — a conference record.

As a result, the team will make its 18th consecutive and 20th overall NCAA appearance after earning the Big Ten’s automatic birth. For the NCAA Regional, Michigan will again travel to Louisville, where it lost a game to the Cardinals earlier this season, 2-1.

The Wolverines will open the double-elimination regional against Kentucky (29-28)— a team that eliminated Michigan last season in the regional championship in Ann Arbor. The two other teams in its regional are No. 15 Louisville (53-3) and Valparaiso (42-17) from the Horizon League.

The Wolverines played Kentucky once this season, defeating the then No. 22 Wildcats, 3-0, behind the arm of Wagner, who hurled a complete game shutout. That game took place at a tournament in Florida, and Michigan will once again play Kentucky at a neutral location.

Playing away from Alumni Field in an NCAA Regional is something that the Wolverines have not done since 2001, when they played in Alabama. It was there that Michigan eliminated the host team, then-No. 7 Alabama, and won the regional by eliminating South Florida.

Michigan coach Carol Hutchins had a feeling a couple weeks ago that the Wolverines would not host a regional and gave her team some words of wisdom to prepare for such an event.

“I just told them, ‘Who cares?’ We’ve seen people come onto this field and leave with the trophy,” Hutchins said. “So let’s just go to somebody else’s field and get one.”

The road to this goal will begin against a hot Kentucky team that swept LSU to gain an at-large berth to the tournament. Kentucky is one of nine SEC schools in the tournament — the most of any conference.

Junior Kara Dill and senior Brittany Cervantes lead the Wildcats offensively. Dill led the team with 69 hits while posting a .367 average and swiping 19 bases. Cervantes, on the other hand, led the team 27 extra-base hits, including 12 home runs.

In the circle, Kentucky is led by Chanda Bell, who fired her fifth career no-hitter on Senior Day to earn the sweep over LSU that helped produce the Wildcats a NCAA birth.

The powerhouse of the regional is none other than the host, Louisville. Just like the Red and Black Tournament that the Wolverines took part in during the beginning of the season, Michigan will be playing in enemy’s territory.

Territory that the Cardinals have not lost at this season.

On top of being 25-0 at home, Louisville boasts the best record in softball at 53-3. Yet, because the Cardinals’ schedule has been perceived as easy, Louisville only drew the 15-seed.

A major reason for the Cardinals’ success has been its pitching. Through 373.1 innings pitched, its pitching staff has combined to record a 1.29 ERA — good for fourth in the nation.

In addition, Louisville finished the regular season with a .314 team batting average, which is 14th in the nation.

The Cardinals coasted to a 20-2 record in the Big East, with its lone two conference losses against DePaul.

The last time Michigan was down in Louisville to play, the Kentucky Derby was still months away. Now, the event has occurred and the winning horse was “I’ll Have Another.”

For the Michigan softball team, that’s exactly what it needs.

Another big hit by senior first baseman Amanda Chidester.

Another pitching masterpiece by Wagner.

Another chance at a championship starts today.

Let the games begin.