Softball: Mariah Lopez no hits Long Beach St.14-0. She allowed one base runner

[Plainosooner]

One base runner for LBSU so far through six.

Sooners lost , the first game 4-3 to fifth ranked Arizona. Leading 3-2 heading to B7 they gave up a bases loaded one out grounder that was thrown away and the Wildcats scored two to beat Paige Parker 4-3. It was OU's fifth loss of the year, including to the teams ranked fourth, fifth and sixth in the country. And 15th. Losses have been to Washington, Arizona, Auburn, UTenn and unranked Notre Dame.

 

[Plainosooner]

Nicole Mendes has three more hits in seven at bats today and has raised her batting average up over .400. She may keep a lineup spot for a while.

Now 7-0 in the night cap, with the Sooners still batting in T6.

====================

Mendes gets her fourth hit of the double header, a bases clearing triple, now 10-0 Sooners.

 

[Plainosooner]

She lost her perfect game with a two out walk in B6, but has retired 18 of 19 LBSU hitters so far.

 

[Plainosooner]

OU now leads 14-0. Pendley tripled Mendes home. Knighten singled Pendley home and the Romero hit a home run. Still batting in T7 and LBS is changing pitchers.

=====================

In B7, Lopez gives up two grounders to Arnold and a pop out, completing her first collegiate no hitter. The only base runner was pinch hitter Lauren Lombardi with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, who walked on a 3-2 pitch.

Lopen only threw 78 pitches.

 

[mcbrider]

One base runner for LBSU so far through six.

Sooners lost , the first game 4-3 to fifth ranked Arizona. Leading 3-2 heading to B7 they gave up a bases loaded one out grounder that was thrown away and the Wildcats scored two to beat Paige Parker 4-3. It was OU's fifth loss of the year, including to the teams ranked fourth, fifth and sixth in the country. And 15th. Losses have been to Washington, Arizona, Auburn, UTenn and unranked Notre Dame.

Plaino, did not get to follow the Arizona game. I thought I read that there were two outs when the grounder was hit and the runner was safe and the tying run scored and then the winning run on the errant throw. I was hoping the Arizona game would be to this season what the Alabama game was to last season. We can't afford many more losses if we expect to host the supers. Baylor is the only ranked team left on our schedule.

 

[sybarite43]

While concerned, I'm not quite as anxious as usual about seeding. That has hurt a couple of times when we didn't really have a solid staff. Right now, I like our chances in a three-game series, home or road. I am beginning to have a lot of comfort with Lopez as she just throws strikes.

At the end of the year, what made this team go was the freshmen, not the seniors. Late in the year, Knighten, Aviu, Romero, and Clifton were our best players. As I have indicated, the performances of Sydney and Shay in the CWS was of a type you usually don't see from stars. They got key hits and won games. This year, they have been off to a slow start, probably because of their surgeries. But, it has been noticed because nobody has really stepped up. Pendley and Clifton have. But, we don't have the key players in the middle of the lineup who just keep rallies going.

I have been very encouraged by the emergence of Mendes. If she continues, she is exactly what we need---a ball of energy that makes things happen. You don't know what she is going to do. But, she just keeps hitting, and she has speed. If Shay gets her form back, we will be just fine. There is no superteam out there. The teams with good records are mostly those that haven't played anyone yet. Oregon and Florida have feasted off of mediocrity. Florida State doesn't really have a tough schedule, and they could end up as the top seed entering the tournaments, just because they don't have anyone to give them competition. But, there are about twelve teams that bear watching. Having Parker, Lowary, and Lopez makes me feel very confident.

 

[Plainosooner]

Plaino, did not get to follow the Arizona game. I thought I read that there were two outs when the grounder was hit and the runner was safe and the tying run scored and then the winning run on the errant throw. I was hoping the Arizona game would be to this season what the Alabama game was to last season. We can't afford many more losses if we expect to host the supers. Baylor is the only ranked team left on our schedule.

I didn't either. You were right. I thought when I glanced at the box that it said that Paige threw 6.1 innings, but it was 6.2. My mistake.

I agree with you, but it's more than just hosting the Supers. This team last year found ways to win. This year, the other side does that more often than not, when it's really tight. I'm not sure of the dynamic. Injuries? Excellence by opponents facing the defending national champs? Or maybe just a little complacency. It doesn't take much. I haven't seen that much, especially in the big games, which just don't show up when played on early in the season neutral sites. But I know that Patty has had some frustration about performance, and she's not prone to being uphappy unfairly.And I know she has harped on not relying on last year, to impact this one.

They could overcome being a visitor in the Supers. But it makes things a whole lot tougher. And anything behind the fifth or sixth seed, starts to get into politics. That is even more likely on the women's side in NCAA post season pairings.

If they do what they did last season, and win 35 straight, then we can all breathe a sigh of relief, but the odds of repeating that are very unlikely. The little things aren't being done consistently. For whatever reason, that's the way it's been. It better change pretty quickly.

 

[Plainosooner]

Plaino, did not get to follow the Arizona game. I thought I read that there were two outs when the grounder was hit and the runner was safe and the tying run scored and then the winning run on the errant throw. .

I went over to the Arizona site to get a description of the last play. They got the lead run on, on a base hit and sacrificed her to second for one out, Sooners leading 3-2.Both Wildcat runs on a two run homer by a girl in a 2 for 20 slump. They got a hit for first and third, then a pop out for the second out, then a walk for bases loaded, two outs. The walk came on a close 3-2 pitch. Then with a fast batter, a grounder to Knighten wide of the bag, left her no chance for the batter, but maybe a force at second. If she gets that out, Sooners win 3-2. But she threw "wildly" according to the Wildcats' site. The runner on third scored and the batter was given a hit, but with the throw past second, the runner who'd been on second went to third on the "hit" and scored on the error, to win 4-3.

We're running out of quality win possibilities, though OSU got some votes this week, and so did Texas, though neither is in the top 25. We have two games left against SEC teams, but they were the bottom two in the conference last year. Both Arkansas and Miss State have received some votes during the year, but the Razorbacks got swept at Bama to open this year's conference schedule and MSU went to A&M who is ranked, and won one of three. Both are in the top 30. Texas and OSU are in the top 35. But all of the SEC schools are going to have more than a dozen games against top15-20 teams, some close to two dozen. The ones with the best records, especially if it's Auburn and UTenn will be hard for OU to pass. It would be great if UCLA could finish ahead or Arizona or Oregon or Washington, but all three are ranked ahead of them, and Washington and Arizona now both have wins over OU. Short of winning all the rest, it's going to be hard to get into the top eight. Tennessee is 15th and they have a win over us.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

We lost one starter from last year. Why the funk? Will it last? Sophomore jinx?

 

[sybarite43]

We lost one starter from last year. Why the funk? Will it last? Sophomore jinx?

If you look at the playoff run, it was largely fueled by Clifton, Aviu, Romero, and Knighten with the latter two supplying about 2/3 of the runs and RBIs for the team. So, we were very dependent on Romero and Knighten when we faced good pitching.

In the offseason, Romero had surgery on her wrist, and Shay had knee surgery for a knee that had bothered her all last Spring. I don't think they are over the effects of the surgery. Knighten didn't play at all in the Fall. Between them, they had almost thirty home runs and a pile of doubles. They have two home runs between them this year.

When they emerge, we will have our hitters who can hit good pitching at critical times. Sydney seems to be coming around.

 

[Plainosooner]

We lost one starter from last year. Why the funk? Will it last? Sophomore jinx?

We lost two multi-year starters. Kady Self had a bunch of key hits during the season. Huge homer in Waco, when the long winning streak was being built. And she played some first before settling in left field and was a very solid championship player.

And Erin Miller was even better, and kind of the team leader in many respects.

This year, the only senior on the team has never been a regular starter, until starting close to half the time this year.

I think a lot this year has been expected of Mizzou transfer, pitcher Paige Lowary.. She's been good, but not as good as had been expected. They are re-working her pitching motion, and there is still work to do. She's had some problems throwing strikes.

And we brought in this ballyhooed freshman class that has also been mostly good, and occasionally very good. The last two weeks, both position player Nicole Mendes and pitcher Mariah Lopez have looked excellent against low end competition. They really haven't let Lopez pitch much against top 30 opponents. She pitched a no hitter last night and was within one 3-2 pitch of a perfect game. That's noteworthy against anybody. And Mendes had hit .400 against five patsies and one top five team. Before that, she barely saw the field. If both of them can show something close to that performance against the best teams the Sooners will play moving forward, then as Romero and Knighten heal, then the only real question is going to be whether Paige Parker can put some seventh inning problems behind her.

But they need to start fixing it now. On paper, they should be better than last year. But they are missing Self and Miller more than anticipated. And there is a small leadership void, seemingly. They'll work it out. But if they don't finish with a top eight seed, it will be a lot harder to repeat.

 

[sybarite43]

Let's not get too excited about seedings just yet. Some of these teams haven't ventured away from home yet. A look at the top 25:


#1 Florida State: (23-1-1) FSU is 2-1-1 against top 25 competition.
#2 Florida: (22-1), 1-0 against top 25, lost to an 0-8 Maryland team (now won 4)
#3 Oregon: (24-0) 1-0 against top 25.
#4 Auburn: (22-3) 5-3 against top 25 after a weekend against LSU
#5 Arizona: (26-1) 3-1 against top 25
#6 Washington (21-3) 4-2 against top 25, third loss was against Missouri
#7 Texas A&M: (22-2) 4-0 against top 25, two losses were to Miss St and Houston, both in College Station
#8 Minnesota: (22-2) 1-2 against top 25.
#9 Oklahoma: (21-5) 3-4 against top 25, other loss was to Notre Dame
#10 UCLA: (21-5) 3-5 against top 25

#11 Alabama: (24-2) 1-2 against top 25 (all three against La Lafayette)
#12 James Madison: (21-3) 2-1 against top 25, also lost to Missouri and Mercer
#13 LSU: (19-6) 1-5 against top 25 (Beat Auburn in 1 of 3), lost to Penn State
#14 Baylor: (23-4) 4-1 against top 25, also lost to Fordham and Cal Fullerton
#15 Tennessee: (21-3) 1-1 against top 25, also lost to Texas and South Carolina
#16 Georgia: (24-3) 0-2 against top 25, also lost to Notre Dame
#17 Kentucky: (18-4) 1-2 against top 25, also lost two to Pittsburgh
#18 Louisiana-Lafayette: (17-5) 2-2 against top 25, also lost two to Southern Miss and one to Bradley
#19 Michigan: (14-7-1) 2-5-1 against top 25, Also lost to South Florida and Notre Dame
#20 Utah: (18-4) 2-0 against top 25, lost to San Diego State, Fullerton, Nevada, and Omaha
#21 Arizona State: (19-5) 0-4 against top 25, also lost to Boston College
#22 Mississippi: (20-3) 0-1 to top 25 teams, also lost to Oklahoma State and North Dakota State
#23 California: (17-4) 0-1 against top 25 teams, also lost to North Carolina, Northwestern, and Tulsa
#24 Wisconsin: (20-2) 0-1 to top twenty five teams, also lost to Boston College
#25 BYU: (14-7) 2-4 against top 25 teams, also lost to Brooklyn, McNeese, and Fresno State

Florida, Florida State, and Oregon appear to be pretty good. But, they haven't exactly tested themselves. Oregon has traveled, mostly to Hawaii and delightful places. Florida and Florida State really haven't left home except for one weekend each. Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana-Lafayette have also found it pleasant to sleep in the their own beds. Let's see how they travel.

 

[Plainosooner]

Let's not get too excited about seedings just yet. Some of these teams haven't ventured away from home yet. A look at the top 25:


#1 Florida State: (23-1-1) FSU is 2-1-1 against top 25 competition.
#2 Florida: (22-1), 1-0 against top 25, lost to an 0-8 Maryland team (now won 4)
#3 Oregon: (24-0) 1-0 against top 25.
#4 Auburn: (22-3) 5-3 against top 25 after a weekend against LSU
#5 Arizona: (26-1) 3-1 against top 25
#6 Washington (21-3) 4-2 against top 25, third loss was against Missouri
#7 Texas A&M: (22-2) 4-0 against top 25, two losses were to Miss St and Houston, both in College Station
#8 Minnesota: (22-2) 1-2 against top 25.
#9 Oklahoma: (21-5) 3-4 against top 25, other loss was to Notre Dame
#10 UCLA: (21-5) 3-5 against top 25

#11 Alabama: (24-2) 1-2 against top 25 (all three against La Lafayette)
#12 James Madison: (21-3) 2-1 against top 25, also lost to Missouri and Mercer
#13 LSU: (19-6) 1-5 against top 25 (Beat Auburn in 1 of 3), lost to Penn State
#14 Baylor: (23-4) 4-1 against top 25, also lost to Fordham and Cal Fullerton
#15 Tennessee: (21-3) 1-1 against top 25, also lost to Texas and South Carolina
#16 Georgia: (24-3) 0-2 against top 25, also lost to Notre Dame
#17 Kentucky: (18-4) 1-2 against top 25, also lost two to Pittsburgh
#18 Louisiana-Lafayette: (17-5) 2-2 against top 25, also lost two to Southern Miss and one to Bradley
#19 Michigan: (14-7-1) 2-5-1 against top 25, Also lost to South Florida and Notre Dame
#20 Utah: (18-4) 2-0 against top 25, lost to San Diego State, Fullerton, Nevada, and Omaha
#21 Arizona State: (19-5) 0-4 against top 25, also lost to Boston College
#22 Mississippi: (20-3) 0-1 to top 25 teams, also lost to Oklahoma State and North Dakota State
#23 California: (17-4) 0-1 against top 25 teams, also lost to North Carolina, Northwestern, and Tulsa
#24 Wisconsin: (20-2) 0-1 to top twenty five teams, also lost to Boston College
#25 BYU: (14-7) 2-4 against top 25 teams, also lost to Brooklyn, McNeese, and Fresno State

Florida, Florida State, and Oregon appear to be pretty good. But, they haven't exactly tested themselves. Oregon has traveled, mostly to Hawaii and delightful places. Florida and Florida State really haven't left home except for one weekend each. Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana-Lafayette have also found it pleasant to sleep in the their own beds. Let's see how they travel.

That took a ton of research. Thanks for the effort.

 

[sybarite43]

OU 8 Santa Barbara 1
Los of Santa Barbara errors. Romero hit a two run home run. Mendes proving she can hit, drove in the first run with a two-out single. Parker started and went six, allowing a solo home run.. Lopez relieved in the seventh.

 

[sybarite43]

Let's just look at the losses of the top fifteen:

#1 Florida State
------FSU 0 #7 Texas A&M 2 in Palm Strings
------FSU 5 #5 Michigan 5 Tie in Palm Springs

#2 Florida
------Fla 0 unranked Maryland 4 at Gainesville, FL

#4 Auburn
------Aub 1 #6 Washington 2 (10) in Puerto Vallerta
------Aub 0 #12 James Madison 1 at Auburn, AL
------Aub 0 #13 LSU 8 (6) at Auburn, AL

#5 Arizona
------AZ 0 #1 Florida State 1 at Palm Springs

#6 Washington
------WA 2 #25 BYU 4 at Puerto Vallarta
------WA 5 unranked Missouri 9 at Palm Springs
------WA 1 #14 Baylor 3 at Fullerton, CA

#7 Texas A&M
------A&M 0 unranked Houston 1, College Station
------A&M 2 unranked Mississippi State 5 at College Station

#8 Minnesota
------MN 2 #6 Washington 3, at Seattle
------MN 0 #6 Washington 9, at Seattle

#9 Oklahoma
------OK 2 #4 Auburn 3 at Puerto Vallarta
------OK 0 #6 Washington 1 at Puerto Vallarta
------OK 1 #15 Tennessee 2 at Palm Springs
------OK 4 unranked Notre Dame 5 at Palm Springs
------OK 3 #5 Arizona 4 at Long Beach, CA

#10 UCLA
-------UCLA 1 #17 Kentucky 2 (11) at Los Angeles
-------UCLA 1 #9 Oklahoma 10 (5) at Cathedral City, CA
-------UCLA 1 #1 Florida State 2 at Cathedral City, CA
-------UCLA 4 #2 Florida 9 at Fullerton, CA
-------UCLA 6 #14 Baylor 11 at Fullerton, CA

#11 Alabama
-------AL 2 #18 Louisiana Lafayette 11 (6) at Lafayette, LA
-------AL 0 #18 Louisiana Lafayette 7 at Lafayette, LA

#12 James Madison
-------JM 4 unranked Missouri 8 at Charleston, SC
-------JM 0 #4 Auburn 4 at Auburn, AL
-------JM 0 unranked Mercer 4 at Orlando, FL

#13 LSU
-------LSU 3 unranked Penn State 7 at Baton Rouge
-------LSU 5 #10 UCLA 6 (8) at Cathedral City, CA
-------LSU 0 #20 Utah 3 at Cathedral CIty, CA
-------LSU 0 #8 Minnesota 3 at Baton Rouge
-------LSU 4 #4 Auburn 5 at Auburn, AL
-------LSU 4 #4 Auburn 5 at Auburn, AL

#14 Baylor
------BAY 0 unranked Fordham 1 at Tucson AZ
------BAY 2 unranked North Texas 3 (8) at Waco, TX
------BAY 0 unranked Cal Fullerton 1 at Fullerton, CA

#15 Tennessee
------TN 0 #20 Utah 3 at Las Vegas
------TN 2 unranked Texas 4 at Las Vegas
------TN 1 unranked South Carolina 9 (6)

Losing at home to unranked teams?

 

[Plainosooner]

There is a flip side to all of that. OU is unlikely to have any wins against a top ten team, even if they win out. And they'll have a hard time passing Washington, Arizona or Auburn most likely. There are teams we won't play besides those, likely to be top 8 teams.Still a ways to go, but the ACC & SEC & PAC 12 schools have resume enhancers left on their schedules. We really don't.

Right now, the important thing is to play better against quality teams. We haven't yet.

 

[sybarite43]

I want to see the rpi next week. I wonder if they will consider five one-run losses against top 25 teams (Notre Dame was there once) vs being run-ruled, playing very few games against any competition, or losing at home. I would think that A&M, for example, would really be downgraded for playing almost exclusively in College Station, except for one weekend. Then, they lose two to unranked teams in College Station. Auburn was run-ruled. We run-ruled UCLA. How do they treat losing at home to Maryland. That ought to be as bad as several losses. Baylor was beaten in Waco by North Texas.

Baylor will be ranked, probably about 12 or 13.

 

[Plainosooner]

I want to see the rpi next week. I wonder if they will consider five one-run losses against top 25 teams (Notre Dame was there once) vs being run-ruled, playing very few games against any competition, or losing at home. I would think that A&M, for example, would really be downgraded for playing almost exclusively in College Station, except for one weekend. Then, they lose two to unranked teams in College Station. Auburn was run-ruled. We run-ruled UCLA. How do they treat losing at home to Maryland. That ought to be as bad as several losses. Baylor was beaten in Waco by North Texas.

Baylor will be ranked, probably about 12 or 13.

The SEC schools matter little moving forward. They'll all have plenty of games against top 25 schools by the time it matters. There are 13 SEC schools who play softball. Twelve of them are in the top 26 in one poll or the other. Arkansas is 25 in one, 28 in the other. Mizzou is 26 in one and 30 in the other.

There is a scrum after about 22 or 23rd ranking. BYU, whom OU beat, is top 25 in one poll, but 34th in the other. Mississippi State gets only one vote in one poll, but 6 in another.

We still have two SEC schools on OUr schedule, but they were the two lowest in their conference standings a year ago. But both get top 25 votes in one poll or the other.

By contrast, we have only one conference opponent in the top 25, Baylor, and two others "receiving votes." I think OSU is 35 in one poll and 34 in the other. Texas is 29 in one poll and 32 in the other. It makes it hard in the future to build a resume. OUr schedule was fine, but we didn't get it done in any of the close games against top 15 teams. The was especially important in the losses to Auburn and UTenn. As you said earlier, one run losses. But still losses.

Notre Dame isn't getting any votes now in either poll. So they are UR.