Softball

Not sure why it disappeared. The article was there earlier this evening. Wonder why they took it down.
 
Come on, SoonerSpock,

There is nothing obvious on that page related to the post you made.

If you are going to make a link, make one that clearly indicates your point.

Note: I'm not saying Connie is not leaving. But your link does not clearly establish it.

The link was there earlier and is still there if you look a little deeper. Must have something to do with the way Texas Sports changed access. I used my link and found the CC article with no difficulty.

https://texassports.com/news/2018/5/23/clark-steps-down-as-texas-softball-coach.aspx

The way Texas throws money at very top national coaches I could see them going after Florida's Tim Walton or Oregon's Mike White. Aside from Patty they are the two hottest coaches in the game. However both being male they may not fit the desired whorn profile.

I third candidate that comes to mind is Cat Osterman thanks to Killatella. Texas grad, Texas State pitching coach and female. However she has only 4 years as an assistant coach so may not meet the targeted profile for the head softball coach.
 
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Surprises?

Bottom of fourth:
Texas A&M 4 Florida 1

Top of third
UCLA 2 Arizona 0

Bottom of second
Kentucky 4
Oregon 1
 
The Aggies did something like that last year. Two straight errors, three walks, and you lose? You don't deserve to be here if you are that type of team.
 
OU hosts Arkansas in NCAA Super Regional action 4 p.m. today on ESPN2. Our preview article here...


NORMAN — During Oklahoma’s softball regional last weekend, freshman slugger Jocelyn Alo hit a signature towering home run, one that might have cleared the left-field scoreboard had it been a few feet to the right.

In the aftermath of another Alo power display, OU coach Patty Gasso was asked an intriguing question.


For all the great hitters, for all the eye-popping power numbers, what makes Jocelyn Alo different?


“Her mentality,” Gasso said, without hesitation. “Physically, she is one of the strongest athletes I have ever had here. So to me, it’s her approach and mentality, and she’s learned a lot about how to go forward on things, and we talk every here and there, but I think for a freshman to have this mentality of what’s best for her team is what makes her great.”

Link
 
Paige Lowary got the start and the win, 7-2, over Arkansas. I suspect that it was because Arkansas is homer-happy, and that is a bit of a weakness for Parker.

Happ for Arkansas is one of the three national candidates for Freshman-of-the-Year. I think even she may vote for Alo after Jocelyn hit that ball out of the complex to make it 3-0. Shay, "it's that time of year again," Knighten followed with a home run.

Lopez pitched the seventh for OU. Did allow a run on a single and double. Don't think she got a call from the umpire on the strike zone.
 
Arkansas 2
Oklahoma 7

LSU 6
Florida State 5

Tennessee 3
Georgia 4

Florida 4
Texas A&M 5
I thought A&M would collapse after last night.

UCLA 0
Arizona 2
top of second

Finals:
UCLA 3
Arizona 2
UCLA is the first to qualify for CWS.

Alabama 2
Washington 3 (9)
Washington scored two in the seventh to tie and one in the ninth.

South Carolina and Kentucky aren't looking good tonight.
 
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I just don't really get why there's such a fuss about Lopez....I'm no expert, unlike some others on this forum, but I feel like anytime she pitches, it's just meatballs that get smacked and end up hurting us. That's why i'm a bit nervous about next years pitchers. I know Vestal will be brilliant (knock on wood), but she can't play 100% of the time. Does anyone know if we are pursuing any other pitchers for this class? Parker Conrad may improve enough by next season to help out...
 
I'm no expert, unlike some others on this forum, but I feel like anytime she pitches, it's just meatballs that get smacked and end up hurting us.

The stats do not remotely coincide with your characterization of Lopez's abilities.
 
OU's defense is beginning to concern me. They have really not cost us to date. But could have with 8 errors in the last 8 games (7 post season) after committing only 11 in the first 49 games. Three of those games we have had multiple errors.

Our season average .990 fielding % (#1) has dropped to .987 (#1) thanks to a .966 fielding % (#79 rate) the last 8 games. Those extra outs could eventually cost us a game against the quality opposition in the WCWS. We cannot continue to make errors at the rate starting with the last game of the OSU series.

The Texas aggies would have already earned their trip to the WCWS had they been sound defensively in the 7th inning of the first Florida game. We can ill afford to give opponents those additional outs. We need our championship defense to play at a championship level. Hopefully things are behind us.

http://stats.ncaa.org/player/index?...s_player_seq=-100&year_stat_category_id=13302
 
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Half of our recent errors have been:
---three by Arnold since her hamstring
---one by Aviu replacing Shay
---Paige Parker fielding bunts
---a couple by Clifton when she didn't charge it well.

Parker has never fielded good bunts well, especially as her knees have become a bit more stiff. A good bunter can get on.

Arnold reacted to the injury by laying back and trying to get the big hop rather than charging. Usually, she gets an in between hop instead, and one that isn't always true. Clifton? She is very deep on some hitters, and a slow roller can give her problems when she is that deep.

In each of these, I think it is a rather unusual situation (except for the problems with bunts). Arnold hasn't ever been defensive in her defense, and she is a bit hesitant right now. Then, she turns in that brilliant get behind second. Clifton has been a marvel. Her brilliant throw kept a run off the boards after an error gave it a chance to score.

I don't see these as more than incidental. I've even seen balls bounce off Romero's glove recently, and that hasn't happened in the three years she has been here. She seems to stop every shot that isn't at least seven feet off the ground.

A few mistakes. But, they have also made some brilliant plays that have made us look good at times, as well. The catch by Mendes, laying out across the foul line. The shots caught calmly by Sydney and Shay. Shay has saved Arnold on throws several times recently. Beautiful throw catches a runner at second from left field.
 
Half of our recent errors have been:
---three by Arnold since her hamstring
---one by Aviu replacing Shay
---Paige Parker fielding bunts
---a couple by Clifton when she didn't charge it well.

Parker has never fielded good bunts well, especially as her knees have become a bit more stiff. A good bunter can get on.

Arnold reacted to the injury by laying back and trying to get the big hop rather than charging. Usually, she gets an in between hop instead, and one that isn't always true. Clifton? She is very deep on some hitters, and a slow roller can give her problems when she is that deep.

In each of these, I think it is a rather unusual situation (except for the problems with bunts). Arnold hasn't ever been defensive in her defense, and she is a bit hesitant right now. Then, she turns in that brilliant get behind second. Clifton has been a marvel. Her brilliant throw kept a run off the boards after an error gave it a chance to score.

I don't see these as more than incidental. I've even seen balls bounce off Romero's glove recently, and that hasn't happened in the three years she has been here. She seems to stop every shot that isn't at least seven feet off the ground.

A few mistakes. But, they have also made some brilliant plays that have made us look good at times, as well. The catch by Mendes, laying out across the foul line. The shots caught calmly by Sydney and Shay. Shay has saved Arnold on throws several times recently. Beautiful throw catches a runner at second from left field.

I too hope that are errors are incidental but there have been mental errors, throwing errors and fielding errors that are not typical of the Sooners. We played Sooner defense in the second game against the hogs. Now we just need to continuing to do it for the next 5 or 6 games because we are going to need that defense to 3-peat.
 
A&M scores 2 in top of 7th on a HR for a 3-2 then the aggies walk 2 and with 2 out and 2-2 count and the Gators hit a 3 run HR to beat them again. Gators to WCWS.
 
A&M loses that way every year. A lot of SEC teams talk of having a great offense. They may have one or two hitters. Those who win tend to be those that make the fewest mistakes.

Arkansas made errors.

Texas A&M walked hitters and made errors.

It's difficult to beat the other team when you beat yourself first.

We faced the best that the SEC has to offer for the past two years. We won. Had to throw Stevens once. But, we won every other game. They had to fight to beat Stevens, 11-7.
 
One unearned run given to Florida State enabled them to get into extra innings where they beat LSU.

Washington eliminated Alabama
Florida State eliminated LSU
Oklahoma eliminated Arkansas
Oregon leads Kentucky 7-0
Arizona State leads South Carolina 1-0

SEC teams that won?
Georgia beat Tennessee (both SEC)
Florida beat A&M (both SEC)

UCLA did beat a Pac 12 team in Arizona.

Despite having nine of the sixteen seeded teams, the SEC may only have two in the CWS.
 
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