Softball

[scrybe]

I have watched SEC teams make error after error. The infields aren't as tight. Tennessee made errors when we visited. Auburn and Georgia made errors. More than that, they misplayed balls that we would have caught. Bell looked like she had never played third. The World Series is often won and lost on misplays or plays not made. An example was Romero's failure to touch second. For us, that is unique. But, it is commonplace to see that type of misplay from the SEC teams. They have slappers. But, they act like they haven't seen them before. Throwing to the wrong base isn't an error. But, it results in setting up runs.

Yeah, you could pick an all-star team of players from Auburn, Georgia and LSU and you might be able to field a team that could rival OU defensively. Alabama is the only SEC team that made the WCWS that is anywhere close to being fundamentally sound defensively – but the Tide doesn't have much offensive firepower.

Look, any of the eight teams that made the WCWS could have conceivably made it to the championship series by getting the right breaks and bounces. But it's obvious to anyone but the most ardent SEC apologists that the Sooners were the best team at OKC. Even a few of the less biased ESPN commentators have acknowledged that.

My only real concern going into the championship series centers around how quickly the OU players will be able to respond after playing into the early morning hours. As the top remaining seed, the Sooners rightfully should have been given the early evening game yesterday, but that went to Auburn instead (I realize that's how the bracket was set up). Now, Paige, who has already thrown over 800 pitches in the postseason, will have to go again on short rest. Patty says she's up to throwing 800 more, if necessary (LOL), but I'd feel more comfortable if the Sooners – and our tough-as-nails pitcher – could have had a little more time to rest up before having to go again tonight at 7:00.

Anyway, there's nothing to be done now but strap 'em up and finish what we started with this amazing group of freshmen and sophomores and their two senior leaders.

 

[SoonerSpock]

No question Bell looks like 3rd base is alien to her. She is the main reason LSU is last in the SEC in fielding percentage with a .958. I did hear the TV crew mentioned the tigers poor defensive play resulted in them movings four players in an effort to make Simmons their SS. She was hands down their best infielder with a .974 fielding % (OU's Arnold B12 defensive player of the year had a.979). However Bell fielded at a .897 rate. Their second basemen Quinn at .917.

LSU (6 errors) and Georgia (7) were the two of the worse fielding teams in the WCWS behind FSU (10). But Auburn (2) and Alabama (2) have had the fewest errors in the tournament behind OU (1). To me not enough is being said about how the young OU team that is starting 4 freshmen, 3 sophomore and 2 seniors defensively is handling the pressure of playing in the WCWS.

To date the team has absolutely grabbed the bull by the horns both offensively (quick starts, quick answer backs to opponent scoring, good power (2 doubles, 1 triple and 4 HR's) and defensively with big play after big play. Not enough can be said about Parker being a warrior in the circle and a lot has been said.

 

[SoonerinNC]

I don't know how ESPN learned of the tipping pitches but after they announced it Paige suddenly became effective again. Gasso must have picked it up and got Parker to change what she was doing.

Auburn looks pretty tough. Good hitters and better defense than LSU. Pitching a question as they used several and all got hit around.

Auburn got the early game because they were in the bracket that included the #1 seed (Florida).

 

[SoonerSpock]

The longest winning streak is 47 set by Arizona in the 1996-1997 season. We are at 30, which is a school record. Arizona's record is not in danger yet but, it's not out of the question either.

Knowing Patty it is doubtful the Sooners approach that number as next year she will again go west to play the best teams away from Norman with the number one goal of finding a second starting picture to be in back of Parker and to find two new outfielders. I think Patty would like to see Parker throw about 75-100 fewer inning next year. She will throw better than 250 this year. That to me means lots of innings for Lopez, Olmos, Chestnut and Finney in the non-conference schedule unless Finney is designated as the closer from the onset as Speedy has implied.

Patty will not be looking for wins as much as getting her questions answered. But you never know with the team. They do like to step up.

 

[Max Power]

Knowing Patty it is doubtful the Sooners approach that number as next year she will again go west to play the best teams away from Norman with the number one goal of finding a second starting picture to be in back of Parker and to find two new outfielders. I think Patty would like to see Parker throw about 75-100 fewer inning next year. She will throw better than 250 this year. That to me means lots of innings for Lopez, Olmos, Chestnut and Finney in the non-conference schedule unless Finney is designated as the closer from the onset as Speedy has implied.

Patty will not be looking for wins as much as getting her questions answered. But you never know with the team. They do like to step up.

But with the 12 Freshmen and Sophomores, we could go out west do all that and still win the games if they continue to get better from how they are playing now. This group has a chance to be really special the next couple of years

 

[SoonerSpock]

But with the 12 Freshmen and Sophomores, we could go out west do all that and still win the games if they continue to get better from how they are playing now. This group has a chance to be really special the next couple of years

As I said in my post. "But you never know with the team. They do like to step up."

Also SEC conference perspective on the championship series.


http://www.secsports.com/video/15987718/auburn-faces-ou-title

 

[scrybe]

I don't know how ESPN learned of the tipping pitches but after they announced it Paige suddenly became effective again. Gasso must have picked it up and got Parker to change what she was doing.

Auburn looks pretty tough. Good hitters and better defense than LSU. Pitching a question as they used several and all got hit around.

Auburn got the early game because they were in the bracket that included the #1 seed (Florida).

That's right, of course. But the fact that Florida never made it to the WCWS makes a pretty good argument in favor of re-seeding the teams after the WCWS field is determined. But that's an argument for another day. The way Sunday's schedule went down wasn't great for OU, but I'm confident the Sooners will be ready to go tonight. Look for the Sooner hitters to have some early success against Auburn pitching.

Oh, and I agree that the LSU runner intentionally spiked Sydney at third base. The heifer knew Syd had her dead to rights, so her only answer was to inflict some pain.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Patty didn't even think the girl intentionally tried to spike Romero. SMH at some of the things our fans dream up to complain about.

 

[scrybe]

So you really believe Patty would accuse the player of intentionally spiking Sydney?

I'll bet your wife thinks you're cute when you shake your head like that, Norm.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

Patty didn't even think the girl intentionally tried to spike Romero. SMH at some of the things our fans dream up to complain about.

What makes you so certain that you know what Patty thought about the play? Just because she did not go out and kick up a fuss like both the Bama coach Murphy and the Michigan coach Hutchins were wont to do on the slightest controversial call all night, doesn't mean that Patty didn't think that Romero was spiked intentionally. SMH at Norm's constant defense of OU opponents, no matter the sport.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Patty is certainly one of the best coaches in the country. I told a friend that her recruiting is amazing. She is bringing top players to Oklahoma inspite of the fact our weather is not the best at the beginning of the season, she has to split scholarships, and incoming freshmen have to look at the talent on the roster and wonder if they can get decent innings.

When you look at Patty, she isn't the best communicator in the world but she relates extremely well to top high school recruits. Compare her to Sherri who is a great communicator but has trouble relating to elite basketball recruits. It tells me that you have to get to know the players. You have to relate on their level and show a personal interest in them. High school players are not nearly as impressed with big words as fans are. They want a coach they believe in, they trust, and one they like. Patty does a remarkable job of relating to 15, 16, & 17 year old girls who want to play for national championships. I hope Patty is our coach for several more years because she will be very tough to replace.

 

[scrybe]

What makes you so certain that you know what Patty thought about the play? Just because she did not go out and kick up a fuss like both the Bama coach Murphy and the Michigan coach Hutchins were wont to do on the slightest controversial call all night, doesn't mean that Patty didn't think that Romero was spiked intentionally. SMH at Norm's constant defense of OU opponents, no matter the sport.

That makes at least two of us.

 

[sybarite]

That foot didn't exactly come in low enough to tag the base. I would suggest that it was in doubt. It wasn't OU fans that raised the question of spiking. It was the announcer who pointed out the metal cleat.

In a sense, this team reminds me of UConn basketball. We have good players at every position. But, what really stands out is execution. A hard shot to third----we expect Romero to field it. She rarely misses. She always gets it. Other teams can't say that. A hard ground ball is a challenge against most teams.

I can only remember one time when Kady made a throw in from the outfield that irritated me. We throw to the right bases. Last night, she held a runner at first with a single off the wall. With other outfielders, it's a double. Everyone talks about how fast some outfielder is, but they often jump at the wrong time or misread it. We got a triple against LA-Laf because the CF jumped to the wrong place. But, Pendley seems to be almost like a computer in knowing what angle to take or being certain whether she can lay out and catch it or not. She doesn't misplay balls.

Who runs on Wodach? She made a bad throw last night. Haven't seen much of that. When she first took over, she missed blocking some balls. Now, it takes a really wild pitch to get to the screen.

We make plays that other good fielding teams, even those with great fielding percentages, don't make. Throwing to the right base--there is no statistic for that. Keeping a runner from stealing. There really isn't a number for that. Making the plays that others don't even get to. There really isn't a number for that.

Our defense keeps us in every game. It takes away the moves that other teams try to make. If they score a bunch, it is because of a walk or hit batter. It isn't because we didn't make the play in the field. They have to beat us.

We put the pressure on other teams by forcing their defense to play as well as ours does. They can't.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

I am so impressed with what a warrior Paige Parker is for OU! That said, I fear that the combination of a number of factors could spell big trouble for OU in the upcoming best of 3 with Auburn.

Auburn had a 3 game series in their Super Regional with AZ on 5/28 and 2 on 5/29. They then had 3 days off before they played their first WCWS game on 6/2 against UCLA.
Auburn has the luxury of a 3 pitcher rotation, with little dropoff from one to the other, as far as I can see - they are all good, but none of them as good as Paige Parker at her best, IMO. And the Auburn coach has freely used his pitchers in the WCWS contests: Carlson, perhaps their ace, threw a 7 inning game against UCLA, on June 2nd, giving up 3 runs and getting the W. Auburn then got a day off on Friday while the second half of Thursday's bracket, which was rained out, caught up.
Auburn then beat Georgia on June 4th, with Martin pitching 2 innings and Walters finishing up, giving up 3 runs between them.
Auburn then played and beat Florida State, using all three of their pitchers, giving up a total of 7 runs.
In summary, Auburn has played 6 games since May 28th, with 2 days rest between the end of their Sup. Regional, and an extra day of rest due to the rainout.

OU, on the other hand, unfortunately only has great, reliable pitching from Paige, and they have rode her back all the way to the Championship round, but at what cost?

OU dispatched ULL in two games, on 5/28 & 5/29, neither of which extended Paige too much, with her pitch count around 111 pitches in each game.
In WCWS play, the rainout gave Paige a dubious day's rest, since she pitched two innings on 6/2 and an additional 6 on 6/3 to complete the 8 inning contest.
Then came Michigan, on 6/4, an arduous 142-pitch contest, leaving Paige visibly fatigued.
Lastly, last night on 6/5, the win over LSU, where Paige threw 121 pitches, giving up 4 runs.

So, in answer to a poster on another board's question, yes, Auburn has played one more game than has OU, but their pitchers should be in much better shape than OU's solitary warrior Paige Parker.

And now, a best of 3 series with Auburn, who has 3 pitchers that they can go to.

I am hoping for the best, but I fear that 5 or 6 consecutive days pitching may be too much even for Paige.

 

[scrybe]

All good points, Blackwell. But if I had to choose Paige Parker throwing every inning of the WCWS, or Auburn's three-pitcher staff, I'd pick Paige every time.

And don't forget, we've got the best defense in college softball backing her up.

 

[SoonerNorm]

So you really believe Patty would accuse the player of intentionally spiking Sydney?

I'll bet your wife thinks you're cute when you shake your head like that, Norm.

She darn sure would have complained to the ump who was standing a few feet from where the play took place.

 

[scrybe]

She darn sure would have complained to the ump who was standing a few feet from where the play took place.

And you should darn sure keep telling yourself that.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

I really think that two things should be enacted in the WCWS:

(1) re-seed the survivors of the Regionals and Supers.

(2) They should insert at least one or two rest days between the preliminary rounds of the WCWS and the Championship Round. They did it between the Regionals and the Super Regionals, why not do tthe same prior to the WCWS?

I think that these two things would be beneficial to the tourney.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

That spike to Romero's leg reminded me of Draymon Green's no-so-subtle nut job to Steven Adams in the Thunder-Warriors series. Pretty obviously intentional to me.

 

[scrybe]

That spike to Romero's leg reminded me of Draymon Green's no-so-subtle nut job to Steven Adams in the Thunder-Warriors series. Pretty obviously intentional to me.

Yes, she was flashing the metal as she slid into third.

Neither Sydney nor Gasso made a big deal of it, but that doesn't mean they weren't aware.