Softball

[Speedy17]

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.

She better be looking for wins in that early season because it is the early wins that will save OU with the RPI.

 

[Speedy17]

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.

NCAA will never do that because it would cost the NCAA a lot of money. It also would cost the families of the players a relative fortune.

 

[sybarite]

LF L/R SR Tiffany Howard 383 2 41
3B L/R JR Casey Cooper 421 20 80
2B L/R SR Emily Carosone 404 12 63
C R/R SOPH Carlee Wallace 293 5 42
1B R/R SR Jade Rhodes 339 18 71
DP R/R JR Haley Fagan 273 1 6
RF R/R SOPH Madi Gipson 251 6 43
SS R/R SOPH Whitney Jordan 229 6 36
CF L/R SOPH Victoria Draper 333 0 6

C L/R SOPH Courtney Shea 231 8 29 didn't start last game (Fagan did)

P R SOPH Kaylee Carlson 19-2 2.16 129.2 IP 71 K 47 BB 113 h 8 HR
P R FR Mackayla Martin 14.3 1.69 108.0 IP 63 K 36 BB 86 H 5 HR
P L SR Rachael Walters 11-3 1.85 79.1 66 K 27 BB 60 H 8 HR
P L SR Lexi Davis 6-0 2.39 58.2 IP 39 K 20 BB 53 H 7 HR
P R SR Marcy Harper 7-2 3.36 58.1 IP 44 K 34 BB 49 H 6 HR

Once again, we see a difference in the top and bottom of the lineup. A key factor is that with the exception of Rhodes, the power of the Auburn lineup is left-handed, as are the good hitters. It is an advantage to Paige to face left-handers.

Auburn doesn't steal often, with only about a half steal per game. This is a power team that has decent pitching. But, notice that they have no strikeout artists. Only Harper averages more than about 4 Ks per game, and she doesn't pitch much. They also give up some home runs.

 

[SoonerSpock]

She better be looking for wins in that early season because it is the early wins that will save OU with the RPI.

Oh I agree, I think Patty will be looking for wins but I think answering some personnel issues for 2017 will take a higher priority during the non-conference. It is not necessary to start 16-0 to build a foundation for a top 8 seed come post season but she is going to want to find that other starter and closer with a win at all cost mentality to improve her team. For certain there is no guarantee that Paige stays healthy all of next year and that she can again throw 250 innings.

All SEC teams are going to have multiple conference losses and most like Pac 12 teams as well. Only Michigan is like OU and having to build there resume for a top seed with non-conference wins. I agree we would prefer to be better than out 10-4 record to start the year but 16-0 is not a prerequisite to that top 8 seed especially as returning national champs with 8 returning starters including Paige.

We must remember we started the season this year as a team that did not make the WCWS and lost Chamberlain, Shelby, Parsons and Vest. That is not going to be the case in 2007 although Self and Erin are key to this year's team.

Also think that Patty is looking for transfer or JC catcher as next year we will not have a backup catcher unless they teach someone to do it.

 

[sybarite]

I suspect that this team will be able to go 16-2 in the typical west coast swing with just what we have, using Paige against the top ten, but nobody else. I think we'll mix in Chestnut, Finney, Olmos, and Lopez to see who can be #2, and I expect that at least one will be an effective #2. I suspect that Chestnut and Finney could win ninety percent of our games next year. We won't have a lineup that is confused as they were in the opener against Minnesota. We won't be making some silly errors. We really haven't even considered Mendes, and she could surprise at pitcher.

I think the only questions might be where to fit Taukeiaho, Dalton, Mendes, and Lundberg into the lineup. But, having a set infield with a great centerfielder and solid catcher means this team could get to conference play with no more than three losses, regardless of whom we play or who we play.

 

[SoonerSpock]

I'm inclined to thing that either Lopez or Olmos are most likely to be the 2nd starter. I think Chestnut was hit too hard this year to be the likely starter against tough opponents unless her difficulty was really having difficulty hitting the edges. I am going to take Speedy 17 suggestion that Patty envisioned Finney as a closer. If so that leaves only Lopez and Olmos as a 2nd starter unless Mendes is a total surprise.

In the outfield we only have two returning players Hatfield and Lundberg. Macy could definitely win one of those OF jobs. She hit .350 with 4 HR's and 11 RBI's in only 40 AB's which included a couple of key pinch hits during the season. No feel on Lundberg. Both Mendes and Taukeiaho are supposed to be outstanding defensive outfielders that can hit the ball and Taukeiaho is a power hitter. The question is how do the freshmen adjust to D-I. If they do we definitely could havae two freshmen start in the outfield.

 

[Max Power]

Syd the Kid does it again

 

[SoonerSpock]

Paige is much sharper tonight 53 pitches after 5 innings.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

Damn, Romero hit into a DP with the bases loaded to snuff a promising inning.

You hate to take the bat out of Romero's hands as hot as she has been, but the Auburn infield was way back, might have been a great time to squeeze bunt to surprise them.

Oh well, 6 more outs to get, Paige...

EDIT: make that 3 more outs... Bottom of the 6th, let's get some more insurance!

 

[SoonerSpock]

Ump has been very consistent tonight but his strike zone is short and wide. Paige's first two pitches were strikes to most every other ump in series.

Look out for a squeeze bunt to tie the game.

 

[SoonerSpock]

I hate to say it as Paige has been such a warrior but I think she got rattled in the seventh. She couldn't throw strikes plus the throwing error but as always with the tying and winning run in scoring the warrior came to the surface.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

As the announcers said, Knighten made a great play to save a run with her throw to the plate to get McCracken. She plays way above freshman level softball.

Nerve-wracking finish, but the important thing is that we got the W. Puts all the pressure on Auburn now to try to sweep us the next two games.

 

[ou4ever]

Damn, Romero hit into a DP with the bases loaded to snuff a promising inning.

You hate to take the bat out of Romero's hands as hot as she has been, but the Auburn infield was way back, might have been a great time to squeeze bunt to surprise them.

Oh well, 6 more outs to get, Paige...

EDIT: make that 3 more outs... Bottom of the 6th, let's get some more insurance!

I thought Patty made a mistake here by not trying for that insurance run by having Romero bunt. Anything can happen when you put pressure on the defense by putting the ball in play in a bang-bang situation.

 

[sybarite]

I hate to say it as Paige has been such a warrior but I think she got rattled in the seventh. She couldn't throw strikes plus the throwing error but as always with the tying and winning run in scoring the warrior came to the surface.

I agree. But, I was also irritated with Lombardi, who, I assume, is calling pitches. They weren't giving Paige the strike on the rise all night. Yet, she was throwing the rise 3-2 on a weak hitter to lead off the seventh, just as she had on several occasions tonight. They aren't calling it. Therefore, Auburn isn't chasing it. Use the curve inside instead. That was an irritating walk to lead off the seventh. I wanted three curves down the middle to a weak hitter.

We didn't execute well on several occasions at bat. Clifton missed a bunt attempt, striking out before the HR. Pendley missed on the hit and run. Runner thrown out. Contact, always. The mistake that Romero made on the double play was anxiety. She wanted to break the game open, and Davis took advantage of that, throwing it low so she would hit a ground ball. They weren't calling pitches that low all night. Force them to bring it up. She was hittable, and you just need a fly ball. We got a little too anxious tonight. Shay, fortunately, didn't.

 

[SoonerSpock]

It is for certain that I don't know but it has always been my impression with Paige having such control and throwing 65%+ strikes that Lombaridi's approach is to move the ball around more than most and to use different pitches and speed to keep the batters off balance.

Just as she continued to throw the rise out of the zone with it not being called or swung at she also continued to throw the low drop that likewise was not being called or swung at by Auburn.

I have to think continually throwing pitches that you know are going to be balls is motivated by attempting to confuse the hitters. Where Paige gets in to trouble is when she throws two ball to open an at bat for the opponent especially the lead off hitter and can no longer force the batter to hit her pitch. Frequently that is a hit or a walk.

 

[bob the nailer]

So is there any chance, and I'm not advocating it, that Patti starts Kelsey tomorrow? She did it against Tennessee, it would give Paige at least a day of rest and force Auburn to see a completely different pitcher.

 

[sybarite]

I doubt there is a chance.

First. Auburn got one solid hit, a home run. Late in the game, even their star hitters were topping the ball or popping up. Just prior to the HR, she popped a foul that almost got her out. They weren't hitting Paige well all night. Their hits after the HR were a single up the middle and a comebacker that Paige threw into right field. If she gets that out, the game becomes passe.

Secondly, I don't think Auburn has seen all of Paige yet. They really didn't see a lot of the changeup, primarily because the good hitters weren't going deep into the count.

Thirdly, with the umpires in the Series, what chance would Stevens have of getting that low pitch she consistently throws called a strike.

Fourthly, we can score another five runs. We didn't execute well tonight, and we left runs on base. We didn't move a runner over all game long. We didn't bunt well and missed on a hit and run. If Sydney had been less anxious and let that low drop go by, she might have broken the game open, even with just a fly to the outfield. She grounded into a double play on a pitch that she should have taken.

 

[BanjoCharley]

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. .

First of all, Sherri is an absolute champion at communicating. I will tell you though, Patty is very close in effectiveness. The difference is in style. They both earn A+ in sincerity, A+ in total lack of BS, and A+ in confidence without arrogance.

The difference is in style. Sherri is erudite, organized, and does not waste words while being accommodateing and a great listener. Patty trades some of that erudition for a little more down to earth feel while sharing with Sherri all of her other great traits.

I have spoken one on one at length with each and heard both of them address large groups.

They could, either one, talk me into running full speed into a brick wall.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Question?

With Auburn making the unexpected call to start Davis because their staff thought her pitching style was the best to throw at OU do they start her for game two. She has the preferred pitching style per Clint, she was reasonably effective and she only threw 80 pitches.

Also thought that the umps strike zone minimized Paige's strengths. Hopefully tomorrows ump has a bigger vertical strike zone. If so will not have to live and die with her curve and backdoor curve. A bigger vertical zone allows both her rise and change/drop to be much more effective.

 

[sybarite]

I haven't seen an umpire give the low or high strike in any game in this series. You can miss laterally by a foot and get a call.