Not the way we wanted the tournament to go, but it is tough to win out there much more so than it would be if the roles were reversed. Traveling 2000 miles while they are traveling 200 miles or less and always being the road team is a double disadvantage of playing in California. You can see it in basketballl as teams from the east and midwest that have to travel out there lose 70 to 80 percent of the time. It also can happen in the reverse as teams traveling from there to the midwest and east are losing a large percentage of the time an example is unranked Iowa over fourth ranked USC just a couple weeks ago.
I don't know what it says about our team as to get a clear picture we need the opportunity to play UCLA and Oregon after they have traveled 2000 miles and let us be the home team on the field. There is an advantage batting last even if it is just psychological. Every time you get them out you know you have six at bats coming before the game could be over. There is certainly more pressure in a tie game and the late innings when the team batting last can walk it off with a run.
I'm not putting a lot into losing two games out there to top ranked teams. I will get more information as to how we play top ranked teams at home and in a closer area to UT.
Finally was not impressed with the lineup the coaches put out there in the Oregon game. If like I am reading they wanted to limit Karlyn why was she pitching any other games except Oregon and UCLA. Why did we decide to take her out of the game with a three run lead even if she walked two and an infield hit loaded the bases. She was still the best option to get us out of it with the least damage. No reason for her not to face more batters in that situation. A poor decision as far as I am concerned by the coaches who were not on their game in the big matchups in this tourney.
