NCAA Softball Tournament | Page 12 | The Boneyard

NCAA Softball Tournament

I'm far from an expert in softball, but I really feel like the Alabama Coach didn't put them in the best position. Maybe just speculation, but I would have played Fouts in the first game against FSU.
 
I think Patrick Murphy figured FSU didn't have the offense to keep up with his team and he could go with his number two starter and still win the game. I'm sure that he wanted Fouts rested for the first game of the championship series against Oklahoma and with the additional rest she would be available for game three of the championship series if needed. That play got torpedoed when the Seminoles forced a second game that Alabama then had to win. I don't think anyone expected FSU to get this far in the tournament as the 10th seed. Heck, they didn't even win the ACC regular season title or their conference tournament.

Loni Alameda has done a great job managing her staff. No, she doesn't have a dominant pitcher, but she has three effective pitchers who are different enough in their style that she can get through a game without having the opposing team face any one of her three pitchers more than two or at most three times as they go through their order for most games.
 
Urshurak said:
I'm far from an expert in softball, but I really feel like the Alabama Coach didn't put them in the best position. Maybe just speculation, but I would have played Fouts in the first game against FSU.
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At a guess, as @Ozimoto suggests, the move was probably strategic. Actually, sans the weather issues, there was a real possibility that Alabama would have to play 2 games against FSU on Sunday (the 2nd, as well as JMU / Oklahoma's 2nd ended up postponed). While they might have known by game time that if FSU won it would be postponed (I'm not sure when the decision was made), it was probably to late to "switch plans" if he even wanted to. By having his 2nd pitcher go (and recognizing this was still a good pitcher, actually) he would be assured that Montana would not have to pitch 2 games in 1 day and she would be fresher for either game 3 of the semi's or game one of the Championship Series. Unfortunately, it didn't work out, but I can see his logic.
 
Oklahoma getting whooped in game 1. Run rule in sight for the Seminole’s. 7-0 in 4th. Florida State just hitting everything.
 
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Oklahoma just said hold on. Back to back home runs. 7-2 going to 5th.
 
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That base running.... for god's sakes. Should've went straight to the middle to get that obstruction call, like Florida St. did.

Anyways..... this should be a fun series. Only quibble I have is Game 3 starting at noon Pacific. WHY? Because of the NBA?

Oklahoma needs their best 2 efforts in the next 2 days. Florida St. scoring 8 runs feels somewhat of an anomaly, but they'll need 1 more of those kinds of efforts to win. Oklahoma needs to get out to a better start tho. Having all 9 retired the first time around the order is just not gonna cut it at this point.
 
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Hitting is contagious and FSU has caught lightning in a bottle at just the right time. I thought the FSU coach left her starter in one inning too long. Worked out though. Glad the kid from FSU seemed to be ok after the play at the plate. Looks like she slid head first into the catcher's knee. I'm sure she got her bell rung on that one.
 
Somehow, that seven run lead did not seem like it was going to be enough. FSU did not help itself with bad base running and taking it self out of a possible bigger inning. The obstruction call helped.
 
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donalddoowop said:
Somehow, that seven run lead did not seem like it was going to be enough. FSU did not help itself with bad base running and taking it self out of a possible bigger inning. The obstruction call helped.
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Agree with you that in retrospect FSU took some base running risks that didn't pay off. But aggressive base running is what got FSU this far. Can't blame them for sticking with what got them there and helped them score all those runs to begin with. Until OU proved they can make a clean throw in from the outfield, might as well continue to push the envelope. OU's base running was just as bad if not worse, IMO. i.e. Mendes getting thrown out at 3rd and Jennings getting thrown out at home.
 
undersized said:
Agree with you that in retrospect FSU took some base running risks that didn't pay off. But aggressive base running is what got FSU this far. Can't blame them for sticking with what got them there and helped them score all those runs to begin with. Until OU proved they can make a clean throw in from the outfield, might as well continue to push the envelope. OU's base running was just as bad if not worse, IMO. i.e. Mendes getting thrown out at 3rd and Jennings getting thrown out at home.
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I was thinking of the player who did not look ahead to see the player ahead of her was being held up at third base. Plus, she did not try to get caught in a rundown. That was not aggressive, that was careless. However, the third base coach did not help.
 
Florida State 2 run HR. Leads 2-0.

Juarez slow getting into her groove.
 
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5-2 Sooners going to bottom of 6th. Oklahoma left the bases loaded……
 
It's all my fault. I turned the game on just in time to see Alo's 2 run blast. After the next 2 batters got on base and there were still no outs, I turned the game off so Florida St. might have a chance. I definitely jinxed them.
 
This is the point where Florida St gets the Oklahoma we all know would show up eventually. All 3 pitchers have been used from both sides, no more secrets at this point.

Taylon Snow is playing on 8 fingers, btw. I mean she's out of the game currently, but just find that interesting.

Regardless what happens in game 3, this game needs to go to a Game 3. Just a pity the game is so early on Thursday because of the NBA.... I forgot the NBA was even around anymore after 1998.
 
I need to figure out how I can watch it live. May be a little late tuning in. Oklahoma needs to finish it today first.
 
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I really thought FSU had enough to hold on until that OK top of the 6th. Congratulations to Jocelyn Alo for being named NPOY. From watching her during high school, there was a reason why she was the most feared at bat in Hawaii HS softball. So proud to see Hawaii athletes be successful on the national stage.
 
That game ran more to the expected form. FSU's bats cooled off (G. Jaurez had something to do with that of course) and Oklahoma's bats woke up. On to game three.

It's been an interesting series. Unfortunate that the final game is not being played in prime time.
 
My observations of this years full WCWS has been one of glaring coaching and base running mistakes costing teams best opportunities to comeback to win. Game 1 of this Ok-FSU series proved the point Gasso screwed up a BASIC coaching principle in sending a running home while losing 8-4 in the 6th for the second out. The tying run is in the on-deck circle so sending the runner is so unbelievably dumb, it’s confounding. The fact Michelle Smith nor Jessica Mendoza highlighted that huge gaff was also highly frustrating. I wouldn’t expect Beth Mowins to even remotely understand that context. I shouldn’t be that surprised as Alabama also has some huge gaffs on the bases and nothing was said.
While I want to like Gasso, some of her comments leave me perplexed and thinks she’s feeling entitled. Yes, it’s unfortunate that rain delays caused UCLA-Oklahoma to run late and the FSU-OSU game to last until 2:20 AM (Central time) but that’s what happens in tournament play when the next days schedule demands winners to play. It happens all the time in travel baseball and softball and the players love it!
Yes the COVID testing the next morning was unfortunate but Loni was not the least bit irritated and rolled with the punches, yet Gasso wants to sound off? Gasso makes the most money in WCSB and needs to behave as the leader and ambassador she’s paid to be. I was with her on the lack of committee transparency but this bit of whining is a “bridge too far” for me.
The other issue that was unfortunate but necessary was the postponement of both 2nd games Sunday night that caused today’s title game at 3 PM. Hey, weather happens and roll with the punches. So everyone please Stop complaining.
The Oklahoma offense is impressive but this is not the best team ever as was being touted. The fact #10 seed FSU is one game away from the title leads credence to @SimpleDawg comments that Loni may be the best “coach” and Gasso the best recruiter. Tune in at 3 PM to see who wins.
 
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