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

[trojansc]

It all kicks off tomorrow.

12pm ET - James Madison vs. #1 Oklahoma

It will be the first time the 4,000 new upper-deck is used. Capacity will be over 13,000 now. Good stuff!

[trojansc]

UCLA's Megan Faraimo had reportedly broken her hand. ESPN said she did not travel (yet) and was day-to-day.

Huge loss for UCLA.

[bbg95]

Jocelyn Alo won the national player of the year award, only the fourth non-pitcher to win in the award's 19-year history.

[c4ndlelight]

Jun 2, 2021 18:57:05 GMT -5 trojansc said:

UCLA's Megan Faraimo had reportedly broken her hand. ESPN said she did not travel (yet) and was day-to-day.

Huge loss for UCLA.

Oh no. UCLA will just have to pitch Rachel Garcia the whole time…..

[bbg95]

Jun 2, 2021 21:44:14 GMT -5 c4ndlelight said:

Jun 2, 2021 18:57:05 GMT -5 trojansc said:

UCLA's Megan Faraimo had reportedly broken her hand. ESPN said she did not travel (yet) and was day-to-day.

Huge loss for UCLA.

Oh no. UCLA will just have to pitch Rachel Garcia the whole time…..

Well, if UCLA had done that against Virginia Tech in the second game of the super regional, they might be watching from home. Faraimo saved their season.

[c4ndlelight]

Jun 2, 2021 22:04:21 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

Jun 2, 2021 21:44:14 GMT -5 c4ndlelight said:

Oh no. UCLA will just have to pitch Rachel Garcia the whole time…..

Well, if UCLA had done that against Virginia Tech in the second game of the super regional, they might be watching from home. Faraimo saved their season.

Counterpoint: pitching Garcia every inning of the WCWS is why they are defending national championships.

[trojansc]

Jun 2, 2021 22:04:21 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

Jun 2, 2021 21:44:14 GMT -5 c4ndlelight said:

Oh no. UCLA will just have to pitch Rachel Garcia the whole time…..

Well, if UCLA had done that against Virginia Tech in the second game of the super regional, they might be watching from home. Faraimo saved their season.

UCLA also won two one-run games in the Regionals. A loss in either would have forced a second game that day. Not sure Garcia is getting the nod in all of those games.

Not to mention, Faraimo is a First-Team All-American. I'd much rather have two 1st teamers than one in trying to go all the way. Garcia's not been completely invincible this postseason, either. UCLA as a whole has not looked 'dominant' to me like they did in the 2019 postseason.

If UCLA doesn't win both Thursday and Friday, that's looking like 5 games in 3 days with Garcia on the mound. This is a big loss for UCLA. I'm not at all doubting UCLA can win it all with Garcia. But, their chances have gone down significantly in my mind.

[trojansc]

Jun 2, 2021 22:10:16 GMT -5 c4ndlelight said:

Jun 2, 2021 22:04:21 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

Well, if UCLA had done that against Virginia Tech in the second game of the super regional, they might be watching from home. Faraimo saved their season.

Counterpoint: pitching Garcia every inning of the WCWS is why they are defending national championships.

Sure. She didn't have to pitch more than one game in a single day. I think that's their path back to a title this year.

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened in 2019 if Washington's batter stood in there and let herself get hit by a HBP and forces a Game 2 on Sunday in the WCWS Semifinals, it certainly would have been interesting to see if Garcia would have bounced back and been able to beat Washington again in a winner-take all match after pitching over 7 innings already.

[c4ndlelight]

Jun 2, 2021 22:16:38 GMT -5 trojansc said:

Jun 2, 2021 22:10:16 GMT -5 c4ndlelight said:

Counterpoint: pitching Garcia every inning of the WCWS is why they are defending national championships.

Sure. She didn't have to pitch more than one game in a single day. I think that's their path back to a title this year.

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened in 2019 if Washington's batter stood in there and let herself get hit by a HBP and forces a Game 2 on Sunday in the WCWS Semifinals, it certainly would have been interesting to see if Garcia would have bounced back and been able to beat Washington again in a winner-take all match after pitching over 7 innings already.

I just wouldn’t bet against her in an elimination game. Her compete level is next level.

[bbg95]

Jun 2, 2021 22:10:16 GMT -5 c4ndlelight said:

Jun 2, 2021 22:04:21 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

Well, if UCLA had done that against Virginia Tech in the second game of the super regional, they might be watching from home. Faraimo saved their season.

Counterpoint: pitching Garcia every inning of the WCWS is why they are defending national championships.

Sure. Two years ago. Maybe Garcia would have been able to shake off getting lit up in the first game (her defense definitely didn't do her any favors, but she still allowed nine hits and four earned runs in four innings) immediately. Maybe not. Regardless, Faraimo was a nice luxury for UCLA to have. I'm not saying UCLA can't repeat. But I think it's a bit flippant to act like losing Faraimo is no big deal. Maybe it won't matter. We'll see.

[trojansc]

3-0 JAMES MADISON in the Top 3rd !!!!!!!!

[bbg95]

James Madison just hit a three-run shot in the third inning to go ahead 3-0 on Oklahoma. 

[trojansc]

Ruh roh. 3-3 Oklahoma.

I think that's it for the Dukes. Once to OU offense breaks through, I think the floodgates are open.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

[bbg95]

That was fast. Oklahoma ties it with a three-run shot of their own to dead center. 

Edit: Also, that "hit" to lead off the inning was one of the more generous scoring decisions I've seen. The shortstop just booted that grounder.

[trojansc]

Jun 3, 2021 11:58:19 GMT -5 trojansc said:

Ruh roh. 3-3 Oklahoma.

I think that's it for the Dukes. Once to OU offense breaks through, I think the floodgates are open.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

I was wrong. We're tied 3-3 in the Top 7th.

Alexander deserves ALL the respect in the world.