NCAA Softball Selection -- Does the committee love the B1G?

[bbg95]

May 28, 2021 22:01:17 GMT -5 trojansc said:

LOL - JMU's pitcher breaks up Mizzou's no-hitter in the top 7th to leadoff the inning. Gotta love it! Go Dukes!

She's fast. I thought that was a routine groundout to short.

[trojansc]

May 28, 2021 22:01:43 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

May 28, 2021 22:01:17 GMT -5 trojansc said:

LOL - JMU's pitcher breaks up Mizzou's no-hitter in the top 7th to leadoff the inning. Gotta love it! Go Dukes!

She's fast. I thought that was a routine groundout to short.

I thought she would be out - then the double-clench by the SS made me think it was going to be a tight play. But it wasn't even close.

[bbg95]

James Madison up 1-0 after a pinch-hit bloop single with the bases loaded. 

Edit: 2-0 after a sacrifice fly.

[trojansc]

A freshman.. called to pinch hit with bases loaded top of the 7th.. for the only non-P5 team in the Super Regionals.. playing at the #8 Overall seed Mizzou.. and CONVERTS with a bloop single.

That's awesome.

[trojansc]

Wow. Mizzou hitter with a 3-1 count, looks like not only was the pitch a strike, but the checked-swing was borderline at best, and could have easily been called a swing too.

[trojansc]

I wonder if the rain could be a factor for both pitchers, or just pressure of the 7th. Mizzou with tying run on 2nd.

[bbg95]

Actually a break for James Madison that Alexander threw a wild pitch on a full count to load the bases instead of scoring a run.

[trojansc]

omg.. bases loaded on three walks.. two outs.. bottom of 7th.. for a game that was so drama-less for 6 innings.. the 7th has been thrilling.

[bbg95]

I think if she issues another walk, they have to make a pitching change. 

Edit: We're here, and they're leaving her in. 

[trojansc]

She's getting squeezed. Man.

[bbg95]

Haha, that's why I'm not a manager. She gets the last out on three pitches. 

[trojansc]

Holy Sh*t. What a game and 7th inning. James Madison wins it.

No rain in the forecast tomorrow - Alexander with the 1-hitter and JMU will be the home team tomorrow.

[trojansc]

May 28, 2021 22:41:02 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

Haha, that's why I'm not a manager. She gets the last out on three pitches. 

These mid-majors and unseeded teams do not have 1-2 ace punches like many of the other teams do. They really have to live and die on their one pitcher.

I wonder if the rain really did make a factor -- she had not been even close to that wild all game, regardless of the zone shrink. Announcers mentioned it stopped for that last at-bat.

[trojansc]

May 27, 2021 23:21:31 GMT -5 mikegarrison said:

May 27, 2021 21:56:05 GMT -5 trojansc said:

4-0 Hokies! They looked really good in Tempe last weekend, pitching + offense combo.

UCLA has a true pitching staff though — even as elite as Garcia is, the two behind her are very good. VTech’s dropoff is pretty significant after their ace.

In the NCAA postseason, usually the #1 ace pitcher is all that really matters. Coaches ride their best horses almost all the time.

UCLA went against their ace, and instead goes with the #2 pitcher and she 1-hit Virginia Tech to force the if-necessary game. What do you do now in game 3? Go with your #2 again, or go back to your 2x NPOY?

As expected, VTech's ace stuck in the whole game even after two early home-runs. They just don't have a backup.

[bbg95]

May 28, 2021 22:42:28 GMT -5 trojansc said:

May 28, 2021 22:41:02 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

Haha, that's why I'm not a manager. She gets the last out on three pitches. 

These mid-majors and unseeded teams do not have 1-2 ace punches like many of the other teams do. They really have to live and die on their one pitcher.

I wonder if the rain really did make a factor -- she had not been even close to that wild all game, regardless of the zone shrink. Announcers mentioned it stopped for that last at-bat.

Yeah, I just had zero confidence that she could still throw a strike that wasn't right down the middle. And yeah, maybe the rain was affecting her.