OT: NCAA Softball

[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.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

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.

Oddly enough, softball went to 4 umps for postseason this year, up from the usual 3. Not so much calls at home, but calls on the base-paths didn't seem to improve, and I would think they should have. As near as I can tell, the umps were having problems with positioning, being used to a whole different set of circumstances.

In general, I find softball calls to at times be arbitrary and, unfortunately, just wrong. Unlike women's basketball, where one can argue "is it / isn't it a foul", safe and out are kind of basic. The closest to judgement calls are the "interference" calls, some of which can be as bizarre as your worst WBB Sally Bell or whomever nightmare.

 

[Plebe]

Oddly enough, softball went to 4 umps for postseason this year, up from the usual 3. Not so much calls at home, but calls on the base-paths didn't seem to improve, and I would think they should have. As near as I can tell, the umps were having problems with positioning, being used to a whole different set of circumstances.

In general, I find softball calls to at times be arbitrary and, unfortunately, just wrong. Unlike women's basketball, where one can argue "is it / isn't it a foul", safe and out are kind of basic. The closest to judgement calls are the "interference" calls, some of which can be as bizarre as your worst WBB Sally Bell or whomever nightmare.

Sally Bell ... to this day I just shake my head in bewilderment at how an official of her caliber could've ever been deemed to be at the top of her field.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Sally Bell ... to this day I just shake my head in bewilderment at how an official of her caliber could've ever been deemed to be at the top of her field.

Just to clarify my comment - I used her because so many folks on the board agree with you. I actually don't, I thought Sally was a good ref and the proof being that everyone dissed her, regardless of teams. The worst I can say is that when she was wrong, it was spectacularly wrong, but I didn't think it was particularly often. Some others I could name . . .

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Ah Sally Bell: " Therefore, send not to know. For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee." Her personal motto I understand.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Oklahoma St. took game 1 @ Florida St. tonight. Announcers were saying whoever wins the first game at Super Regionals advances 79% of the time. Alabama beat Texas in the other game tonight.

 

[DefenseBB]

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.

Bertha, Joan Joyce, Donna Lopiano, Mickey Stratton, the Frog Pond and fireworks on the 4th of July were huge memories of my childhood as well.
That said, I was able to listen to the end of the FSU-OSU game and the whole Alabama and Texas game. The highlight for me was listening to Coach Murphy’s in game interview right after Merris Schroeder HR. He was extolling her effort as she has a teaching internship that limits her practice and was so sincere while also welcoming Jessica Mendoza back to softball. It out a huge smile on my face. i know @Bama fan must be very happy tonight! Congrats.
The OSU game was good and has been believing in them much to my own surprise.
What a great weekend ahead!

 

[Ozimoto]

Two good games last night, although I didn't like the outcome of the first game too much. The umpire in the Oklahoma State - Florida State game had a very tight, but consistent, strike zone. Credit to both pitchers that they kept both offenses in check for most of the game with that restriction. It's hard to keep good offenses held down when you don't get calls allowing you to extend the strike zone off the edges of the plate.

 

[Bama fan]

Two good games last night, although I didn't like the outcome of the first game too much. The umpire in the Oklahoma State - Florida State game had a very tight, but consistent, strike zone. Credit to both pitchers that they kept both offenses in check for most of the game with that restriction. It's hard to keep good offenses held down when you don't get calls allowing you to extend the strike zone off the edges of the plate.

There seems to be n emphasis on calling a tight strike zone in this tournament. Many umps have tightened up their zone. As long as it stays consistent, then it is fine. But several games have been plagued with inconsistency. However, the FSU vs Ok St game was not one of them. It was a good game, with an unexpected outcome.

 

[Bama fan]

Bertha, Joan Joyce, Donna Lopiano, Mickey Stratton, the Frog Pond and fireworks on the 4th of July were huge memories of my childhood as well.
That said, I was able to listen to the end of the FSU-OSU game and the whole Alabama and Texas game. The highlight for me was listening to Coach Murphy’s in game interview right after Merris Schroeder HR. He was extolling her effort as she has a teaching internship that limits her practice and was so sincere while also welcoming Jessica Mendoza back to softball. It out a huge smile on my face. i know @Bama fan must be very happy tonight! Congrats.
The OSU game was good and has been believing in them much to my own surprise.
What a great weekend ahead!

Patrick Murphy is a great ambassador for NCAA softball. He always thanks fans for coming and watching. He is a gracious host to former players regardless of their school affiliation He drives me nuts with some of his tactics in game, but I am glad he is at Bama. RTR!

 

[Ozimoto]

There seems to be n emphasis on calling a tight strike zone in this tournament. Many umps have tightened up their zone. As long as it stays consistent, then it is fine. But several games have been plagued with inconsistency. However, the FSU vs Ok St game was not one of them. It was a good game, with an unexpected outcome.

I have noticed that as well. Perhaps the NCAA wants to have higher scoring games as that is perceived to make the game more exciting and fun to watch (although I don't necessarily agree that this should be the approach).

 

[Rixxx]

I noticed last night the slappers were called out for contact outside the batters box.

 

[Bama fan]

I noticed last night the slappers were called out for contact outside the batters box.

This trend began last year, but really took off this year. Brown, Bama's lead off batter was called out twice last night. And she has struggled all year with this issue. Texas also had a batter called out for it. Guess these slappers just cannot help it. It is terribly frustrating to have a player called out, and it be such a waste. Last weekend Ms Brown was on base an insane percentage of times, and really sparked the team. So perhaps some umps are just more inclined to call it? It causes my wife to have apoplexy each time Brown bats though!

 

[Ozimoto]

I think the addition of the fourth umpire was to, in part, help the plate umpire with the enforcement of the rule as it is very difficult for the plate umpire to see both the slappers' feet and the pitch coming in.

 

[Centerstream]

There seems to be n emphasis on calling a tight strike zone in this tournament. Many umps have tightened up their zone. As long as it stays consistent, then it is fine. But several games have been plagued with inconsistency. However, the FSU vs Ok St game was not one of them. It was a good game, with an unexpected outcome.

One thing that I don't like about the strike zone emphasis that occurred during the Regionals and now in the Supers is that many of the home plate umpires peer over the shoulder of the catcher, the right shoulder when a lefty is batting and vice versa. I don't remember a lot of umpires doing this during SEC games but IMO, they miss a lot of outside close calls and basically look at where the catcher catches the pitch. Last weekend, the catcher set up outside for the pitch at the last moment, the pitch went exactly where planned...right down the chalk and the ump called it a strike. The announcers were speechless. That was just the most obvious of many missed calls so far.

 

[DefenseBB]

There seems to be n emphasis on calling a tight strike zone in this tournament. Many umps have tightened up their zone. As long as it stays consistent, then it is fine. But several games have been plagued with inconsistency. However, the FSU vs Ok St game was not one of them. It was a good game, with an unexpected outcome.

I actually prefer strikes to be called that actually cross a part of the plate and not in the other batter box as was the case in prior years. Watching K after K looking was not fun nor interesting. Most of the games I have seen this season have been consistent for each team (good and bad). I also feel there are a lot more left handed pitchers this year compared to prior years. All in all, this years field is more wide open than in the past. Even mighty Oklahoma has only scored 3 runs today.