Amanda Chidester (3) slaps hands with Michigan pitcher Jordan Taylor as catcher Caitlin Blanchard looks on during the Wolverines' 5-0 NCAA regional tournament win over Western Michigan Friday at Alumni Field.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Jordan Taylor didn’t know. At least that’s what Michigan's senior softball pitcher said late Friday night.

She figured her mom, Marjorie, probably knew Taylor was one win away from tying Michigan’s career record. But even after Taylor beat Western Michigan, 5-0, in the Wolverines’ first NCAA regional game Friday night, Taylor didn’t seem too excited about tying Sara Griffin with 106 all-time victories.

Taylor has never made a big deal about records — and as her senior season winds down in Ann Arbor, has tried to keep from reminiscing too much. But when to, she thought about the significance for a moment.

“It’s good to look back on it and see I left a mark on Michigan,” Taylor said. “It’s everyone’s ultimate goal to leave the program better than they found it and if it’s an individual record it’s kind of cool.

“It’s kind of something to look back on.”

She can look back on the last two games as some of the best of her career. In her regular season finale against Michigan State last Saturday, she threw a no-hitter. Against Western Michigan on Friday night, she used a combination of speed and off-speed pitches to throw a three-hitter, tying a season-high with 13 strikeouts.

She left the Broncos (25-29) baffled.

“Change of speeds, we just didn’t make the adjustments quick enough with her,” Western Michigan coach Kathy Leitke said. “She had the off-speed pitch going today and we weren’t making the reads soon enough.”

In some ways, Leitke said her team sat and waited for Taylor to throw her faster pitches. She said she threw off-speed stuff about as much as she normally does.

But when you’ve won as much as Taylor has — her career record is now 106-16 — things can blend together. She struck out double-digit batters for the third time in four games and now sits at 1,194 strikeouts in her career, nine behind former Michigan star Jennie Ritter, who holds the Wolverines record with 1,205.

“Taylor is probably, arguably one of the best pitchers in the country,” Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson said. “So she’s going to be a formidable opponent by herself.”

It’s a matchup Kentucky will see Saturday. After beating Notre Dame, 8-0, in the first game here Friday, the Wildcats and Wolverines will play at noon (ESPN) for a chance to advance to Sunday’s regional final.

What Taylor did Friday was what she’s done almost all season. She struck out seven of Western Michigan’s first 11 batters, giving the Michigan lineup a chance to figure out Western starter Meredith Whitney.

“We rely on Jordan,” Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. “She had a great game for us and was our rock. She has to keep us in the game until we can get some offense for her.”

The offense arrived in the bottom of the fourth inning with three runs, including a solo home run from Big Ten Player of the Year Amanda Chidester. That was the only run the Wolverines (52-4) scored Friday without two outs.

But with Taylor pitching, Michigan never seems to be concerned. For the past four years, she’s been one of the most consistent pitchers in the country and in Michigan history.

“When you have a pitcher who can hold it for a while for you so you can see the pitcher one time and get things going the next time up to bat is great,” Chidester said. “When you know that you have a pitcher who is great, it is a lot easier as a hitter.”

Easier for a Michigan hitter, harder for any Michigan opponent. With Taylor pitching — and Michigan will likely throw her every game the rest of the season — the Wolverines have a 6-foot-1, record-setting security blanket to rely on.

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Michael Rothstein covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by email at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.