Stephanie Speierman insists her focus didn’t change, her approach didn’t waver from anything she had done in the past.

Her role, though, is much different.

When All-American pitcher Jordan Taylor was sidelined indefinitely with an undisclosed injury last week, the sophomore Speierman became the No. 2-ranked Michigan softball team’s unexpected ace a year before she was thought to take over the role.

And although it was tough to tell, something changed.

“She had much better demeanor in games, much better presence in the circle,” Michigan pitching coach Jen Brundage said. “I don’t know if anybody would have seen it unless you’ve seen her every day in practice and games she pitched, but I thought she pitched with much more confidence.

“I’ve been waiting for it to come. We’ve seen glimpses of it and that’s just part of the growing process.”

The glimpses came as Michigan’s coaching staff decided to throw Speierman more this year after the graduation of pitcher Nikki Nemitz. A year ago, Taylor and Nemitz essentially switched off games, keeping both pitchers fresher throughout the season.

With Taylor the unquestioned ace of Michigan’s staff this year, the Wolverines still threw Speierman a lot, in part to save Taylor for the postseason and also to give Speierman experience for next season, when she will become the top pitcher on the Michigan staff.

That time on the mound -- she is currently 18-1 with a 1.78 ERA -- now has an added advantage as Michigan plays without Taylor.

“Having the experience and having gotten in games early this season definitely helps,” Speierman said. “But you can’t let it change your approach, not really.”

She has help, too, in Taylor’s absence.

Junior Hilary Payne, a transfer from Loyola Chicago, joined the team before the season as a walk-on. Initially she wasn’t sure if she was going to play softball at Michigan, but joined the team and became an unexpected needed addition.

She entered Sunday’s 3-2 come-from-behind win over Iowa and picked up the win, improving her record to 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA.

“I was just excited to be here,” said Payne, a Plymouth native who used to watch Michigan softball games as a kid. “(Michigan coach Carol Hutchins) told me I can’t just be excited to be here, that I have to be here for me team and they are going to need me.”

Now they do.

Michigan travels to Wisconsin this weekend for two games and has five games next week (Tuesday against Eastern Michigan, two Wednesday against Ohio State and then a weekend series against Minnesota), so multiple arms are important.

Taylor’s absence -- her return date is still unknown -- has left Michigan counting practice pitches more because coaches know they could need both Speierman and Payne in a weekend.

And it provides a glimpse of the future.

“You never want it to happen,” Brundage said. “But it gives Spidey the taste of being the one that everyone counts on. That is great for her, a great confidence builder for her next year knowing, ‘Okay, I can do this.’

“At the same time, she’s going to learn what adjustments she needs for her game to be that next ace of the staff.”

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.