Only two more softball games this year

[j2d2]

Both on the 31st in a double header with Arkansas. Anybody know what kind of team Arkansas has? The schedule doesnt yet show when 2016 season starts or where(ln SoonerSports). Anybody know when and where? Against whom?

 

[upontop]

The season will start in Las Vegas on February 12 with Syracuse and then Washington, Saturday games will be against Utah Valley and Lamar, finishing up on Sunday with Minnesota.

As for Arkansas, they have seemed less than impressive during the fall, OSU beat them 16-1 and 10-1, although they do have a good coach over there now it seems that their cupboard may be a little bare.

 

[jsull2015]

:OU-logo: I made the road trip to Arkansas last year for the fall games expecting to see some tougher competition. I enjoyed the road trip but the games were not competitive at all. The sooners handled them easily and was able to empty the bench on the second game. Then in the regular season we beat them 10-1. Sounds like it will be much the same this year. I am a little surprised that Arkansas being in the SEC cannot recruit better than they have. I am not sure what the recruiting base is like in Arkansas. They also have some
tough competition from surrounding states. Oklahoma seems to produce some very good softball talent and Patty generally gets the best that the state has to offer, then she is able to tap California for some great players and then land top notch talent from states like Missouri and Kansas.

 

[anthrosooner]

The season will start in Las Vegas on February 12 with Syracuse and then Washington, Saturday games will be against Utah Valley and Lamar, finishing up on Sunday with Minnesota.

Has the season schedule been announced?

 

[upontop]

I don't believe the schedule has been released by OU yet.

You can find the Vegas tournament as well as the Feb 25-27 Mary Nutter Classic schedule online. Google Mary Nutter and you can get the schedule, the highlights of that schedule will be games against Michigan and UCLA

 

[j2d2]

My guess is that the recruiting base in Arkansas is limited.

 

[anthrosooner]

Arkansas used to sign more players out of Oklahoma than out of Arkansas. Since Patti recruited nationwide they would sign players that she didn't offer.

 

[shoogerkubz]

Please can you tell me where to find the Las Vegas Tournament?

 

[jsull2015]

:OU-logo: The Sooners need to win some of those tough match ups against teams like UCLA and Michigan. That will greatly improve their seeding in the post season. If the offense can generate enough runs, I believe this year we will have the pitching quality and depth to win some of those tough early season battles.

 

[SoonerNorm]

:OU-logo: The Sooners need to win some of those tough match ups against teams like UCLA and Michigan. That will greatly improve their seeding in the post season. If the offense can generate enough runs, I believe this year we will have the pitching quality and depth to win some of those tough early season battles.

I hope you're right because right now I'm concerned about the pitching.

 

[jsull2015]

:OU-logo: To clarify my comment about the pitching. I am assuming that everyone stays healthy and the freshmen continue to develop in the manner in which I anticipate. At this point in time, I am not counting on Kelsey Stevens to be a big factor although if she maintains consistency I think she may see plenty of action especially early in the season.

 

[upontop]

We will see a good dose of Stevens, Chestnut and Finney tomorrow against Arkansas. We definitely need a couple of them to step up early in the Spring so that they can win some of those early season match ups.

They also play Tennessee on April 23 in Knoxville.

 

[sybarite]

At the moment, I am about as concerned about the hitting as about the pitching. We are not off to a great start, given the quality of the opposition. I have been a little disappointed in some of the returnees. Of course, Kady is still sidelined. But, I'm not convinced that we can generate an offense against top ten pitching.

Ultimately, I think our pitching may be the strong point---assuming health.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Anyone know what happened. Was following on OU twitter account and they were tied 2-2 in top of 8th and stopped tweeting.

 

[upontop]

First game ended in a 2-2 tie

Second game OU won 11-3

 

[jsull2015]

:OU-logo: Syb: I think your concerns are valid regarding the hitting against top 10 pitching. There are 2 things that will give a coach give a coach anti-digestion is walks and leaving base runner stranded. In the first game, I know the Sooners stranded 6 or 7 base runners and I missed the first 2.5 innings. There is no way that game should have been a 2-2 tie. We just did not get the clutch hits when runners were in scoring positions.

Even as great of batters that Lauren Chamberlain and Shelby Pendley were, they did not win every battle against top 10 pitching and we no longer have them to win a game on one swing of the bat. I know we have batters with home run power, but they are not going to hit 86 plus home runs. Great pitching will win more that its share of the battles against great hitting, Chamberlain being the exception. There in lies the silver lining for this team. Our pitching should should hold us close enough to top 10 teams to give us a chance to generate enough offense to win. But we got to quit stranding so many base runners or this can get you beat against even a very average team.

 

[SoonerNorm]

:OU-logo: Syb: I think your concerns are valid regarding the hitting against top 10 pitching. There are 2 things that will give a coach give a coach anti-digestion is walks and leaving base runner stranded. In the first game, I know the Sooners stranded 6 or 7 base runners and I missed the first 2.5 innings. There is no way that game should have been a 2-2 tie. We just did not get the clutch hits when runners were in scoring positions.

Even as great of batters that Lauren Chamberlain and Shelby Pendley were, they did not win every battle against top 10 pitching and we no longer have them to win a game on one swing of the bat. I know we have batters with home run power, but they are not going to hit 86 plus home runs. Great pitching will win more that its share of the battles against great hitting, Chamberlain being the exception. There in lies the silver lining for this team. Our pitching should should hold us close enough to top 10 teams to give us a chance to generate enough offense to win. But we got to quit stranding so many base runners or this can get you beat against even a very average team.

I think it was expected that hitting was going to drop off this year. I would be shocked if freshmen could replace Lauren and Shelby without a reduction in offensive production. If Stevens cannot regain her form, we are going to have a difficult time getting back to the World Series.

 

[jsull2015]

:OU-logo: It will be a great help if Stevens regains her form in the team making back to the World Series. Paige should be fully healthy by the spring since she is not on crutches it must have been a minor procedure on her knee. Paige will need some help on the mound as she cant carry the load by herself. I am looking for the freshman pitchers, especially Brittany Finney to really help on the mound this year especially in relief situations. When Patty does throw Kelsey, I hope she does not wait until the basis are loaded to make a change if her control problems pop up.. That puts the incoming pitcher in a real difficult situation.

 

[Speedy17]

The freshmen are too good for OU to wait on Stevens again. We are also missing Trip Mackay at hitting coach - it will be interesting to see the impact of that missing component.

 

[jsull2015]

:OU-logo: I think that Kelsey will get some opportunities against weaker competition but Patty will have a quick leash on her. Look for the freshmen to pitch early and often.

As for the loosing Trip McKay. He was as tremendous loss to the team. However I don't Patty would have hired her son if she had any doubts about him being able to do the job. A coach that hires family for key assistant coaching vacancies is under too much scrutiny if the family member does not do a good job. Like with Bob hiring Mike Stoops to be a defensive coach and then bringing him back to be the defensive coordinator. Every time the OU defense does not play well, I am sure Bob hears plenty about hiring his brother.