Softball

[SoonerNorm]

LSU shut out the Sooners 1-0.

 

[sybarite]

OU probably hit more balls hard than LSU did. But, none left the yard. One hit was the game.

OU had two hitters hit shots off the pitcher's leg with runners on first. Generally, if they hit off the pitcher's leg, they will be deflected to nowhere or be slowed down. Nope. These deflected right to the shortstop who was able to get the lead runner. When you hit shots that should be hits, of which there were several, you expect a couple of them to be hits It just wasn't OU's night. That's why they play lots of games.

 

[SoonerNorm]

The game tomorrow has been moved up from 6pm to 4pm.

 

[womenssports]

Did they pitch to Lauren?

 

[sybarite]

Did they pitch to Lauren?

Yes. Lauren got a fly to medium left center, a line drive to right with the go ahead run at second and two out (unfortunately, it was right at the right fielder), and a shot down the third base line with a runner on first. But, the third baseman scooped it and almost got a double play. She made solid, but not really great contact. She was a bit off last weekend as well.

 

[womenssports]

Yes. Lauren got a fly to medium left center, a line drive to right with the go ahead run at second and two out (unfortunately, it was right at the right fielder), and a shot down the third base line with a runner on first. But, the third baseman scooped it and almost got a double play. She made solid, but not really great contact. She was a bit off last weekend as well.

Thanks. So their freshman pitcher is pretty good? I know Paige seems to be.

 

[j2d2]

We watched a lot of balls go over the plate with the bat on our shoulders. Paige is having a little trouble throwing strikes but finally got the range late. Several balls in the dirt and some pitches looked as if she was slipping or stumbling as she threw.

 

[SoonerNorm]

We watched a lot of balls go over the plate with the bat on our shoulders. Paige is having a little trouble throwing strikes but finally got the range late. Several balls in the dirt and some pitches looked as if she was slipping or stumbling as she threw.

You're right. Taking perfect pitches down the middle of the plate is most often a mistake.

 

[SoonerNorm]

http://m.soonersports.com/mobile/ViewArticle.dbml?atclid=209972361&DB_OEM_ID=31000&

 

[Speedy17]

We watched a lot of balls go over the plate with the bat on our shoulders. Paige is having a little trouble throwing strikes but finally got the range late. Several balls in the dirt and some pitches looked as if she was slipping or stumbling as she threw.

When you are facing a pitcher that you have never seen, you want to see their set of pitches in a lot of cases. i was sitting behind the OU dugout last night and you could tell that was the case. The girls were reporting what they had seen to other players and the coaches almost immediately, this effort was led by Lauren and Shelby. They were not used to the velocity and had trouble laying off the rise ball. As Sybarite said, they hit some balls really hard but did not get any breaks. That last at bat by Whitney was a great one, just didn't get the outcome desired. They will be fine, there were some unhappy faces after the game - I like that. This team hates to lose. A bigger question is who pitches today, Paige or Kelsey.

 

[SoonerNorm]

If you are ahead in the count and take a strike that's not a bad move. It might also be smart to lay off a strike on the corners in the early part of the count. But, keeping the bat on your shoulder when the pitch is down the gut will often come back to bite you in the butt, especially against a great pitcher. If you get behind in the count, the pitcher then has a distinct advantage and it is highly unlikely the hitter will see another pitch down the middle.

 

[Speedy17]

I don't disagree except that you have to have an idea about what is coming. Hoover was throwing really hard last night and has an excellent rise ball. You have a split second for a reaction and you have to see the difference between the fast ball and the rise ball. Gasso was telling them to lay off the rise ball all night. Usually OU makes adjustments and is really tough the second time through the order, Hoover made it tougher last night.

 

[SoonerNorm]

If LSU goes with their other freshman pitcher today, she has a better ERA than Hoover.

 

[sybarite]

I understand that Hoover isn't a real freshman, but a transfer from Stanford. They must like losing a starter every year. But, I'm not concerned with their ERA just yet. LSU had played exactly four games against teams in the top twenty-five. Last night was their fifth. These games were:
4-3 Arizona
3-4 Florida
14-10 Florida
10-3 Florida
Now, 1-0 Oklahoma

LSU hasn't exactly been awesome. Last night, I didn't see a team that will play in the World Series final. Hoover is a good pitcher, but not a great one, although ESPN did like her. She throws a good riseball, and we have had difficulties against the riseball, whether it be Escadedo of Arizona State or Traina of Bama. We have trouble laying off of it. Last night, we were beginning to hit it, but we hit it right at people.

I don't think the best pitcher in the game can pitch to Lauren. When she isn't hitting, it is because of her, not the pitcher. When we were killing the ball last weeked in the last three games, Lauren was not herself. She hit three home runs last weekend, but she probably had twenty-five plate appearances to do it. She just isn't on right now for some reason. Shelby has always had a tendency to disappear when she doesn't feel comfortable. She seems to find a good pitcher more difficult to read. Once she does get her down, she often breaks out big time. I think last year she struck out something like eight times against Texas before hitting a home run to win the game.

I may be wrong, but I think Lauren is taking a first pitch changeup a lot. It seems a bit slow, and she just looks at it. Since she is a good two-strike hitter, I don't worry about her taking pitches. When she is in her groove, she can hit 0-2 with a banjo string and put it over the wall.

 

[Vinny78]

When do we play them today and can we get it on TV or internet?

 

[SoonerNorm]

When do we play them today and can we get it on TV or internet?

I believe the game starts at 4 today. I think I read the only way to watch the game is through a pay Internet site through either LSU or perhaps the SEC, not sure. If anyone has a link please post it.

 

[sybarite]

The SEC network appears to have Florida/Alabama. The radio network has a program that does not exist. Live stats is about it.

 

[sybarite]

Yahoo weather says that the rains will begin at 4:00 to 4:30. Nice.

 

[sybarite]

It is raining, and tarps are on the field.

 

[sybarite]

Tarp is coming off.