Softball

[SoonerNorm]

Stevens is obviously a very good pitcher but not elite.

However, you are unlikely to advance very far with only 7 runs scored in 3 games.

I think the loss of Self and Chamberlains injury finally caught up with us.

You have to give a lot of credit to the pitching we've faced which limited our run production. Two of those pitchers are really good and the third isn't bad.

I really hate that Self went down with an injury. She might not have made a difference in the final outcome of our season but it would have been fun to have all of our weapons to find out. I don't know if Chamberlains injury affected her hitting but it sure didn't help.

 

[SoonerinNC]

It also didn't help to have to face the top two seeds in the first 3 games.

 

[sybarite]

With Pendley, Chamberlain, Self, Casey, Ellis, and Stevens, we have the foundation again. I look for this to be the lineup:

LF Kady Self
1B Lauren Chamberlain
3B Shelby Pendley
SS Georgia Casey
C Whitney Ellis (I look for a little improvement with confidence)
RF Erin Miller
CF Callie Parsons
2B Macey Hatfield
DH Nicole Pendley

RHP Kelsey Stevens
LHP Paige Parker

INF Kelsey Arnold
INF Destinie Lookout
INF Tyler Lucas
INF Jessica Vest
C Lea Woodach

Arnold and Lookout may push to start.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Who are you picking, Florida or Alabama?

 

[scrybe]

Who are you picking, Florida or Alabama?

I would probably pick the Tide, not because I want them to win, but because many of their players have experienced the pressures of a WCWS championship series (and because they have Traina in the circle).

 

[MsProudSooner]

I would probably pick the Tide, not because I want them to win, but because many of their players have experienced the pressures of a WCWS championship series (and because they have Traina in the circle).

What's the weather forecast?

 

[womenssports]

Traina is a great pitcher and she never gets rattled, well, that I can see. However, Nebraska hit on Traina in the super regional and I expect Florida to do the same. I am picking Florida. Guess we will see.

OU was not aggressive with their offense. Pendley was but it seemed like we watched pitches. I thought maybe it was Gasso, but heard an interview in which this is basically what she was saying.

Interesting too, what j2d2 said about the rise pitch. I am wondering if our players cannot hit that pitch. Also wonder if their batting practice includes being pitched every type of pitch. I believe the announcers said that La.-La practiced that way with someone actually pitching the different pitches.

 

[womenssports]

Re: Softball QUESTION

I heard the announcers during one of OU'S WCWS games say that OU had lost a pitcher. I have no clue who that was and cannot find anything on the internet. Anyone know? Thanks for a reply.

I did think they may have been speaking of Townsend but did not know if she quit at the first of the year or at the end of last season.

Also, it says Nicole Pendley pitched most of her senior year so is he not coming in as a pitcher?

 

[SoonerNorm]

Traina is a great pitcher and she never gets rattled, well, that I can see. However, Nebraska hit on Traina in the super regional and I expect Florida to do the same. I am picking Florida. Guess we will see.

OU was not aggressive with their offense. Pendley was but it seemed like we watched pitches. I thought maybe it was Gasso, but heard an interview in which this is basically what she was saying.

Interesting too, what j2d2 said about the rise pitch. I am wondering if our players cannot hit that pitch. Also wonder if their batting practice includes being pitched every type of pitch. I believe the announcers said that La.-La practiced that way with someone actually pitching the different pitches.

I feel certain every team sees every pitch during batting practice. A great pitcher can still make hitters (even great hitters) miss. Some MLB pitchers throw a no hitter by just having great stuff. Some will remember Sandy Koufax's nasty curveball. Batters saw curveballs all the time but they still struggled to hit his. Great pitching trumps great hitting.

When we get another pitcher with the stuff that Rickets had, we will make another run at a NC.

 

[scrybe]

what's the weather forecast?

lol!

 

[sybarite]

Re: Softball QUESTION

I heard the announcers during one of OU'S WCWS games say that OU had lost a pitcher. I have no clue who that was and cannot find anything on the internet. Anyone know? Thanks for a reply.

I did think they may have been speaking of Townsend but did not know if she quit at the first of the year or at the end of last season.

Also, it says Nicole Pendley pitched most of her senior year so is he not coming in as a pitcher?

We have been waiting for Paige Parker for a couple of years. She is only rated about #31 in the country, but we're excited. Pendley isn't even rated in the top 2000 players by the recruiting services. I think we probably know better. She is probably an outfielder. Next year, we have the top class in the nation coming in, according to the services.

http://www.studentsports.com/softball/

 

[j2d2]

Re: Softball QUESTION

We will have the top class without having any one player rat3d higher than 31. Looks like an allaround bunch. Patty likes their athleticism.

 

[sybarite]

Actually, the site rates OU's class of 2014 at #21. It is the 2015 class that is rated #1. But, the site doesn't even rate Hatfield, who has already hit 300 at OU this Spring, Pendley, or Lookout. A two or three-time Missouri POY is only rated #31? Finney, next year's incoming pitcher, is rated more highly than Parker.

Townsend is still on the team.

 

[Keller Sooner]

What about Maggie Ham, the JC pitcher, is she still on the team? Paris Townsend is on the team, her twin sister left before the season started. I think she was a pitcher but I'm not sure.

 

[sybarite]

What about Maggie Ham, the JC pitcher, is she still on the team? Paris Townsend is on the team, her twin sister left before the season started. I think she was a pitcher but I'm not sure.

http://stats.ncaa.org/team/stats/11640?org_id=522&year_stat_category_id=10481
Team pitching statistics: notice that Ham had a 6.31 ERA with five hits, two home runs, in 3.1 innings. I think I heard something about her being in the bullpen. But, Leslie Miller was probably our number three.

 

[sybarite]

What about Maggie Ham, the JC pitcher, is she still on the team? Paris Townsend is on the team, her twin sister left before the season started. I think she was a pitcher but I'm not sure.

http://stats.ncaa.org/team/stats/11640?org_id=522&year_stat_category_id=10481
Team pitching statistics: notice that Ham had a 6.31 ERA with five hits, two home runs, in 3.1 innings. I think I heard something about her being in the bullpen. But, Leslie Miller was probably our number three.

Notice that Macey, as an incoming freshman who was supposed to arrive in the Fall, hit 290 with two doubles, a home run, and six runs batted in in only thirty-one at bats. That's not a bad line for a "not on anyone's list of top recruits" kid.

 

[tycat947]

2015 Recruiting Classes http://www.studentsports.com/softball/2014/01/20/top-25-recruiting-classes-2015s/

2014 Recruiting Classes http://www.studentsports.com/softball/2013/11/04/top-25-recruiting-classes/

 

[sybarite]

Florida 5 Alabama 0
Traina allowed all five runs. Rogers only threw 80 pitches in seven innings. Only three strikeouts.

 

[womenssports]

Re: Softball QUESTION

We have been waiting for Paige Parker for a couple of years. She is only rated about #31 in the country, but we're excited. Pendley isn't even rated in the top 2000 players by the recruiting services. I think we probably know better. She is probably an outfielder. Next year, we have the top class in the nation coming in, according to the services.

http://www.studentsports.com/softball/

I did not think to check their rankings, something I would have done with basketball. Started watching the softball at Don Porter stadium (think that was the name back then, not sure if it is now) in the 80's and wbb in the mid-90's but followed basketball more closely. Thanks that helps clear things up.

 

[womenssports]

I feel certain every team sees every pitch during batting practice. A great pitcher can still make hitters (even great hitters) miss. Some MLB pitchers throw a no hitter by just having great stuff. Some will remember Sandy Koufax's nasty curveball. Batters saw curveballs all the time but they still struggled to hit his. Great pitching trumps great hitting.

When we get another pitcher with the stuff that Rickets had, we will make another run at a NC.

I guess I was wondering if they saw it at the batting cages or OU actually had someone that could throw all those pitchers. I believe the announcers said something about the coach of La.-Lafayette being a pitcher and that the players were able to see all these pitches and how the pitchers looked when throwing the different pitches, by the Coach pitching to them. Paraphrasing a LOT and it might not have been that team but am pretty sure it was. A little less sure that it was the head coach that pitched to them.

I think we can make another run without a Ricketts' level pitcher if we have great defense otherwise and great hitting. I could see that next year. It would be nice if someone else could give Kelsey some relief. I believe we had a shot at the finals, if we had not had injuries. Course, jmo.