Doubly bad day for the Sooner softball team in Vegas

[Plainosooner]

Shut out 1-0 in game one of the day and the season, beaten by a home run in the bottom of the seventh. Returning Minnesota pitcher shut out OU on two hit and walked only one. Four baserunners the whole game, one of them picked off. Only two base runners in scoring position, both with two outs. The Gophers were ranked 13th, OU 9th.

Getting routed 10-2 in game two by 19th ranked Washington. Kelsey Stevens started and same old strike zone troubles. Sooners had the first three runners of the game reach on a hit by pitch, a hit and an error for a 2-0 lead, but nothing later. Solo homer by Huskies catcher cut it to 2-1 in the second. Then when two got on and a bunch of pitches by Stevens, they brought Paige in after her game one loss. She gave up a 3-run homer for a 4-2 lead for UDub. They have scored six more since.

The Sooners have had some base runners, but one RBI hit all day. The shakiest softball start in at least six or seven years. Stevens will take the loss, though Parker gave up the homer when the Huskies took the lead. The competition eases off tomorrow. But all the young freshman stars that were supposed to re-energize the program have had a tough day.

 

[Plainosooner]

Final 10-3. Pretty bad day for the middle of the batting order.

 

[sybarite43]

With a somewhat lower level of competition, the Sooners blasted Lamar 12-2 and Syracuse 7-0. The bats came alive a bit more when they weren't facing an All-American pitcher. It might have been better for a young lineup to face Lamar and Syracuse before facing Minnesota. They didn't appear ready to face pitching of that quality this early in their careers, suggesting that none of them was Lauren Chamberlain. We do face Minnesota in Norman in March, and we may see Groenewegen again. We just fell apart against Washington. Stevens rebounded today with seven innings of shutout ball against Syracuse.

Kids have to learn.

 

[Plainosooner]

I just hope Patty doesn't overpitch Paige, as I feel she did with Stevens two years ago and early last season back to back. She threw a lot of pitches yesterday and then started today. Fortunately, it was a blowout and she only pitched three innings today. I can't find a pitch count for Friday for Parker, but it was high. And she didn't have it in the second game. UDub lit her up.

She pitched three more this morning. I'm just wondering when or if we're going to see the pitcher from Kansas in the first five games. I thought she was supposed to be the next great pitcher at OU. I guess she throws hard, but can't put it where she wants it often enough.