Game Thread Lady Vols Softball Team NCAA Regionals

#626
#626
This is a good collegiate softball forum, Vol fans--and it has recruiting ranking threads for 2016, 2017 and 2019. (Last I checked, 2018 was still missing.) You might have to scroll down. I think we're ranked 2 for 2019 (behind florida, of course--gawd, I hate florida and bama--and arizona). The rankings were probably taken from Flosoftball, which has some good info and rankings--but you have to pay to see the rankings. I would take prospect rankings with a grain as we're talking about kids who are still two to four years away from college. I'm sure most of the kids in the top 100, say, are talented prospects for their age--but the order in which they are ranked is mostly subjective guesswork. I'm quite sure, as with recruiting in other sports, numbers 35 and 65 could probably be switched. But this forum is pretty good and has a lot of SEC fans--and we need more VOL fans on it, not to mention a Vol thread.

College Softball
 
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#627
#627
Aldrete geeked on us big-time with her transfer; it hurt us. Really weak sauce on her part. I was happy to see Koenig leave--she cannot hit good league pitching and showed that again this year. I saw Aldrete hit today against bama, with two on in the first and Cal down 3-0. The bama pitcher grooved her first pitch, right down the middle, and Aldrete popped it up for the 3rd out.
 
#628
#628
This season was a lot about beating yourself. Several games Bama, Arizona, Missouri, etc we made errors and mistakes that cost us the game. The pitching held up quite well but miscues in the field and bad hitting made the season one that could have been much better. We have a couple of pitchers coming in hopefully they can join Moss and give us a great staff. We'll have to get much better defensively and hopefully we will.
 
#629
#629
What really did us in down the stretch was Gaffin's injury. After that happened I think the team let down psychologically because they didn't believe they could win without her-not having her come in to save the day. They're going to have to come out with a new dynamic next year. Also, I hope Geer has a good senior year. We need her to be clutch.
 
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#630
#630
Gaffin was a big hitter, a strong pitcher, and inspirational player for us....Loosing her was critical. Of all the players to lose, she was indispensable...It eventually cost us.
 
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#631
#631
I don't really agree that Gaffin cost us a chance to make a long run in the tourney. Of course she was a valuable player and we could have used her, but she's also an easy excuse for our loss. That fact is, yesterday's game was there to be won and we didn't do it. Runner on third and no outs and didn't get her across the plate. Then a fundamental mistake by Geer on a popup that puts the winning run on. We had plenty of chances to win the lsu game that had nothing to do with Gaffin. We run-ruled a good osu team without Gaffin. Our pitching held up pretty well. Our big problem against arizona was that we lacked right-hand bats. You can't let opportunities to win pass against good teams. That's why we lost the national championship to zona in 2007.
 
#632
#632
tonybologna said:
Hum. I figured they had stuff like this just like they do women's college basketball. Sites to check out players rankings & gain more information about them in softball. That would surprise me if not. Maybe somebody else can chime in & let me know of a website that provides this information. Thanks!
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FloSoftball does something of this nature, but you have to subscribe to get what they deem pro content.
 
#633
#633
It isn't an excuse. It is a reason. She was a senior, All American, clutch pitcher, and team motivator and leader. OSU was like a 39 seed. We had one solid chance to win the LSU game and Geer sunk. If Gaffin is playing maybe the game doesn't even get to that point. Gaffin had started getting hot at the plate. We missed her twelve home runs. We replaced her with Lockman or McClain. Big difference.
 
#634
#634
sccshortstop said:
Flipped over to the Cal game during commercial. Aldrette hitting .269 with 7 HR. Could have used her this year but she had become a head case.
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With a relatively understandable reason to become a head case. She lost her best friend suddenly, and, by the looks of her social media, Aldrete being on the opposite coast as her family was doing her no good in a very troubling time. She needed help. In fact, some of her tweets were cries for it. Karen said in a press conference that the team was "doing their best to support her," and shortly after finding out the news, that's when her productivity offensively and in terms of leadership started to waver. Her Instagram was at the time (and still is) full of posts about her late friend. Her career will end at Cal, but I believe a part of her heart will always be a LV. She seemed to have enjoyed her time at UT, unlike many others that left for said reasons but the truth of the matter was they couldn't handle the coaching. Examples are Koenig and Akamine. Aldrete is currently doing a lot of community work at Cal to raise awareness about what happened to her friend and others fighting that very same fight. My hat's off to her.
 
#635
#635
sccshortstop said:
Early thoughts on this years roster compared to next. We lose 4 seniors. After looking I think we may lose up to 3 more. I know nothing but this is only my opinion and I will not name names. You can go back and take a look and see what your thoughts are. Someone on here earlier in the thread that the Weekleys hurt us badly by not getting any pitchers for 3 years. From what we had on the roster that probably is true. That is on them. Injuries are a part of sports and the Gaffin one burned us badly due to us not having any pitching that is effective. Bush may bet better but I am not sure she is SEC quality although I hope so. Arnold, a righthander and Martin a lefthander and Seggern I think is a righthander as well should bet to show what they are made of. I look for Martin who is a tall young lady to take the 1st base spot over and either of the other player who can win 3rd base early is a blessing. Aucoin was never a good pitcher and was only adequate at bat and 1st base. Just my 2 cents worth!!
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Gallo must've been a walk-on? I didn't even know we had her on the roster, and I kept up with recruiting pretty well I thought. When was she added?
 
#636
#636
Arizona is a heckuva program, but it goes deeper than that I'm afraid. Sometimes an opposing team just gets into your head to the point that you can't seem to beat them even when you're the better team. There was no reason they should have won the championship in 07 over the Lady Vols. I hope the Lady Vols never have to face them in the tournament again.
 
#637
#637
peachstatevolgirl said:
With a relatively understandable reason to become a head case. She lost her best friend suddenly, and, by the looks of her social media, Aldrete being on the opposite coast as her family was doing her no good in a very troubling time. She needed help. In fact, some of her tweets were cries for it. Karen said in a press conference that the team was "doing their best to support her," and shortly after finding out the news, that's when her productivity offensively and in terms of leadership started to waver. Her Instagram was at the time (and still is) full of posts about her late friend. Her career will end at Cal, but I believe a part of her heart will always be a LV. She seemed to have enjoyed her time at UT, unlike many others that left for said reasons but the truth of the matter was they couldn't handle the coaching. Examples are Koenig and Akamine. Aldrete is currently doing a lot of community work at Cal to raise awareness about what happened to her friend and others fighting that very same fight. My hat's off to her.
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And I commend her!!
 
#638
#638
peachstatevolgirl said:
Gallo must've been a walk-on? I didn't even know we had her on the roster, and I kept up with recruiting pretty well I thought. When was she added?
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Actually she was a transfer from Delaware.

Akamine left because of coaching from the extent that she lost her position to Aldrette. Ralph tried her at 3rd and 1st and she could not be relied upon, similar to the position this year. Koenig was in the same boat by losing her position her sophomore year and then losing confidence at the plate. She was 1 of only a few HR threats.
 
#639
#639
The Weekly's are very good coaches but they are no match for Arizona's Mike Candrea. He is a sly old fox and seldom ever gets out coached. I attended one of his coaching clinics several years back and he is the most knowledgeable women's softball coaches in the nation. The point is well taken also that the Lady Vols had their chances and did not take advantage. Maybe next year!
 
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#640
#640
arkyvol said:
Arizona is a heckuva program, but it goes deeper than that I'm afraid. Sometimes an opposing team just gets into your head to the point that you can't seem to beat them even when you're the better team. There was no reason they should have won the championship in 07 over the Lady Vols. I hope the Lady Vols never have to face them in the tournament again.
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Agreed, I think overlooked this year was the fact that there was very little daylight between the RPI 9-20 teams this year meaning. We essentially ended up facing a team that very easily would have been hosting if they hadn't collapsed in Pac-12 play at the end of the year.
 
#641
#641
56vol said:
The Weekly's are very good coaches but they are no match for Arizona's Mike Candrea. He is a sly old fox and seldom ever gets out coached. I attended one of his coaching clinics several years back and he is the most knowledgeable women's softball coaches in the nation. The point is well taken also that the Lady Vols had their chances and did not take advantage. Maybe next year!
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I agree. I have not looked it up and will not anyway but for the life of me I do not see how they lost 19 games.
 
#642
#642
arkyvol said:
Arizona is a heckuva program, but it goes deeper than that I'm afraid. Sometimes an opposing team just gets into your head to the point that you can't seem to beat them even when you're the better team. There was no reason they should have won the championship in 07 over the Lady Vols. I hope the Lady Vols never have to face them in the tournament again.
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I hope they do. You have to overcome nemesis like this to evolve into a great program. Same with Alabama and Florida.
 
#644
#644
The college game is about psychology. The Weekly's haven't handled the psychology of the game so well this year with this team in my opinion. In most years they do great. This year I think their performance (from managing the team's psychology) was a little substandard for them. Candrea did a great job with his team in the regional but I think Auburn will clean their clock. Meyer can handle Candrea.
 
#645
#645
For those that think losing Gaffin had no barring on the LVs ending their NCAA run, the operative question is are the LVs a stronger team with Gaffin or not? And please, no rebuttal about the name LVs.

With Gaffin the team had another strong pitcher to use, and she was also a clutch hitter and strong defender. Her presence gave the coaching staff options, without her, they were greatly limited.

Take away any teams star, and they are a less effective team.
 
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#646
#646
If zona was primed to give the LVs slamming then Auburn will win. If they came to Kville to prove a point, they did, and if that point was to go to Auburn afterwards and make the WS they may. I don't predict a clock cleaning but I also did not see us cleaning Auburns clock in Kville. Auburn should win but nothing surprises me anymore.
 
#647
#647
sccshortstop said:
Actually she was a transfer from Delaware.

Akamine left because of coaching from the extent that she lost her position to Aldrette. Ralph tried her at 3rd and 1st and she could not be relied upon, similar to the position this year. Koenig was in the same boat by losing her position her sophomore year and then losing confidence at the plate. She was 1 of only a few HR threats.
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Gallo came as a walk-on from Delaware Tech, a community college. She made the team and served mostly as the bullpen catcher.

Akamine losing her spot had nothing to do with coaching. Aldrete was simply the better catcher offensively and defensively. They wanted her to move to third base, where she was very, very good defensively, but she declined the move and elected to give up softball. She was planning on attending beauty school back in California when Oregon State offered her a spot and she ended up taking it for a season.
 
#648
#648
OK guys...You are the coach and recruiter.

Do you want a very strong dominant pitching staff, and a lot of slap hitters with little HR power, with good/great defense...
Or do you want decent pitching (no dominant pitcher) and a lot of hitting power, with several big bats, and weak,. but adequate defense?

I'm not a fan of slap hitters, but I do like dominant pitching with timely hitting...Where is that perfect world scenario, Florida?
 
#649
#649
I watched Zona play UCLA and other PAC 12 teams this year. Zona is a good team with a stellar pitcher, but the LVs made them look unbeatable and they're far from that. The LVs should not be 0-3 against them this year. We gave game 3 away with errors and poor ABs.

After Rainey's injury, it was up to others to step up. Some did not. We saw it in the SEC semis and we saw it yesterday. It's hard to compete for championships when some of the team's best players can't make big plays at critical moments. Maybe the LVs can fix that and be more clutch next year. Overall, a good season with a disappointing postseason.
 
#650
#650
I want a couple of slap hitters at the top of the lineup and in the the eight spot. I want power three through seven and nine. I want at least one dominate pitcher and have become a fan a of lefty pitcher with so many team bulking up on left handed hitters.

I think what Tennessee needs is a couple dominate pitchers, two power hitters to add to Geer and Gregg and I think were ready to roll next season.

I think Moss can dominate next season, Arnold could be good as a freshman. I don't know if Erin is going to be allowed to come back on not. The other prospects at pitcher are Bush, Morrison, and Martin.
 
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