Pretty big game for Sooner softball today in Puerto Vallarta against UDub

[Plainosooner]

Hard to know who will be ranked down the road, but right now, the Sooners only have four games against that kind of team in non conference games, and they've lost to Auburn. Since Washington beat Auburn in extra innings yesterday, it would kind of offset that. This year's schedule doesn't have the kind of clout last season's did, to end up third seed at the end.

The Sooners need a good outing today. Parker ought to be primed and ready with a complete game win Thursday and getting the last five outs yesterday. Obviously, the Huskies ain't bad.

I don't know of any tv available.

 

[Plainosooner]

Dropped a 1-0 loss to Washington on an early solo homer. The offense never got a runner to third, and is still poor fundamentally of offense. Lead single in the 7th by Hatfield. Rogers ran for her and got doubled off first on a popped up sacrifice bunt by Wodach. Both had those issues last season. Rogers is really fast, but her softball sense ain't great.

Parker only pitched into the 4th, despite a not sizable pitch count. Lowary finished up. The defense was still incredible in several ways, but they weren't able to do anything against a team with a quality pitcher and a quality defense.

Most of what they got yesterday against the Huskers was unearned in a five run inning that included multiple Nebraska errors. It'll come. But both Knighten and Romero are starting slowly. Both were a little like that last year, and both are dealing with some injury issues. They said Romero is using three different knee braces: one to play third, one to hit, and another to run the bases. Clifton is on fire, but we only had 27 PA's in seven innings.

Now 2-2 on the season with only two ranked teams remaining on the non conference schedule.

 

[mcbrider]

Dropped a 1-0 loss to Washington on an early solo homer. The offense never got a runner to third, and is still poor fundamentally of offense. Lead single in the 7th by Hatfield. Rogers ran for her and got doubled off first on a popped up sacrifice bunt by Wodach. Both had those issues last season. Rogers is really fast, but her softball sense ain't great.

Parker only pitched into the 4th, despite a not sizable pitch count. Lowary finished up. The defense was still incredible in several ways, but they weren't able to do anything against a team with a quality pitcher and a quality defense.

Most of what they got yesterday against the Huskers was unearned in a five run inning that included multiple Nebraska errors. It'll come. But both Knighten and Romero are starting slowly. Both were a little like that last year, and both are dealing with some injury issues. They said Romero is using three different knee braces: one to play third, one to hit, and another to run the bases. Clifton is on fire, but we only had 27 PA's in seven innings.

Now 2-2 on the season with only two ranked teams remaining on the non conference schedule.

 

[mcbrider]

They have four games left with ranked teams.
Tennessee, UCLA, Arizona, Norte Dame. I saw every home game in person last year. Also attended the regionals and Super Regionals and saw every game that was televised. Your assertion that Rodgers "softball sense ain't great has no basis in fact other than her screw up today . Wodach did not have issues last year popping up sac bunts. You want to tell me how many times Rodgers got doubled off and exactly what games it occurred in. If you can document a pattern of Rodgers making base running errors and Woodach popping up sac bunts, then will concede your point and declare to this board that you are right.

 

[Plainosooner]

Rodgers got doubled off more than once last season. No, I cannot quote you date and moment, and not likely to look it up. Wodach did pop up more than a few bunts last season. Again, I can't quote the specifics, but know what I saw.

20 years ago, I could have named the specific, but at 65, it doesn't worth as well as it used to.

 

[mcbrider]

Rodgers got doubled off more than once last season. No, I cannot quote you date and moment, and not likely to look it up. Wodach did pop up more than a few bunts last season. Again, I can't quote the specifics, but know what I saw.

20 years ago, I could have named the specific, but at 65, it doesn't worth as well as it used to.

The reason you can't quote it is because it simply did not happen as you claim it did. I also know what I saw. I was there Plaino!!!! You were not! By the way it was really big of you to CONCEDE that Sherri Coale knew more about basketball than you! With your over inflated sense is self importance that must have been very hard for you

 

[Plainosooner]

The reason you can't quote it is because it simply did not happen as you claim it did. I also know what I saw. I was there Plaino!!!! You were not! By the way it was really big of you to CONCEDE that Sherri Coale knew more about basketball than you! With your over inflated sense is self importance that must have been very hard for you

I can make observations based on what I've seen. Rogers was strictly a fast player last year, who apparently has worked really hard this summer to be able to contribute more. But she wasn't smart on the bases, just fast. Whatever, they both screwed it up today. The worst thing you can do in that situation is pop up the bunt. And the worst thing you can do in that situation as no outs runner is get doubled off. It's early, it will get better.

But this lineup is missing, so far, the ability to earn much.The want to play small ball, but to do that, you gotta get on base.

I'm glad we have four quality teams left before conference play starts. I'm just remembering how the Sooners got screwed in the bracket two years ago. Taking business so that doesn't happen again is pretty important. Anywhere in SEC territory, in the Supers, you're not going to get many breaks if you're the road team. Going 2-2 this first week, isn't the end of the world. But with the weakness or at least perceived weakness of the XII, the Sooner women have to be really good in the first ten weeks of the season.

(wrote yesterday but not sent, somehow.)

I guess it's good news, but Texas is looking pretty good so far. Maybe they'll add a little to OUr SOS.

 

[mcbrider]

I can make observations based on what I've seen. Rogers was strictly a fast player last year, who apparently has worked really hard this summer to be able to contribute more. But she wasn't smart on the bases, just fast. Whatever, they both screwed it up today. The worst thing you can do in that situation is pop up the bunt. And the worst thing you can do in that situation as no outs runner is get doubled off. It's early, it will get better.

But this lineup is missing, so far, the ability to earn much.The want to play small ball, but to do that, you gotta get on base.

I'm glad we have four quality teams left before conference play starts. I'm just remembering how the Sooners got screwed in the bracket two years ago. Taking business so that doesn't happen again is pretty important. Anywhere in SEC territory, in the Supers, you're not going to get many breaks if you're the road team. Going 2-2 this first week, isn't the end of the world. But with the weakness or at least perceived weakness of the XII, the Sooner women have to be really good in the first ten weeks of the season.

(wrote yesterday but not sent, somehow.)

I guess it's good news, but Texas is looking pretty good so far. Maybe they'll add a little to OUr SOS.

Just tired of your condescending remarks. I played baseball from little league through college. I have coached baseball and softball in youth league and at the high school level. I do not need you to tell me that the worst thing that could happen in a sacrifice bunt situation is for the hitter to pop the ball up and for the runner to be doubled off first base! One or two mistakes does not constitute a pattern.
I would love to ask Patty Gasso this question.
Coach, considering Reagan Rodgers propensity for making base running blunders and Leah Woodach's popping up bunts, why did you call for a sacrifice in that situation?To say that these two players have any kind of tendency to do this is baseless. I am going to go back through as many games as I can access from last year to find these "blunders". I won't read any more of your responses on this.

 

[Plainosooner]

Didn't say a word about Patty. That's your reading something in.

Wodach needs to get the dang bunt down. It is interesting to me that OUr catchers struggle so much at the plate. It might be a bit like pro pitchers who were almost all great hitters at lover levels. But they spend so much time working on their pitching, their stock gets too little work.

Wodach is such a quality catcher and has 3 or 4 new pitchers to learn. It's not a small task. And she spends the bulk of her work on defense. And on game day, her mental focus is on that side.

She was such a big stick last year as an outfielder. I don't think she hit a buck fifty after becoming the full time catcher.

It's the same way l see football. Execution is on players. Neither had minimal execution in the 7th.

But it's early. Last year l don't think Romero or Knighten were great early. But they were great in May and June. I'm good with that. Last year's team was great the last three months against even the best in the country. Smoking teams that aren't any good, isn't an evidence of anything. Getting the bunt down against a quality team is crucial.

Not giving away outs on the bases even more. I don't expect perfect. Out, trying to score on a close play at home with two outs, is a smart play usually. Same play for the first out of the inning, just the opposite. Neither is a good play in the last two innings if you're down three or four or more. Getting doubled off is lousy baseball or softball is bad any time. Worse in that situation.

How many times have you told a runner with less than two outs: "don't get doubled off on a line drive." That applies to sac bunt situations too.

 

[sybarite43]

OK. I can't address Wodach's bunting, except from memory. I thought I remembered that she and Miller were our two best bunters. But, I did check out Rogers on the base paths. Rogers was thrown out on the base paths five times last year:
--three times were on force plays at second
--one time she left first early
--one time, she tried to score from third on a short fly to right and was gunned down.

She was never doubled off, nor was she involved with any double plays. She was never caught stealing.

Indeed, rather than being doubled off by a popped up Wodach bunt, nearly every time Rogers pinch ran, it was for Wodach. I would estimate that seventy to eighty percent of the time, it was for Wodach. Once it was for Romero, once for Knighten, and several times for Aviu.

 

[bullmarket]

They have four games left with ranked teams.
Tennessee, UCLA, Arizona, Norte Dame. I saw every home game in person last year. Also attended the regionals and Super Regionals and saw every game that was televised. .

I love Sooner softball. Last season was such a pleasant surprise. Like you mcbrider I attended many home games and I got much unexpected joy with their successes being so young and considering how well they did considering the great group of Sooner softball players who graduated.

We lost Lauren Chamberlain to graduation who was the greatest home run hitter in the history of college softball,and the great Shelby Pendley who graduated and other seniors yet with our tremendous talented youth surprisingly we win the 2016 National Championship shocking the nation!!

You are a great Sooner softball fan mcbrider..I think Sooner softball is tied with OU football as my favorite Sooner sport.. Patti Gasso is a great coach and she recruits great nationally.She has coached us to three National Championships including last season's surprise.

In my younger days (much younger) I played a lot of softball and had some success pitching in two national tournaments with several State of Oklahoma championships so I have always loved the sport of softball to play and to watch..

Our Sooner team is still very young but now being ranked #1 preseason everybody in the nation will be aiming at us, but I expect us to still have a great 2017 season.
.

 

[Plainosooner]

Great to see you Bull. The eternal optimist, so accurately named here.

Even though the team is so full of experience and has added some quality pitching, I suspect the dynamic you mentioned about everybody targeting the Sooners will make following up last year's title with another, a bigger challenge than a season ago with four true freshmen starters.

Patty's biggest challenge I believe, will be reminding you women that winning in 2016 means less about winning in 2017 than they might believe. But they should be up to it.

Don't be a stranger.

 

[mcbrider]

Didn't say a word about Patty. That's your reading something in.

Wodach needs to get the dang bunt down. It is interesting to me that OUr catchers struggle so much at the plate. It might be a bit like pro pitchers who were almost all great hitters at lover levels. But they spend so much time working on their pitching, their stock gets too little work.

Wodach is such a quality catcher and has 3 or 4 new pitchers to learn. It's not a small task. And she spends the bulk of her work on defense. And on game day, her mental focus is on that side.

She was such a big stick last year as an outfielder. I don't think she hit a buck fifty after becoming the full time catcher.

It's the same way l see football. Execution is on players. Neither had minimal execution in the 7th.

But it's early. Last year l don't think Romero or Knighten were great early. But they were great in May and June. I'm good with that. Last year's team was great the last three months against even the best in the country. Smoking teams that aren't any good, isn't an evidence of anything. Getting the bunt down against a quality team is crucial.

Not giving away outs on the bases even more. I don't expect perfect. Out, trying to score on a close play at home with two outs, is a smart play usually. Same play for the first out of the inning, just the opposite. Neither is a good play in the last two innings if you're down three or four or more. Getting doubled off is lousy baseball or softball is bad any time. Worse in that situation.

How many times have you told a runner with less than two outs: "don't get doubled off on a line drive." That applies to sac bunt situations too.

You just can't resist talking to someone as if you are the only one who knows anything about situational base running in terms of making outs. Of course the sac bunt play was terrible execution. Of course,, captain obvious , it was bad baseball/softball. Of course it is on the players when they don't execute what they are coached to do. Yes, (tired of saying of course) base coaches tell runners to make sure balls hit in the air go through the infield before taking off to the next base. Of course that is with less than two outs. Sorry did not mean to sound condescending! I did not see the last play. Perhaps, because the infield was expecting the sac bunt, they were really charging hard from first and third hoping to have a chance to get the runner at second base. Perhaps Rodgers seeing this take place was trying to get a little extra jump. No lead off is allowed in softball. Oh, wait a minute, you know that. One can only speculate. Here is the issue. Your labeling of Rodgers as la player lacking in softball sense and saying that Leah Woodach is not a reliable bunter (past pop up issues) is wrong

 

[sybarite43]

OK. I checked. Here are the facts.

Wodach hit into two double plays last year. One was a ground ball to third with runners on first and second. The third baseman stepped on third and threw to first for a double play (Iowa State).

The other double play was after Self walked against Michigan in the CWS. Wodach hit a ground ball to the pitcher who threw to short, and it was relayed to first for a double play.

At no time did Wodach bunt into a double play. At no time was Rogers doubled off last year. This was a first for both.

There was one time that Wodach did pop a bunt. It was foul, and the runner at first got back to first.

 

[Plainosooner]

You just can't resist talking to someone as if you are the only one who knows anything about situational baseball...

Just the opposite. Just letting you know that I learned a little in my puny little career, too. Some of us who were lousy hs players, had to learn game details to compete at all. Not claiming to know more than you. Just claiming to know some.

 

[bullmarket]

Great to see you Bull. The eternal optimist, so accurately named here.

Even though the team is so full of experience and has added some quality pitching, I suspect the dynamic you mentioned about everybody targeting the Sooners will make following up last year's title with another, a bigger challenge than a season ago with four true freshmen starters.

Patty's biggest challenge I believe, will be reminding you women that winning in 2016 means less about winning in 2017 than they might believe. But they should be up to it.

Don't be a stranger.

 

[bullmarket]

Great to see you Bull. The eternal optimist, so accurately named here.

Even though the team is so full of experience and has added some quality pitching, I suspect the dynamic you mentioned about everybody targeting the Sooners will make following up last year's title with another, a bigger challenge than a season ago with four true freshmen starters.

Patty's biggest challenge I believe, will be reminding you women that winning in 2016 means less about winning in 2017 than they might believe. But they should be up to it.

Don't be a stranger.

Almost everyone last season including myself a huge OU softball fan thought 2016 would be a rebuilding year for OU softball

The superstars had graduated like Lauren Chamberlain & Shelby Pendley and the OU 2016 lineup was full of true freshmen and youth..
The OU pitching staff was very thin with only Paige Parker. who is very talented but she had no proven backup..

But the 2016 OU team fooled everyone winning the National Championship.

I thought the turn around game during the 2016 regular season was on the road at Alabama when in extra innings Shay Knighton hit a walk off home run for the OU win.

Then this young OU team kept winning and winning and winning.These very young players & coaching staff began to truly start to believe in themselves.

And the rest is history..... A SOONER NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!.

This 2017 season now with this OU team ranked #1 preseason with the bulls-eye on their back by every team they play, it will be more difficult to repeat but with Patti Gasso it could happen.

BOOMER SOONER!