Women UConn Softball 2024

[huskymedic]

Season Preview:

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I like Coach and somewhat follow the team. The video is a little odd. She doesn't look at the camera and why not have someone ask the questions versus plastering them on the screen. Regardless, with all the pitching back, should be another very good season and I expect a BE title.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[MarkyMark]

I like Coach and somewhat follow the team. The video is a little odd. She doesn't look at the camera and why not have someone ask the questions versus plastering them on the screen. Regardless, with all the pitching back, should be another very good season and I expect a BE title.

I also somewhat follow the team. I will watch tonight when they are on ESPN+. Regarding the coach, that Big East tournament last year wasn't her finest hour specifically the Seton Hall game. Her decisions were "odd". She actually hurt the team. Hopefully she's had time to reflect and take it as a learning experience so she can improve going forward. Good nucleus returning so they should be competing for the Big East and getting an NCAA tournament bid.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I will watch tonight when they are on ESPN+.

I'm glad you mentioned this. I didn't realize they were on.

 

[MarkyMark]

I'm glad you mentioned this. I didn't realize they were on.

Yes. They lost to Howard this afternoon 8-7 but didn't see it. Double header today.

 

[MarkyMark]

Game over with run rule. I'll give my HONEST thoughts:
1) Offense - Not going to strike fear in any opposing pitching that is halfway decent. On the plus side, Hastings is REALLY good and Grace Jenkins can have an impact. Other than that the lineup is VERY vanilla unless Sanden can make a step change in production from last year. Losing James really hurts and she hasn't been backfilled. Against any type of good pitching, they are going to have to scratch for runs. Need to recruit a bat or two that has pop. Can't have ~7 bats in the lineup that are ZERO power threats.
2) Defense - 3 or 4 errors I believe however 1B was a major issue. Early Garcia made a great play at 3rd only to have the 1B come off the bag when it wasn't needed. The kicker is Garcia gets the error. Then 1B boots the ball, goes behind the bag to pick it up holds it too long and the runner scores. There was also a bang-bang play at the plate where she was late with the throw. Later on others started throwing the ball around. Got sloppy late.
3) Coaching - Still a bad taste in my mouth from BE tourney last year but seems she is very tactical (pitch calling) with big-picture issues flying over her head. This was a 1-0 in the fourth and once again let it get out of hand BEFORE making the pitching change. To be clear I am not someone who calls out and criticizes coaches, however, this is clear as day.
4) Will follow the scores and if they are better in April I'll start to watch games. Don't mean to be harsh but areas of improvement are obvious and need to be fixed to compete against semi-good competition.

 

[HookC22]

Game over with run rule. I'll give my HONEST thoughts:
1) Offense - Not going to strike fear in any opposing pitching that is halfway decent. On the plus side, Hastings is REALLY good and Grace Jenkins can have an impact. Other than that the lineup is VERY vanilla unless Sanden can make a step change in production from last year. Losing James really hurts and she hasn't been backfilled. Against any type of good pitching, they are going to have to scratch for runs. Need to recruit a bat or two that has pop. Can't have ~7 bats in the lineup that are ZERO power threats.
2) Defense - 3 or 4 errors I believe however 1B was a major issue. Early Garcia made a great play at 3rd only to have the 1B come off the bag when it wasn't needed. The kicker is Garcia gets the error. Then 1B boots the ball, goes behind the bag to pick it up holds it too long and the runner scores. There was also a bang-bang play at the plate where she was late with the throw. Later on others started throwing the ball around. Got sloppy late.
3) Coaching - Still a bad taste in my mouth from BE tourney last year but seems she is very tactical (pitch calling) with big-picture issues flying over her head. This was a 1-0 in the fourth and once again let it get out of hand BEFORE making the pitching change. To be clear I am not someone who calls out and criticizes coaches, however, this is clear as day.
4) Will follow the scores and if they are better in April I'll start to watch games. Don't mean to be harsh but areas of improvement are obvious and need to be fixed to compete against semi-good competition.

Appreciate the indepth review. Seems like the past few years they had good momentum knocking off a couple big name teams early and then kind of sputtered through the rest of the season?

 

[MarkyMark]

They won the BE regular season the past 2 years but did not play well in the BE tournaments. It's a one-bid league so need to win that tournament to get into the NCAAs. The program has made strides and now it's at that tipping point. Coaching needs to be tightened up and recruiting needs at least a bit of pop. They were picked to finish 3rd in the BE preseason coaches poll and at first glance I was surprised. After seeing them last night it makes more sense now. Also, I don't want to pound on the coaching but wow I appreciate Penders that much more after seeing some of the stuff going on here. We'll see what happens.

 

[huskymedic]

Broke the seal:

 

[Steve UConn72]

Nice comeback for the Huskies, scoring twice in the bottom of the 7th (last) inning to beat UConn nemesis Georgia State (think football) 4-3 for their first win of the year. Nine hits and no errors. Another game to follow today.

BTW, with yesterday's 9-8 loss to Howard, with a comeback falling just short - I wonder if UConn has ever lost to the Bison in any sport?

 

[Steve UConn72]

Watching the box scores on the Softball part of uconnhuskies.com and I'm a bit amused at the listings for UConn's players are by their first names only. Seems like a little league box.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

2-4 on opening weekend:

 

[huskymedic]

“UConn will be back in action next weekend at the North Carolina State Tournament where they will play five games in Raleigh, North Carolina.”

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

Big weekend:

 

[huskymedic]