Day two of softball - wrapup

Well as great as day one was, day two was the opposite - pretty bad.

TN was never in contention against Fresno State losing 7-3 after falling behind 6-0. Bush had trouble finding the plate, so did Aucoin, and Moss came in and did a little better, but basically Fresno State clocked the TN pitchers. One of their hitters needed to be walked, she was hammering everything. All three TN pitchers lost their composure and were throwing pitches in the dirt and wild high. A very disappointing effort.

The hitters fared no better. Fresno State threw nothing but off speed junk all game and TN batters never adjusted well enough.

As good as Vines and Leach looked on day one, today they looked like kids playing against a major college team. They were indecisive in the box and in the field.

The team came out flat and with no energy. Coaches call this kind of an effort a failure to compete.

The second game against ASU started out bad, got better bit by bit then ended terribly.

Gabriel got clocked a bit in the first inning to the tune of 3 runs (1 unearned due to a passed ball and a stupid play by McSwain trying to throw out a runner at home that was standing on third base not going anywhere).

But Gabriel settled down and pitched brilliantly for the next 7 innings not giving up a hit or a walk and getting 11 strike outs.

Overstreet hit a three run blast to tie the score and then in the 8th inning TN gets the go ahead run to take the lead 4-3.

The bottom of the inning was a meltdown. Gabriel suddenly got shaky and fell behind batters but still managed to record the first two outs. Then Gregg mishandles a grounder and a run scores. A decision to intentionally walk the next batter proves disastrous as the first pitch gets by Overstreet and the runner scores and ASU wins 5-4 in walk off fashion.

Gabriel deserved a better fate. She pitched near-brilliantly for all but one inning and if she had had any fielding help at all she would have got the win.

The takeaways from the day are this: TN has to bring it every game. They are not going to win games just by showing up. They have to compete. Gabriel is better than last season, but Moss and Bush are still freshman after all and have a ways to go it looks like. I wish Karen didn't have to use Aucoin, but if Moss and Bush are undependable as they have been for two days then Karen has little choice - Gabriel doesn't have the stamina to pitch every day.

The fielding is apparently no better than last season. And that is bad news cause it was pretty bad last season. The entire infield has made errors or missed plays they should have made. Vines has made an error in the outfield. It has to improve.

The bats must get going. The 15 run game against BYU was the exception so far. The team has scored some runs but I'm waiting for them to bust out.

A disappointing day after a great day one. Let's see what day three brings.

Was surprised we didn't try to close out that second game with Gaffin. Hopefully the pitching recovers today and we get some wins.

Thanks for the summary.

In the last inning of ASU game, you say that Gabriel got the first two outs and then Gregg mishandled a grounder and a run scored. What happened in between--before the muffed grounder by Gregg?

You can't make errors, that's the bottom line, and you especially can't make them in the late innings of close games. Yesterday, the team seemed to be playing like last year's team--striking out with runners on base, infield errors and shaky pitching times. The freshmen/team will be fine. I hope Ralph doesn't put too much pressure on them.

Thanks.I listened to both games and am groggy this morning from staying up that late.

I think all who follow softball understood that pitching would decide the fate of this team ...strong pitching by the array of freshmen pitchers that is.After two days of competing by our freshmen pitchers ,one can not make an accurate assessment but the early results are disappointing.

Gabriel was pretty good last year especially late in the season. In the SEC tournament and NCAA tournament she shined. I was fearful she was going to be injured on that passed ball. Good to see that her labrum is fully healed.

Volfan2012 said:

Was surprised we didn't try to close out that second game with Gaffin. Hopefully the pitching recovers today and we get some wins.

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Indeed Gaffin was warming up early and did not start the game. But Gabriel was brilliant after the first. I'm not going to second guess that decision. The loss was on the fielders not her.

armchair said:

Thanks for the summary.

In the last inning of ASU game, you say that Gabriel got the first two outs and then Gregg mishandled a grounder and a run scored. What happened in between--before the muffed grounder by Gregg?...

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Sorry for being unclear. Extra inning base running rule is in effect. Prior to any batter stepping into the batter's box, a runner is placed at second base. So the inning starts out with a runner on second and the next batter to hit.

LVJeff are the father,mother of a softball player and attending the games at faraway places ;or do you live in Arizona and just taking the opportunity to observe action 1st hand ??

alexvol said:

LVJeff are the father,mother of a softball player and attending the games at faraway places ;or do you live in Arizona and just taking the opportunity to observe action 1st hand ??

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None of the above.

I am long retired and split my time between Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho in the north and the SF bay area. Officially I live in San Francisco but spend no more than 4 months yearly there.

I travel to any TN softball or LV basketball game I can and occasionally take in a game in Knoxville.

I travel a lot as you might can guess.

LVJeff said:

None of the above.

I am long retired and split my time between Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho in the north and the SF bay area. Officially I live in San Francisco but spend no more than 4 months yearly there.

I travel to any TN softball or LV basketball game I can and occasionally take in a game in Knoxville.

I travel a lot as you might can guess.

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Good for you.

Have retired twice myself ,,,,28 years in Army ( Col ret) and 15 years in Architect/Engineer firm .I also travel a lot to Knoxville from Alexandria,Va ( across the river from DC to attend all football games and most away games as well as several men's and women's basketball and softball games every year.

LVJeff said:

Sorry for being unclear. Extra inning base running rule is in effect. Prior to any batter stepping into the batter's box, a runner is placed at second base. So the inning starts out with a runner on second and the next batter to hit.

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Armchair, here is the sequence in the bottom of the 8th. I am going from memory here so I hope I don't make a mistake.

Extra inning base running rule is in effect. The next batter due up in the order rather than taking a turn at bat is awarded second base. This is true for both teams. Gregg was awarded second in the top of the 8th and scored to make the game 4-3 TN.

So the ASU half starts out with a runner at second. Erin falls behind the batter, throws a pitch in the dirt, then one high, and I'm thinking what the hell is going on??? But she recovers and gets the strike out.

1 on 1 out.

Next batter Erin falls behind but induces a grounder. The runner is out at first but the runner at second advances to third. 1 on 2 out but the runner is at third. At this point I thought TN had the game won.

But it's now the top of the order. Grrrr. The lead batter had been pitched to very carefully all game long and Erin walks her, not giving her anything to hit but missing the corners. Karen probably called it this way, I don't know. At this point I thought ASU would push that runner at third across and tie the game.

Runners at first and third, 2 out, still 4-3 TN.

With a runner at third, the first base runner steals second. No throw down from Overstreet.

Runners at second and third, 2 out. At this point I thought maybe TN would lose.

Then comes the hard grounder to Gregg's right. In the game thread I posted that Gregg has to make this play. It was no doubt a tough play. Gregg ranged to her right and bent double to try and back hand the ball but booted it. Her vision may have been obscured by McSwain also attempting to snare the ball, no way to know. But top tier shortstops make this play. The Florida shortstop, Romero from Michigan, make this play. Gregg didn't.

The runner at third scores, the runner at second reaches third, and the batter is safe at first. ASU crowd goes wild.

Score tied 4-4, runners still at first and third, 2 out. At this point I thought get it over with so I can go. It's cold and to heck with it.

De ja vu, the runner at first steals second, no throw down from Overstreet. Runners at second and third.

Karen calls for the intentional walk to load the bases. This is the textbook move, but I instinctively didn't like it. Sure enough, on the first pitch out, the ball skitters off Overstreet's glove to the wall and the runner at third races home to score. ASU wins 5-4 in walk off fashion.

Crowd goes doubly wild and I wanted to blow the whole place up. Well, not really on the last part.

Tough tough loss. Gabriel should blister Overstreet, Gregg, McSwain et al for their lack of fielding and general lack of field presence. Gabriel deserved a better end than this.

Hope the SECN will begin televising SB when lnter -league play begins. Who really cares about gymnastics!

The fielding will get better with more time outside no doubt in my mind

LVJeff said:

None of the above.

I am long retired and split my time between Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho in the north and the SF bay area. Officially I live in San Francisco but spend no more than 4 months yearly there.

I travel to any TN softball or LV basketball game I can and occasionally take in a game in Knoxville.

I travel a lot as you might can guess.

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would you adopt me, plz? lol

gule said:

would you adopt me, plz? lol

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No!!!!

Thanks for the explanation, Jeff. I'm not sure I have ever seen the extra-inning base running rule in effect! This is every game? I have to say, I don't like it. I feel like they should play at least two extra innings to see if a team can legitimately win the game before going to the extra-inning rule.

armchair said:

Thanks for the explanation, Jeff. I'm not sure I have ever seen the extra-inning base running rule in effect! This is every game? I have to say, I don't like it. I feel like they should play at least two extra innings to see if a team can legitimately win the game before going to the extra-inning rule.

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I think it's an international rule. I don't know how often the NCAA uses it. I have seen it in tournaments before.

Check this site for an analysis of why this is a bad rule.

Analyzing the International Tie-Breaker (ITB) Rule through Sabermetrics

armchair said:

Thanks for the explanation, Jeff. I'm not sure I have ever seen the extra-inning base running rule in effect! This is every game? I have to say, I don't like it. I feel like they should play at least two extra innings to see if a team can legitimately win the game before going to the extra-inning rule.

Click to expand...

LVJeff said:

I think it's an international rule. I don't know how often the NCAA uses it. I have seen it in tournaments before.

Check this site for an analysis of why this is a bad rule.

Analyzing the International Tie-Breaker (ITB) Rule through Sabermetrics

Click to expand...

It's basically a rule used in early season tourney's and some conference tourney's so teams are not playing a super long time....you find it common in travel ball and your high school tourney's

great write up jeff :hi:

I don't know why Lexi didn't try to throw those runners out,other than maybe they were worried about a wild pitch and scoring the runner