BlackwellSooner
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Well, after the Super Regionals are completed, there will be at most 5, since Florida plays #16 seed Georgia. Georgia had to go an extra game to eliminate Okie State.
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Well, after the Super Regionals are completed, there will be at most 5, since Florida plays #16 seed Georgia. Georgia had to go an extra game to eliminate Okie State.
Salt City Sooner
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& FWIW, the Pac 12 is quietly (& by quietly I mean not that you'll ever hear SECSPN mention it) right behind them with 5. Utah, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, & UCLA all advanced, although they're in the same boat as the SEC in that Oregon & UCLA play each other so one of them isn't going to go to OKC.
NMSooner'80
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I could be wrong, but I sure got a bad impression of the Ole Miss head coach in both their losses to OU. He seemed to be expecting the umpires to just roll over and die for him and his team because they're from the almighty SEC.
The only downer about today's 3-0 win was that it wasn't a no-hitter. I thought Parker had a shot at it for awhile.
The only downer about today's 3-0 win was that it wasn't a no-hitter. I thought Parker had a shot at it for awhile.
The only two of the sixteen seeded teams to be eliminated were both from the SEC, and both were eliminated by Pacific Twelve teams.
A significant feature to the OU sweep of two games against Mississippi: other than against OU, Mississippi had 124 steals, and they were caught only thirty times. Against OU, they were caught twice in two attempts. They went from two steals per game to zero. With their offense, if they can't run, they have a problem scoring.
OU's rbi leader for the year: Shay Knighten 52.
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In the last eleven games, Shay is 14 of 30 with a double, two home runs, and thirteen rbis. She has also been walked four times (striking out twice). Seems to like playoffs (5 of 8 in the Regionals for four rbis and a double, one walk, no strikeouts).
SoonerMGB56
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The ladies played well this past weekend. Paige was strong, bordering on dominant. Offensively OUr ladies were efficient. The LOB wasn't much of an issue. Clutch hitting, and from throughout the lineup. There wasn't anyone in the batting lineup that didn't have one, or several key hits over the three games.
However, many of my concerns coming in, are still there.
Magnified by the NCAA's annual practice of making our road to OKC more difficult. Heck, one year, prior to the requirement that the seeded teams play at home, we got sent to Massachusetts for our regional, when we were seeded first. In the current hosting structure, last year the NCAA grossly underseeded us, at ninth, forcing us on the road for the supers. Now this year, they seeded us appropriately, but vastly underseeded ULaLa, so we have the privilege of playing the bash sisters. U La La has 104 HR's, 10 more than Oregon, 20 more than Michigan, and 40 more than OU. U La La should have been playing Alabama probably, or possibly Fla. St., or JMU. But instead they are sent to Norman.
Which leads me back to my concerns coming in. U La La has three ladies with 18 HR's, another with 16, another 14, and another 12. OUr top HR threat has 11. They have several ladies that are Chamberlain-esqe, i.e., they can hit great pitches out. Lexi Elkins is batting .505 along with her 18 HR's. And U La La bats .341 as a team, and has a little bit of speed. They are 3rd in the country in OBP, so they will take walks. And finally they have a staff ERA of 1.81. I know that ERA is against lesser competition, in great part, but still.
If Paige isn't dominant, U La La can bash us. We quite possibly may have to outscore them. OUr top HR hitter is Knighten with 11. That lack of power can bite us sometimes. And God forbid, if we have to go to the bullpen. Kelsey and Jayden are just inconsistent enough to get hammered. Let's pray Paige is on.
I think we'll find a way to get by, but we probably have the toughest super. On top of the toughest regional.
Good news is that when we get to OKC, we'll certainly be battle tested.
However, many of my concerns coming in, are still there.
Magnified by the NCAA's annual practice of making our road to OKC more difficult. Heck, one year, prior to the requirement that the seeded teams play at home, we got sent to Massachusetts for our regional, when we were seeded first. In the current hosting structure, last year the NCAA grossly underseeded us, at ninth, forcing us on the road for the supers. Now this year, they seeded us appropriately, but vastly underseeded ULaLa, so we have the privilege of playing the bash sisters. U La La has 104 HR's, 10 more than Oregon, 20 more than Michigan, and 40 more than OU. U La La should have been playing Alabama probably, or possibly Fla. St., or JMU. But instead they are sent to Norman.
Which leads me back to my concerns coming in. U La La has three ladies with 18 HR's, another with 16, another 14, and another 12. OUr top HR threat has 11. They have several ladies that are Chamberlain-esqe, i.e., they can hit great pitches out. Lexi Elkins is batting .505 along with her 18 HR's. And U La La bats .341 as a team, and has a little bit of speed. They are 3rd in the country in OBP, so they will take walks. And finally they have a staff ERA of 1.81. I know that ERA is against lesser competition, in great part, but still.
If Paige isn't dominant, U La La can bash us. We quite possibly may have to outscore them. OUr top HR hitter is Knighten with 11. That lack of power can bite us sometimes. And God forbid, if we have to go to the bullpen. Kelsey and Jayden are just inconsistent enough to get hammered. Let's pray Paige is on.
I think we'll find a way to get by, but we probably have the toughest super. On top of the toughest regional.
Good news is that when we get to OKC, we'll certainly be battle tested.
That's pretty much the theme from any SEC school in any sport! ESPiN has taught them well!
I'm seeing lots of love for ULL, but I predict the Sooners will need just two more games to punch their ticket to the CWS.
I respect ULL, which is probably the best power hitting team in the NCAA. But one-dimensional teams like ULL are at a disadvantage against teams that are outstanding in all three aspects of the game: pitching, hitting and defense. And OU has, quite simply, the best all-around game among the 16 teams left in the tournament. Don't take my word for it; ask the Ole Miss coach how the Sooners stack up against those vaunted SEC teams the Rebels faced this season.
Also, the Sooners don't have to depend on three or four great hitters to lead them to victory. OU is dangerous throughout the entire batting order. There's no such thing as a breather for an opposing pitcher when they face the Sooners lineup. Every hitter is capable of delivering a key hit or driving in the winning run (as the stats so strongly suggest).
And if Paige Parker is on her game (as she clearly has been so far this postseason), Marita Hynes will look nothing like the launching pad for LL hitters that we saw in the Lafayette regional.
I respect ULL, which is probably the best power hitting team in the NCAA. But one-dimensional teams like ULL are at a disadvantage against teams that are outstanding in all three aspects of the game: pitching, hitting and defense. And OU has, quite simply, the best all-around game among the 16 teams left in the tournament. Don't take my word for it; ask the Ole Miss coach how the Sooners stack up against those vaunted SEC teams the Rebels faced this season.
Also, the Sooners don't have to depend on three or four great hitters to lead them to victory. OU is dangerous throughout the entire batting order. There's no such thing as a breather for an opposing pitcher when they face the Sooners lineup. Every hitter is capable of delivering a key hit or driving in the winning run (as the stats so strongly suggest).
And if Paige Parker is on her game (as she clearly has been so far this postseason), Marita Hynes will look nothing like the launching pad for LL hitters that we saw in the Lafayette regional.
SoonerSpock
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No question with La-La's power and pitching they can beat anyone but in 14 games against power 5 conference teams their record is only 9-5. They had games where they scored only 3 against Oregon, were shutout by Baylor and got 1,1 and 0 against Florida. They also allowed 6 to Oregon, 5 to Tech, 5 to Florida, 14 to Florida, and 8 to aTm.
Kelsey Stevens started all four games against La-La in 2013-14 going 2-2. She threw 15.1 innings allowed 17 hits and 10 runs in the regular season. She gave of 5 runs in her 13-5 win, took a loss in a complete 1-3 game and was beat 0-7 in the third game. She threw a complete game 3-1 win in the NCAA tournament. No pitcher on the La-La staff today threw for them in 2012-14. Their ace that beat us 7-0 and 3-1 in the regular season but lost 1-3 in the playoffs has graduated.
Only Erin Miller 2-10 and Kady Self 1-3 played against the Cajuns. The Cajuns have 5 starters that started their playoff game in 2014 starting this year. They are Hayden 5-15 in the four 2013-14 games, Elkins 5-13 and 2 HR's, Vincent 3-10, Corbello 0-9 and Landry 2-12. Elkins was their best hitter in 2014 and is again this year hitting .505, 18 HR's, 48 RBI's, .609 OB%, 1.129 SLG% only 3 K's. Like Erin Miller she is the leadoff hitter. The Cajuns have four hitters with 11 or fewer K's (3, 4, 9 and 11) but our starters have 32 fewer K's. Keeping Elkins and Craighton off base might be key to slowing their offense.
I'm just glad that we don't play Louisiana-Lafayette on their home field, where they are undefeated. Seems like they are a lot more difficult to beat at home.
There is another interesting aspect to their power. Texas is not a big home run hitting team, except for a four-game stretch at Iowa State and extending to the game at Lafayette when they hit five home runs against A&M. Other than the fourteen home runs Texas hit in that four-game stretch, they hit only 31 other home runs this year. It seemed that the ball just kept sailing out of the Lafayette park.
Lafayette seems to hit a lot of home runs against weak teams. I think they hit one against Oregon, Baylor, and Florida. They tended to hit about nine in a three game series against the UTAs of the world. But, there is another interesting fact. Louisiana-Lafayette lost two late season games----at Texas Arlington, 3-1, and at Georgia Southern, 2-0. That is losing to weak teams on the road.
Lexie Elkins is the girl who began at Texas Tech.. I think she had zero home runs as a freshman at A&M. She has 24, 32, and 18 in her three years at Louisiana-Lafayette. She has been limited this year by a injury in late March. She has been back only six games, and has one home run since her injury.
There are reasons to question their strength, but they have shown themselves to be a problem. I expect that they are as good as Tennessee.
Incidentally, they did allow Boston University to score five runs, and they gave up 8 to A&M.
There is another interesting aspect to their power. Texas is not a big home run hitting team, except for a four-game stretch at Iowa State and extending to the game at Lafayette when they hit five home runs against A&M. Other than the fourteen home runs Texas hit in that four-game stretch, they hit only 31 other home runs this year. It seemed that the ball just kept sailing out of the Lafayette park.
Lafayette seems to hit a lot of home runs against weak teams. I think they hit one against Oregon, Baylor, and Florida. They tended to hit about nine in a three game series against the UTAs of the world. But, there is another interesting fact. Louisiana-Lafayette lost two late season games----at Texas Arlington, 3-1, and at Georgia Southern, 2-0. That is losing to weak teams on the road.
Lexie Elkins is the girl who began at Texas Tech.. I think she had zero home runs as a freshman at A&M. She has 24, 32, and 18 in her three years at Louisiana-Lafayette. She has been limited this year by a injury in late March. She has been back only six games, and has one home run since her injury.
There are reasons to question their strength, but they have shown themselves to be a problem. I expect that they are as good as Tennessee.
Incidentally, they did allow Boston University to score five runs, and they gave up 8 to A&M.
I think the above is important when breaking down the LL/OU matchup. Lafayette hits homeruns in bunches……against weak pitching. When they play teams with dominant pitchers (Oregon, Baylor, Florida), the power numbers fall dramatically. I'm not saying they aren't a dangerous team. But the numbers and the results of games both teams have played against similar opponents favor OU over the Cajuns.
In the regionals, Lafayette gave up 14 runs in three games (opponents were Boston University, Texas and Texas A&M). OU gave up a total of 3 runs in three games (one vs. Wichita State and two vs. Ole Miss).
And think about it: OU would have blanked Ole Miss in both games had it not been for Paige temporarily losing her control after sitting in the dugout so long in OU's seven-run second inning. Paige walked the bases full and Ole Miss scored its only run on a sac fly.
LL scored nine more runs than OU (27-18) in their three-game regional. But the Cajuns gave up almost five times as many runs (14-3) as the Sooners, who held their opponents to an average of one run per game.
You're right; and besides that, all worry does is make you old and gray before your time.
BlackwellSooner
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by Tulsa World Sports Writer Guerin Emig
@guerinemig/guerinemigtw
Posted: Monday May 23, 2016 12:00 am
NORMAN — The most encouraging thing about Oklahoma’s NCAA regional championship, culminating in Sunday’s 3-0 shutout of Ole Miss, was something Rebels coach Mike Smith said about Sooners pitcher Paige Parker: “She has a lot of things a lot of pitchers don’t. She has that ‘it’ factor.”
This was 15 minutes after Parker’s nine-strikeout mastery of Smith’s offense. OU’s left-hander allowed four hits — two bloop singles, a bunt single and a slow roller to short. She allowed one runner to reach second base. She never allowed a leadoff hitter aboard.
And the first time she even went to three balls in a count was with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, when she walked Sarah Van Schaik.
Parker came right back and struck out Miranda Strother looking. Kylan Becker blooped a hit into shallow left-center field, but then two pitches later Courtney Syrett popped to third baseman Sydney Romero and OU had advanced to next weekend’s best-of-three Super Regional.
The Sooners will have home field advantage, a 25-game winning streak and one of the most balanced lineups in softball, led by Big 12 Co-Player of the Year Erin Miller, going for them.
Most of all, though, they’ll have Parker in their favor.
“I feel really good right now,” she said Sunday.
The numbers back that up. Parker allowed two earned runs in 19 regional innings, with 24 strikeouts and six walks. She gave up nine singles and two doubles.
The last time Parker allowed two earned runs was April 29 at Iowa State. The last time she allowed three was April 16 against Texas.
The last time Parker lost was at Cal State Fullerton March 18. She was 7-3 at the time.
Sunday’s result made her 31-3.
“Paige has learned how to go to another level,” Gasso said Sunday after her Sooners improved to 50-7 and advanced to a Super Regional for the seventh straight year. “As a coach when you watch an athlete get to a place that other athletes can’t get to, it’s awesome. Paige got there at times her freshman year, but the middle to the last part of this season she has gone to another level in terms of concentration, not getting rattled, being very focused, not afraid and very competitive.”
You could see all of that on display Sunday, on a day the Sooners needed their ace at her best.
Ole Miss starter Madi Osias limited OU to two Shay Knighten singles through four innings. Fale Aviu singled to lead off the Sooners’ fifth, before Kady Self reached after dropping a sacrifice bunt.
Osias retired Lea Wodach and pinch-hitter Macey Hatfield, before running the count to 2-and-2 against Miller.
“I just tried to stay on top of the ball and hit it hard on the ground,” Miller said. “I flied out my two at bats before that. I didn’t want to do that again. I tried to hit the top half and get something through the infield.”
She roped a single to right field to score pinch-runner Raegan Rogers. OU led 1-0. The way Parker was dealing, it felt like 11-0.
Kelsey Arnold’s sacrifice fly and Miller’s second two-out RBI single made it 3-0 in the seventh, just to be certain. Parker finished off the 41-22 Rebels in the bottom half, and OU was through to next weekend.
Parker credited her regional performance to “being mentally tough through all three games, not letting any fatigue cross my mind and trying to build off every inning.”
If she picks up where she left off next weekend, OU will be in prime position to return to the Women’s College World Series for the 10th time — and first since 2014.
“I expect them to be in Oklahoma City,” Smith said, “playing for a national championship.”
- - Sez Ol' Miss coach Smith (Sounds like Paige and her teammates made a believer out of him!)
LET IT BE SO!
@guerinemig/guerinemigtw
Posted: Monday May 23, 2016 12:00 am
NORMAN — The most encouraging thing about Oklahoma’s NCAA regional championship, culminating in Sunday’s 3-0 shutout of Ole Miss, was something Rebels coach Mike Smith said about Sooners pitcher Paige Parker: “She has a lot of things a lot of pitchers don’t. She has that ‘it’ factor.”
This was 15 minutes after Parker’s nine-strikeout mastery of Smith’s offense. OU’s left-hander allowed four hits — two bloop singles, a bunt single and a slow roller to short. She allowed one runner to reach second base. She never allowed a leadoff hitter aboard.
And the first time she even went to three balls in a count was with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, when she walked Sarah Van Schaik.
Parker came right back and struck out Miranda Strother looking. Kylan Becker blooped a hit into shallow left-center field, but then two pitches later Courtney Syrett popped to third baseman Sydney Romero and OU had advanced to next weekend’s best-of-three Super Regional.
The Sooners will have home field advantage, a 25-game winning streak and one of the most balanced lineups in softball, led by Big 12 Co-Player of the Year Erin Miller, going for them.
Most of all, though, they’ll have Parker in their favor.
“I feel really good right now,” she said Sunday.
The numbers back that up. Parker allowed two earned runs in 19 regional innings, with 24 strikeouts and six walks. She gave up nine singles and two doubles.
The last time Parker allowed two earned runs was April 29 at Iowa State. The last time she allowed three was April 16 against Texas.
The last time Parker lost was at Cal State Fullerton March 18. She was 7-3 at the time.
Sunday’s result made her 31-3.
“Paige has learned how to go to another level,” Gasso said Sunday after her Sooners improved to 50-7 and advanced to a Super Regional for the seventh straight year. “As a coach when you watch an athlete get to a place that other athletes can’t get to, it’s awesome. Paige got there at times her freshman year, but the middle to the last part of this season she has gone to another level in terms of concentration, not getting rattled, being very focused, not afraid and very competitive.”
You could see all of that on display Sunday, on a day the Sooners needed their ace at her best.
Ole Miss starter Madi Osias limited OU to two Shay Knighten singles through four innings. Fale Aviu singled to lead off the Sooners’ fifth, before Kady Self reached after dropping a sacrifice bunt.
Osias retired Lea Wodach and pinch-hitter Macey Hatfield, before running the count to 2-and-2 against Miller.
“I just tried to stay on top of the ball and hit it hard on the ground,” Miller said. “I flied out my two at bats before that. I didn’t want to do that again. I tried to hit the top half and get something through the infield.”
She roped a single to right field to score pinch-runner Raegan Rogers. OU led 1-0. The way Parker was dealing, it felt like 11-0.
Kelsey Arnold’s sacrifice fly and Miller’s second two-out RBI single made it 3-0 in the seventh, just to be certain. Parker finished off the 41-22 Rebels in the bottom half, and OU was through to next weekend.
Parker credited her regional performance to “being mentally tough through all three games, not letting any fatigue cross my mind and trying to build off every inning.”
If she picks up where she left off next weekend, OU will be in prime position to return to the Women’s College World Series for the 10th time — and first since 2014.
“I expect them to be in Oklahoma City,” Smith said, “playing for a national championship.”
- - Sez Ol' Miss coach Smith (Sounds like Paige and her teammates made a believer out of him!)
LET IT BE SO!
SoonerSpock
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I don't know very many here that are worrying about the cajuns. Most are probably just using the internet to learn more about the opponent and what their strength and weaknesses are before the game. Makes the game much more interesting to watch as it progresses. But for certain we should respect them for who they are and getting to the super-regional.
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SoonerSpock
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Calculated the batting averages and homeruns for the starting lineup for the last ten games. The starters are hitting .379. Each starters batting average is:
Aviu .500, 4 rbi's
Knighten .481, 12 rbi's, 2 HR's
Pendley .438, 10 rbi's, 3 HR's
Miller .419, 8 rbi's, 3 HR's
Self .391, 6 rbi's
Romero .343, 6 rbi's, 1 HR
Arnold .333, 2 rbi's
Wodach .291, 4 rbi's, 1 HR
Clifton .227, 5 rbi's, 2 HR's
My observations attending all the home games is Wodach is swinging better than her .291. She has hit several blue darters at 'em for outs lately. Caleigh may have the freshman pressure of the playoffs getting to her as she is 0-8 without much good contact but three games does not a trend make. However she is 1-11 in the last 5 games. Also she has had 8 free passes followed my Miller with 7 and Self with 5.
Pendley is probably swing the bat as good as anyone and with power as she has 3 dingers. Knighten and Clifton have 2, Miller, Wodach and Romero have one each. Aviu is swing the bat extremely well too and Miller is being Miller very consistent and produces with pressure on her. Knighten has been the most consistent hitter with hits in 9 of the last 10 games. Aviu has hits in 8 of the last 10.
Aviu .500, 4 rbi's
Knighten .481, 12 rbi's, 2 HR's
Pendley .438, 10 rbi's, 3 HR's
Miller .419, 8 rbi's, 3 HR's
Self .391, 6 rbi's
Romero .343, 6 rbi's, 1 HR
Arnold .333, 2 rbi's
Wodach .291, 4 rbi's, 1 HR
Clifton .227, 5 rbi's, 2 HR's
My observations attending all the home games is Wodach is swinging better than her .291. She has hit several blue darters at 'em for outs lately. Caleigh may have the freshman pressure of the playoffs getting to her as she is 0-8 without much good contact but three games does not a trend make. However she is 1-11 in the last 5 games. Also she has had 8 free passes followed my Miller with 7 and Self with 5.
Pendley is probably swing the bat as good as anyone and with power as she has 3 dingers. Knighten and Clifton have 2, Miller, Wodach and Romero have one each. Aviu is swing the bat extremely well too and Miller is being Miller very consistent and produces with pressure on her. Knighten has been the most consistent hitter with hits in 9 of the last 10 games. Aviu has hits in 8 of the last 10.
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SoonerNorm
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Lady Self will be on Sportstalk 1400 this morning at 9:35.