Game Thread Lady Vols Softball in the Eagle Round Robin

[LVJeff]

That .250 avg is deceiving. She came to UT as a righty. The Weekly's flipped her over to the left side and have her mostly slapping.

A little unfair to judge her career numbers when she had to go through a transition like that.

Yeah we were talking about that a couple pages back. The thing is, her freshman season she batted right and had 15 at-bats with 3 hits. Not exactly tearing the cover off the ball. I clearly remember Ralph saying the coaches were working with her because she was "behind". I never knew what that meant.

It was her sophomore season she turned leftie and had 46 at-bats with 13 hits, a little better than her freshman season but nothing special.

Regardless of whether it's fair or not, she's had 2+ seasons and hasn't yet been able to hit for power or average as either a rightie or a leftie.

 

[LVJeff]

With stronger competition upcoming plus the brutal SEC, it is vital the team replace Lexi Overstreet and Rainey Gaffin's bats in the lineup. The news is promising that McSwain and Lockman may be able to do that. Keep your fingers crossed.

The bottom of the order must produce. I think Seggern eventually will, although it may take a season to adjust to SEC pitching.

Arnold I believe is a keeper at pitcher. Fielding is much improved.

This will be a better team than last season.

But the thing is, the SEC is better as a whole than it was last season, also. Tennessee could have a better team than last season and finish with a worse record believe it or not.

 

[sccshortstop]

With stronger competition upcoming plus the brutal SEC, it is vital the team replace Lexi Overstreet and Rainey Gaffin's bats in the lineup. The news is promising that McSwain and Lockman may be able to do that. Keep your fingers crossed.

The bottom of the order must produce. I think Seggern eventually will, although it may take a season to adjust to SEC pitching.

Arnold I believe is a keeper at pitcher. Fielding is much improved.

This will be a better team than last season.

But the thing is, the SEC is better as a whole than it was last season, also. Tennessee could have a better team than last season and finish with a worse record believe it or not.

Jeff it seems almost scary to mention Gaffin and Overstreet in the same sentence as McSwain and Lockman. Other than the proof that will be in the pudding we wont know for a while. Two slow right handed hitters replacing a slow and a fast left hand hitter is as scary. I hoped last year McSwain would come out of her slump with the HR ball but as much negative happenings at 3rd base she was really mixed up I think. I just would like CJ to get on fire and I know she has more power from the right side and as discussed the left hand is a long way from consistant. You are right if the pitching comes throught we will be better defensively and offensively but we may not finish as or any highter.
Thanks for what you do!
:boobies:

 

[armchair]

The odd thing about switching McClain from the right side to the left is that we need right-hand hitting. We've got a bunch of left-side hitters--arguably too many. She could be problematic.

As for McSwain, I think she will be OK. She can hit; she's no Geer but she's got some power and has some bat talent. I think her defensives problems, and benching, ruined her confidence last year--as it would most people. We need her and Lockman to hit.

On an unrelated note, I saw on another board that Taylor Koenig is not even playing at Cal this year. Apparently not on the roster. I think her hitting woes caught up with her.

I finally saw the note about Geathers. Yea, more than a little strange to give up your senior season on a prominent program, but, hey...academics and career will be more important than softball in the future.

 

[sccshortstop]

The odd thing about switching McClain from the right side to the left is that we need right-hand hitting. We've got a bunch of left-side hitters--arguably too many. She could be problematic.

As for McSwain, I think she will be OK. She can hit; she's no Geer but she's got some power and has some bat talent. I think her defensives problems, and benching, ruined her confidence last year--as it would most people. We need her and Lockman to hit.

On an unrelated note, I saw on another board that Taylor Koenig is not even playing at Cal this year. Apparently not on the roster. I think her hitting woes caught up with her.

I finally saw the note about Geathers. Yea, more than a little strange to give up your senior season on a prominent program, but, hey...academics and career will be more important than softball in the future.

Yeah I heard Ralph say during her freshman year that because she had such great speed that if she could get the bat on the ball from the left side she could leg out a hit pretty easily. Looks like that has not worked out and since we now are going to have both Lockman and McSwain who are right hand hitter in the lineup daily maybe he will go back to CJ on the right side. I know she has more power from that side. Add Geer to the right hand mix and we would have 4 players who could alternate hitting in the order LRLRLRLR and the dh in there somewhere. JMHO:boobies:

 

[DeerPark12]

The coaches have plenty of options. Rowland or Lockman at first. Vines back to the outfield. Geer in center or right. For whatever reason, Ralph wants McClain in center and in the 9 spot. I believe the reasons are what was stated earlier. If she doesn't produce, it's on her - she's been given (or earned) the opportunities.

I spoke to a couple people about Geathers. Nobody knew anything.

For those that missed it earlier in the thread:

Geathers gave up Softball last month to focus on academics.

I'm sure the skeptics won't believe that story, but it is what it is. She needs to graduate this semester for personal reasons and may not have been able to take (pass) a big enough class load while also playing.