Sooners softball falls to Cal Poly 3-1 twice.
- Thread starter Plainosooner
- Start date
I don't think we hit many grounders. The outs were all K's and in the air. In the air doesnt take much defense.
I figured a pretty big strike zone. Romero's homer was the only runner for either team until b5 when Poly got their 3 runs. But Lopez couldn't finish the inning. Parker finished the 5th. Then only got out of the 6th unscored on, because of a line drive double play.
I figured a pretty big strike zone. Romero's homer was the only runner for either team until b5 when Poly got their 3 runs. But Lopez couldn't finish the inning. Parker finished the 5th. Then only got out of the 6th unscored on, because of a line drive double play.
They'll get their chance tomorrow morning. They face Cal Poly again, and most likely, Hyland will be in the circle.
It is a head scratcher at this point . A year later opposing coaches and pitchers have more data to work with on how to pitch to our hitters. I still think losing Tripp Mackey was huge. Was he not considered to be one of the top hitting coaches in the country. In the many games I have seen in person as well as on TV, they don't seem to have the plate discipline they had last year. They take a lot of pitches and seem too often to be hitting from behind in the count. I remember last year Coach telling the players to "play free"-meaning don't put uneccessary pressure upon yourself because you are OU. It is a different dynamic this year. Now those young players are going to bat as the defending champs with the expectation to do it again. Sometimes that burden of expectation can be difficult to bear. They have to get back to "playing free".
That's what I wondered as far as the 'more data' to analyze. I did not know about the loss of the coach...
So Plaino what is the reason for their hitting failures. I still maintain it is more mental. They are pressing!!.
I might have some problems with the Gasso, Jr. But, I had the same problems with his predecessor. Since the key to our winning the title last year were players who Tripp had never coached, I don't think his loss was the key.
I think we need to remember last year with more than fond memories of a title. We began last year by allowing ten runs in the first game. We later allowed sixteen and twelve before we began to find any kind of footing. We weren't losing by one run. We were losing by six, eight, and ten. We really only showed that we were capable of beating mediocre teams until we suddenly swept Baylor in Waco. That really came out of nowhere. I think we were behind Kansas in the rpi up to that point. We generated some legs. Then, we went to Tennessee and run-ruled them, 9-0. This was an entirely different team than had played in the first fifteen or twenty games. Only a week or so earlier than sweeping Baylor, we had lost at home to Kansas. We were just hoping to get lucky enough to get a #8 seed, and that was unlikely. Then, we went on a 31-game tear.
But, the keys to that returned. Let's look at the lineup for the playoffs:
BA HR RBI
Miller 275 0 5
Clifton 226 1 4
Romero 314 4 9
Knighten 457 2 14
Aviu 353 0 6
Pendley 212 3 7
Self 400 1 6
Wodach 242 0 4
Arnold 348 0 2
Miller did score 11 runs. But, she had only two doubles and struck out six times. Clifton scored when she got on base, and six walks didn't hurt.
Romero and Knighten picked a good time to be hot---the playoffs. Romero scored ten runs. Knighten scored eight. Between them, they drove in or scored 41 runs. As a team, we scored 63. Removing the six runs they got for driving in and scoring the same run, they were responsible for 37 of our 63 runs.
Self finished strong. She and Erin led the team in strikeouts with five and six, respectively. Arnold scored six.
Now, the four freshmen themselves:
AB 135
Runs 30
Hits 46
2B 3
3B 0
HR 7
RBI 33
K 11
BB 14
BA 341
Now, let's look at at the total:
AB 298
R 63
H 92
2B 8
3B 2
HR 11
RBI 56
K 20
BB 29
BA 309
Notice that the freshmen had 8 of the 11 HR and 33 of the 56 RBIs. They scored 30 of the 63 runs.
Tripp never coached the four freshmen. They hit on their own. I don't know why they can't hit this year, but they are all down a bit, except for Clifton. Shay is really struggling to hit the ball hard, and she is popping it up. Last year, she and Pendley had more ground ball outs. This year, about two thirds of their outs are in the air. Something's different.
I think we need to remember last year with more than fond memories of a title. We began last year by allowing ten runs in the first game. We later allowed sixteen and twelve before we began to find any kind of footing. We weren't losing by one run. We were losing by six, eight, and ten. We really only showed that we were capable of beating mediocre teams until we suddenly swept Baylor in Waco. That really came out of nowhere. I think we were behind Kansas in the rpi up to that point. We generated some legs. Then, we went to Tennessee and run-ruled them, 9-0. This was an entirely different team than had played in the first fifteen or twenty games. Only a week or so earlier than sweeping Baylor, we had lost at home to Kansas. We were just hoping to get lucky enough to get a #8 seed, and that was unlikely. Then, we went on a 31-game tear.
But, the keys to that returned. Let's look at the lineup for the playoffs:
BA HR RBI
Miller 275 0 5
Clifton 226 1 4
Romero 314 4 9
Knighten 457 2 14
Aviu 353 0 6
Pendley 212 3 7
Self 400 1 6
Wodach 242 0 4
Arnold 348 0 2
Miller did score 11 runs. But, she had only two doubles and struck out six times. Clifton scored when she got on base, and six walks didn't hurt.
Romero and Knighten picked a good time to be hot---the playoffs. Romero scored ten runs. Knighten scored eight. Between them, they drove in or scored 41 runs. As a team, we scored 63. Removing the six runs they got for driving in and scoring the same run, they were responsible for 37 of our 63 runs.
Self finished strong. She and Erin led the team in strikeouts with five and six, respectively. Arnold scored six.
Now, the four freshmen themselves:
AB 135
Runs 30
Hits 46
2B 3
3B 0
HR 7
RBI 33
K 11
BB 14
BA 341
Now, let's look at at the total:
AB 298
R 63
H 92
2B 8
3B 2
HR 11
RBI 56
K 20
BB 29
BA 309
Notice that the freshmen had 8 of the 11 HR and 33 of the 56 RBIs. They scored 30 of the 63 runs.
Tripp never coached the four freshmen. They hit on their own. I don't know why they can't hit this year, but they are all down a bit, except for Clifton. Shay is really struggling to hit the ball hard, and she is popping it up. Last year, she and Pendley had more ground ball outs. This year, about two thirds of their outs are in the air. Something's different.
http://stats.ncaa.org/team/522/stats/12580
Look at the last two columns: GO, FO (Ground out, fly out). Now, click on Aviu, Pendley, and Knighten and explain why hitters who have always hit ground ball outs are hitting it in the air this year. It will show you GO and FO from each year.
I realize that. Just thinking it was loss from a long term perspective. It is hard to argue with his his numbers.
I am not a certified softball hitting instructor. I have never been a hitting coach on a college softball team. So I can't explain with certainty why the sudden increase in fly balls over ground balls. Earlier in the year I was watching Texas play on the LHN. Erin Miller was doing the commentary. She was very complimentary of Coach Mackay as a hitting coach. She talked about the fact that he had a very scientific approach to hitting- talking about angles and velocity. I have heard that J.T. Gasso's approach is much simpler. I would be very interested in knowing what problems you had with Mackay. I would pay good money to be able to sit down with Mackay an Gasso and ask them to explain in detail their approach to hitting in all aspects-mechanics, mental approach, situations, the whole shooting match! Anyway I always enjoy your posts. They are always full of good information and analysis. If the players are just trying too hard or swinging too hard could that be reason for the pop ups?
Just in the past couple of weeks, my son, who never liked or played any sport other than soccer (to my frustration since he was a natural athlete) and who knows nothing about softball sat with me for a few minutes as I was watching one of our games. He asked a question that I have been watching since. Why did our hitters stride up and away from the plate as they swung. I hadn't noticed that. But, several seemed to stride as they swung and adopt a more open stance, pulling away from the pitch. That would seem to be a defensive move.
I was frustrated by a one-stance-fits-all approach that a couple of our players hinted at in their discussions of Tripp's approach. Legs far apart, lower center of gravity---I've always thought a hitter should be comfortable rather than adopting a given style.
Thanks for the information. I often thought that perhaps softball hitting was more systematic than baseball as evidenced by what you point out with Tripp's approach-very wide stance very little stride. It seems many OU hitters use an open stance but stride toward the pitcher . Not sure what you mean by striding up. If you start open then you have to stride toward the pitcher or you have no chance to hit anything away. I haven't seen any of our players stride away from the pitch. If they are doing that, the old step in the bucket, then it is no wonder they are having problems. The coach at ULM seems to be pretty much a one stance fits all guy. Their players hit from a very open stance and many use a split hand grip. They knock the tar out of ball. Very interesting stuff. Thanks again!
Redundant headline.
3-1 again. Scored in the first again. Then no more. Parker started. Lasted 4. Gave up 2. The third run was in the 7th after Lowary relieved Lopez with first and second in the 7th. She illegal pitch balked them to second and third and the scored on a grounder wide of first that Arnold fielded, but Knighten dropped the throw. The run would have scored anyway.
The crucial play was in B7. Two lead singles, but Wodach popped up the bunt again. Then with two outs, Mendes shot to third was bobbled. The wouldn't have had a shot on her at first, but barely got the force to end the game. If it had been 2nd and 3rd, the run would have scored and two on with Clifton and Romero coming up. Clifton earlier had a double and Romero had two hits.
Right now, the other guys are doing the little things to win, and OU is doing the little things to not.
Several college coaches teach a style. They make exceptions for a really good hitter, usually. They even toyed with Lauren's stance. She said she approved. I thought she was pretty good before they saw her.
I saw an interview in which one of our players (last year or year before) said that they were taught to use a more open stance. That would mean that you would need to stride towards the plate to be able to reach an outside pitch. They also said that they were taught not to stride at all. One reason that baseball hitters stride into a pitch is that it adds the momentum of your stride to the power of the stroke. Physics.
I don't think I like a system. Correct mistakes. Let their natural ability work for them.
