Michigan softball players Maggie Viefhaus, left, Dorian Shaw, center, and Stephanie Speierman, brave the cold and the wind and the rain to take infield practice prior to Saturday's clash with Michigan State. With temperatures in the 40s and wind gusts of over 40 mph, it was hardly ideal weather. (Photo: Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com)

When Carol Hutchins recruited her current group of Michigan softball seniors to Ann Arbor, she thought she might have a special class. Her team was coming off its first national championship in 2005.

Soon, though, that class leaves. Senior night came and went Saturday with a quick 10-0 pasting of Michigan State. The next time No. 2 Michigan plays at home will be in the NCAA tournament. Once the tournament begins, the Wolverines will try to replicate what the Wolverines did when this senior class was in high school.

“We thought we had a great recruiting class but I think they’ve exceeded any, I don’t put too much expectation on kids because I think expectation can hurt you,” Hutchins said. “You’ve just got to come in now and work hard. You’ve got some talent, got some tools, we recruited you for a reason.

“… We thought we had a good class.”

Five of the six have started all four years at Michigan. Two of the six - pitcher Nikki Nemitz and outfielder Angela Findlay - have been All-Americans. Four of them -Nemitz, Findlay, third baseman Maggie Viefhaus and catcher Roya St. Clair - were first-team All-Big Ten a year ago. Molly Bausher has started all four years and Kristin Larsen has been a reserve.

On this year’s Michigan team, they make up the majority of the Wolverines’ lineup. So Saturday had the potential to be a bawl-fest.

“Before the game, you see people’s parents tearing up and other players,” Findlay said. “I tried to keep it together and not think too much about it and not really process that it was our last regular-season game.

“… No one was really out of it. The rest of us tried to keep it together as much as we could.”

Once the game started, they did quite well.

Findlay, junior first baseman Dorian Shaw and sophomore second baseman Amanda Chidester all hit home runs. Seven of Michigan’s players had hits.

Michigan (43-6, 17-1 Big Ten) hit multiple home runs for the fourth straight game. It also marked the sixth straight game with a home run for the Wolverines.

Power throughout the lineup has been one of Michigan’s most important traits throughout the season. Three players - Viefhaus, Findlay and Shaw - have double-digit home runs. Almost the entire lineup is hitting over .300.

“In the past couple years, we haven’t hit for power as much as we have this year,” Findlay said. “Really just having that just gives confidence to all of us in our entire lineup and even our pitching staff to know that if we get runners on base, those batters, any pitch, a pitcher misses and that ball can end up over the fence.”

It showed.

Junior pitcher Jordan Taylor had a typical dominant performance. She struck out nine Michigan State (20-29, 4-13) batters and allowed just one hit, a single to right field by the Spartans’ Lauren Kramer. She faced the minimum number of batters because St. Clair threw out Kramer’s replacement - Karen Fox - trying to steal.

The completeness of this Michigan team - from a strong lineup to two All-American pitchers - is the reason why they can talk confidently about a national championship goal.

“I’ve only had one other team talk about that,” said Hutchins, who won her 1,150th game at Michigan on Saturday. “To me, when you make a goal, whatever you do in life, you have to own it. Whether you achieve it or not, I mean, own it and go for it. There’s no failure if you go for it and do as best you can.

“I’ve said it before. This group believes in themselves.”

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