OT: NCAA Softball

[Bama fan]

Barnhill has a tendency to leap and always has. Where she gets in trouble is when she replants before pitching so that she gets a second "push" before delivering the ball.

This tendency is exacerbated by her trying out for the US National Team over the summer. In international play leaping without dragging your foot is perfectly legal. I didn't see enough games early in the season to see if she was being called for leaping or for replanting.

I do appreciate the distinction, but now she is not getting called for either, as the announcers were commenting upon. She is a great pitcher, and has earned her place in Florida softball lore. But she always flirts with "Illegal" so I wonder what changed? I really do not go for conspiracy theories such that "they hate Bama, or so and so" ,or "they all want Florida to advance", but something sure changed lately. There are pitches where she could get frequent flyer miles for hang time!

 

[nwhoopfan]

James Madison beat Michigan twice today to advance to the Supers! At #15 Mich. is the only seeded team that didn't advance.

 

[Centerstream]

Even though I still think that Michigan got scr*wed by the Selection Committee, I am glad that the Dukes won in the Ann Arbor region.
I have liked and followed both the softball and football teams for the last decade or so.
However, going to face UCLA for the Supers, well, this is one David vs. Goliath scenario.

 

[Bama fan]

James Madison beat Michigan twice today to advance to the Supers! At #15 Mich. is the only seeded team that didn't advance.

Nothing at all against Michigan, but it is refreshing to see a lower ranked team advance. JMU pitcher struggled with a very tight strike zone by ump who is noted for it. But she got her bearings and had enough maturity to get through a bases loaded crisis in game six. Her joy in retiring the side was palpable! Sports can be so rewarding even if you are not a "homer".

 

[Rixxx]

Barnhill has a tendency to leap and always has. Where she gets in trouble is when she replants before pitching so that she gets a second "push" before delivering the ball.

This tendency is exacerbated by her trying out for the US National Team over the summer. In international play leaping without dragging your foot is perfectly legal. I didn't see enough games early in the season to see if she was being called for leaping or for replanting.

I thought the purpose of leaping or crowhopping was to be able to plant and push off closer to the batter. Does this perhaps effect the JUGS gun as she has less distance to travel, hence maybe a higher speed? I thought pitchers over the weekend were bring it until I noticed no readings of 70+.

 

[DefenseBB]

So 15 of 16 seeds made it through with 8 making it without a loss (minimal concerns) and 8 sustained a loss including the top 2 seeds Oklahoma and UCLA.
Not sure how to interpret if this means anything, probably not, but Oklahoma and it’s vaunted offense not scoring is a concern.
Pitching still wins and OK and UCLA have it in spades. The super regionals are now at the top 8 seeds so huge advantage for them.
Of the lower 8 teams, Kentucky looked good but they play a very good and hot Washington team. I think Wash still wins.
Ok State has the defending Champs FSU whose former top pitcher struggled a bit. This could be interesting but not sure Ok State is deep enough, I am staying with FSU.
I would like to see some upsets but not sure I would bet on any in this round.
Thoughts?

 

[SECbbfan24]

Hoping LSU can pull off the upset this weekend vs Minnesota.
We have been to the World Series 3 times in the last 4 years and were one play away last year from knocking Florida state out.

 

[billybud]

The Slam Sisters of FSU just became the first team to hit four consecutive homers in a Regional.

It will take good pitching to hold them down.

In eight of their last nine games...they have scored 7 or more runs.

The Lady Noles scored 7 runs or more in 38 games this season.

And had an incredible 25 games called early on the mercy rule.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Pitching still wins and OK and UCLA have it in spades.

Washington isn't the most potent offense either but they have 2 really good pitchers. They gave up 1 run in 3 games in the Regional. Good defense too.

 

[billybud]

When Oklahoma played FSU back in February in Clearwater...

The Nole gals hit five HRs in the game to pull away....the game could have gone either way...but ended 7-4 FSU.

 

[billybud]

Salle and Lopez, Oklahoma, are #6 and #7 in ERA...& Juarez is #14.

Garcia, UCLA, is #2...Gabbie Plain, Washington is #18

King, FSU, is #21

Oklahoma has a very strong rotation.

 

[billybud]

Slugging Percentage...Oklahoma #1...FSU #2

Scoring...Oklahoma #2....FSU #4

Batting Average..OIklahoma #1....FSU #5

Oklahoma has the best stats of all the teams...looks to be strongest stat wise.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Something doesn't add up. Plain and Alvelo are #18 and #33 in individual ERA, but Washington is #5 for team ERA. That doesn't make any sense to me. UW shut down Oklahoma twice in the World Series last year, although they couldn't handle Florida St.

 

[billybud]

Something doesn't add up. Plain and Alvelo are #18 and #33 in individual ERA, but Washington is #5 for team ERA. That doesn't make any sense to me. UW shut down Oklahoma twice in the World Series last year, although they couldn't handle Florida St.

huh?

And Washington had 22 shut outs...

Alvelo's stats were probably hurt by her UCLA loss...UCLA scored 15 runs in 5 innings before the mercy rule stopped the carnage.

 

[Ozimoto]

I thought the purpose of leaping or crowhopping was to be able to plant and push off closer to the batter. Does this perhaps effect the JUGS gun as she has less distance to travel, hence maybe a higher speed? I thought pitchers over the weekend were bring it until I noticed no readings of 70+.

I am by no means a pitching guru, but in reading up on Barnhill and the controversy of her pitching mechanics (which has been going on for all four years of her career at Florida by the way) the consensus is that the replanting and second push off (which she doesn't do all the time) gets her closer to the plate at release so the distance to the batter is less so her pitch speed is relatively higher (less reaction time for the batter). There is also the thought that replanting gives her a second "push" that increases actual speed also.

Much like baseball, good hitters can adjust to speed so you have to be able to mix in different pitches at different speeds and locations to be an effective pitcher, which Barnhill can do. Contrast her with the pitcher from UMBC in their game against Oklahoma. She was very effective in conference and had good statistics but she did not have enough variety in her pitching. The second time through the order against Oklahoma who is an excellent hitting team, she got clobbered. The girl from UMBC is only a freshman so if she can add another pitch or two to her repertoire she could be a really good pitcher by her senior year.

 

[Ozimoto]

In my opinion, Florida State does not have the quality of pitching that they had last year. Not surprising since their number 2 and number 3 pitchers are freshman. Meghan King is a proven and very good pitcher, but she is not what I would call overpowering. She has come up big when it counts the most, though. Florida State's defense is good also. However, they will have to continue to score runs in bunches to repeat as national champions (which I would like to see happen).

I think the final two will be Oklahoma and UCLA.

 

[Bama fan]

In my opinion, Florida State does not have the quality of pitching that they had last year. Not surprising since their number 2 and number 3 pitchers are freshman. Meghan King is a proven and very good pitcher, but she is not what I would call overpowering. She has come up big when it counts the most, though. Florida State's defense is good also. However, they will have to continue to score runs in bunches to repeat as national champions (which I would like to see happen).

I think the final two will be Oklahoma and UCLA.

I hope you are wrong in your prediction, but I think you are right!

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well I will not make any bold predictions, but UCLA stumbled a bit down the stretch. OKC can be unpredictable. I don't think anyone had FSU and UW pegged for the Championship series last season. OU's offense disappeared in OKC last year and looks to have done the same in the Regional this year. All those home runs during the season don't count for much now, you have to keep producing.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Well I will not make any bold predictions, but UCLA stumbled a bit down the stretch. OKC can be unpredictable. I don't think anyone had FSU and UW pegged for the Championship series last season. OU's offense disappeared in OKC last year and looks to have done the same in the Regional this year. All those home runs during the season don't count for much now, you have to keep producing.

Please do not jinx the home runs. Arizona lives and dies by them. Just being honest. I am reminded of the 3 pointer is WBB.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Please do not jinx the home runs. Arizona lives and dies by them. Just being honest. I am reminded of the 3 pointer is WBB.

Well I didn't mention your team. I don't think that was a general jinx for every power hitting team.

 

[Ozimoto]

We'll see how the super regionals play out. The mental aspect of hitting is so important that it doesn't take much to throw a team off their game. Hitting (or lack thereof) is contagious. If one of your hitters is in a slump and the others start pressing to pick up the slack team run production can go in the dumper really quick. Conversely, if one kid starts hitting well those around them relax and your run production can increase dramatically.

That is why baseball and softball are such fascinating games to follow over the course of a season.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Truth be told, I was always a huge Softball fan since being weened on the Raybestos Brakettes in the late 60's having worked as a vendor from age 13 at their home softball field behind where Home Depot is now by exit 33 in Stratford before they moved to the field by Sikorsky.

All that said, this board has elevated my basketball passion to even heat with Softball. I am in 7th heaven watching the various conferences championships over the past week and now, tonight, the NCAA host 16 round has started.

While I have often railed and lamented at the NCAA WCBB Committee going overboard at granting too many P5 Bids as the exclusion of other schools. That committee is downright charitable compared to what the Softball Committee has done.
33 of the 64 slots went to P5 schools with all 13 SEC teams getting bids. The Big10 got more bids than the PAC12 which is ludicrous. Louisiana-Lafayette, (Aka Ragin Cagins) at 50-4 and always a power did not even get a top 16 seed to host. Seriously???

I am completely dumbfounded by how this can continue to occur with the other schools tolerating it. On the bright side, the Lady Vol fans also seeing slippage in their proud softball esteem.

Oklahoma is still the team to beat with 3 PAC12 teams at their heels in UCLA, Washington and Arizona. Florida State is looking good to defend and Florida is coming on strong here at the end after suffering a dreadful SEC season. Alabama also must be contended with. I am rooting for some of the underdogs like ULL Ragin Cagins. BU and JMU are also sleepers. Mostly I am rooting for all the SEC teams to lose in this Host 16 round!

Now if only we could get UConn Softball to the top of the AAC (USF won it), that would be awesome!
Thanks for listening.

folks had a softball on a desk signed by 'bertha tickey.' as a kid, I asked 'whatsa bertha tickey?' gramps said 'you have no idea about a world, long gone, where brakette softball literally ruled it, and thousands would head over to Stratford to watch 'our girls.' if I was around then, i'd be there since there'd be at least one, maybe two, ice cream cones innit for me, after one of those famous stratford hot dogs. gramps would also talk about 'the king and his court, the queen and her court' and other softball stuff from wayback. sounded like good times.

 

[Bama fan]

folks had a softball on a desk signed by 'bertha tickey.' as a kid, I asked 'whatsa bertha tickey?' gramps said 'you have no idea about a world, long gone, where brakette softball literally ruled it, and thousands would head over to Stratford to watch 'our girls.' if I was around then, i'd be there since there'd be at least one, maybe two, ice cream cones innit for me, after one of those famous stratford hot dogs. gramps would also talk about 'the king and his court, the queen and her court' and other softball stuff from wayback. sounded like good times.

I saw the King and His Court in Pittsburgh many years ago. They were amazing and entertaining. Never even heard of the Brakettes! But if there was ice cream I would have been there.

 

[Dokey]

Alabama looks pretty dominant in the sports they're good at: like football, softball, and gymnastics. They'll be fine in the tournament.

I don't really have SEC bias or anything. Sometimes can't stand some SEC teams and fanbases. But Bamafan is right. SEC flat out dominates some sports. Football, baseball, softball, track and field. Other conferences enjoy epic crushings at the hands of the SEC at times.


..

It seems at time that--for example--Alabama is a football team with a loose connection to a university. As a result, I ignore most SEC teams. One of the things I like about basketball is that you only put five on the floor which means even small schools can rise to top. UConn is a dynasty, much as Alabama is in football, but it started near the bottom. By the way, almost all of my coaching experience is with softball, from rec to travel club teams, and am looking forward to Oklahoma City, and since Colorado doesn't field a team, I'm rooting, as usual, for UCLA.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Watched 2 games today. In both there was a runner going home called out when it was not that close - the runner was safe. In one the color commentator on play back told it like it was. Really unfortunate calls. Hate to see it.