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**flyingMoose** · March 8, 2023, 02:37 PM

Stanford has a mark of 2-2 agains teams ranked when played with losses to Oklahoma and Duke and two wins over Georgia. They are 2-0 against teams who were RV. They have two wins over Boise State (possibly the worst game of the season for the Shockers) and two over Villanova.

Canady is not the only force in the circle for the Cardinal. The three Stanford arms are Alana Vawter (59.0 IP, ERA of 1.07, WHIP of 0.73), Canady (44.0, 0.00, 0.41), and Regan Krause (31.2, 2.65. 0.95). Vawter and Canady have the wins over Georgia. Krause and Vawter have the losses to Oklahoma and Duke respectively.

River Mahler (OPS of 1.017) is the only batter with an OPS above 1.000 with Taylor Gindlesperger (.936) and Caelan Koch (.909) next. Koch and Aly Kaneshiro each have three home runs, all of the homers for the Cardinal.

To be clear, this game is not part of the Shocker Classic which is conducted Friday through Sunday. I hope to be there for this one.

**flyingMoose** · March 8, 2023, 07:39 PM

The Shocks host Nebraska and Missouri State in the Shocker Classic beginning Friday. Nebraska plays the Shocks on Friday at 5 pm and Saturday at 230 pm. The Shockers play Missouri State on Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 230 pm. The Huskers and the Bears play each other at noon on Saturday and Sunday.

Nebraska are members of the Big 10 who do not believe in any preseason folderol. Their record is 14-6 with wins over 16 Arizona, RV Texas A&M and Houston. Losses include games against 2 UCLA, 4/5 Oklahoma State (that is, two losses on separate weekends), 4 Arkansas, and 8 Virginia Tech. Clearly, they have played some challenging teams. In the polls, Nebraska are currently RV31stTie and RV28th.

Leading hitters for the Huskers are Billie Andrews (1.197 with eight homers) and Caitlynn Neal (1.054). Katelyn Caneda, Brooke Andrews, and Ave Bredwell all have an OPS in the .940s. The three pitchers in IP order are Courtney Wallace (59.2, 2.58, 1.39), Sarah Harness (41.0, 2.39, 1.20), and Kaylin Kinney (25.0, 0.86, 0.96).

Missouri State are a pick for fourth place in the MVC. No Bears were named to the twelve-person preseason all conference team. Their current record is 8-10, and they have yet to play even an RV team.

Tess Weakly has the highest OPS on the team at .879 and has a team-leading three home runs. Most of the innings for Missouri State belong to McKenzie Vaughan (31.1, 3.35, 1.31), Gracie Johnston (29.1, 4.77, 1.47, and Mackenzie Chacon (24.2, 2.45 1.54). Johnston is a senior from Augusta.

Shocker hitting is led by Sydney (1.558), Zoe (1.286 and a team-leading eight homers), Lolo (1.204 and five homer), Lauren (1.081), and a day-to-day Addison (1.030). I know that Lauren LUcas is Lulu on Twitter, but I just can't do it. Lolo looks like a Lolo; LaurenL does not look like a Lulu to me. Sorry.

The pitching in IP order is Alison (42.2, 2.95, 1.38), LaurenH (42.0, 1.00, 0.88), and Alex (31.2, 1.33, 0.82).

The Shockers are 23/RV27th in the polls.

**flyingMoose** · March 9, 2023, 02:44 PM

As mentioned above, a trip like this (Stanford to the KU Tournament) is often a Senior Trip - and it is! Alana Vawter, one of the pitchers, is a senior from KC, MO. The Canady family gets to ride the coattails of the Vawter Senior Trip.

It also suggests to me that Vawter will not be the starter today. Which, of course, means ...

**flyingMoose** · March 9, 2023, 02:58 PM

Stanford at Shockers

I'm headed out to watch this one.

**SubGod22** · March 9, 2023, 03:02 PM

Originally posted by flyingMoose View Post

Stanford at Shockers

I'm headed out to watch this one.

Have fun. It's a cool, crisp day. I'm stuck at work but will be watching on The Ocho (ESPN+) before heading to a sports bar after work to watch the Men's game against Tulsa.

**1972Shocker** · March 9, 2023, 03:13 PM

Originally posted by flyingMoose View Post

Stanford at Shockers

I'm headed out to watch this one.

My handy, dandy weather app says that with winds out of the NNW at 17 mph and cloud cover that it will feel like 40-41 degrees.

Sounds like the pitchers will definitely have the advantage and on paper that definitely favors Stanford. Also sounds like a small ball, get on base, mover the runners over and hope for a key base hit or an opponent's error to score. I don't much about Stanford's offensive approach but that approach is generally not in the Shockers' wheelhouse. Might be able to get one out to right field.

**SubGod22** · March 9, 2023, 04:13 PM

A bit of a rough start. A couple of balls blooped into LF that have ended up doubles due to trying to get an out and then not coming up clean with the ball. Leads to one run with one out and runners on 2nd and 3rd.

An E1 loaded the bases and then a walk on I think four straight pitches. 2-0 Stanford. Howell is warming up.

Hood comes home on a sharp ground ball to get an out and save a run.

They did just mention that Addie is back in the lineup today. I hadn't checked.

Coop walks in another. 3-0 Cardinal.

Ground ball up the middle scores 2. 5-0 Stanford and Howell is coming in.

Another hit and a run off of Howell's glove.

Pop up to Syd finally ends the the half inning.

6-0 Stanford

**1972Shocker** · March 9, 2023, 04:18 PM

Alison in the circle for the Shocks. Addison is back in the lineup. Zoe at 1st, Krystin at 3rd.

**1972Shocker** · March 9, 2023, 04:32 PM

Stanford scores 6 in the top of the 1st without really hitting the ball very hard. For all intents and purposes this game is probably over. I think the best the Shocks can hope for from here is to be somewhat competitive and maybe avoid getting run-ruled.

**SubGod22** · March 9, 2023, 04:33 PM

Syd leads off with a lined shot to CF for a single.

Barnard with a long AB that ends with her popping up just behind second base.

LuLu grounds into a FC and then advances to 2nd when the throw to first leaves the field of play. Two outs.

Jones strikes out looking at what looked to be a low (strike).

6-0 Stanford after 1.

Second inning starts with a flyball out to CF. Followed by a walk. Stanford just put in an Eck (Andale) to run. Eck advances to 2nd on a pitch in the dirt. Howell gets out number 2 with a swinging strikeout. Grounder to 3rd ends the inning. To the bottom of 2 we go.

LoLo lines a single into LCF. Sami bloops a single into RCF. LoLo to 2nd. Taylor strikes out looking at a very borderline pitch. Lainee grounds back to the pitcher for a FC. LoLo out at 3rd. Nelson weakly grounds out to first. End of 2.

Top of 3. I missed how they got a runner on 1st. Soft pop up to Syd gets out number 1. A bunt single puts runners on 1st and 2nd. Hard grounder thru the left side loads the bases. A full count walk brings in another run. 7-0 Stanford. She battles and gets a swinging K for out number 2. Eck flies out to deep RF to end the inning.

B3. Syd leads off with a fly out to CF. Addie first pitch swinging and flies out to CF. LuLu sharply grounds out to first to quickly end the third.

T4. Starts with a strikeout looking. A good throw from Nelson at third gets out 2. A soft liner to RF puts a runner on 1st. A pop up taken by Syd on the right side of the IF just behind the circle ends the inning.

B4. Jones with a half swing that finds a spot in RCF. LoLo grounded into what should have been a DP but the 1B dropped the throw. Sami ropes one into LF for a single. Taylor goes down looking again on a pitch that was even worse than the first one. Lainee goes down swinging on a changeup that absolutely fooled her.

T5. Nelson can't quite snag the shot down the line, but cannon's it over the first for the out. Grounder to Sami is taken care of. Two down. Hard grounder up the middle for a single. Lazy fly ball to CF ends the top of the 5th.

I'm out.

**1972Shocker** · March 9, 2023, 06:24 PM

The bookends weren't pretty but the Shocks were competitive for the middle 5 innings. Lauren was pretty solid in relief until the 7th. Held off the run rule although the score looks like a run rule.

In the 1st and 7th innings Stanford outhit the Shocks 9 to 1. In the middle 5 innings the Shocks outhit Stanford 7 to 4.

Not really sure what to take away from this game except that the Shocks are still not quite ready to run with the big girls of collegiate softball.

I suppose the highlight for the Shocks offensively was the freshman Sami Hood going 2-3 against very high quality pitching.

**flyingMoose** · March 9, 2023, 07:29 PM

I am almost thawed out, so some Notes from the Field-

I thought the defense in the top of the first was really, really soft. Alison gave up one sharply hit ball up the middle, but I thought the others would be caught - they weren't. Of course, without the error by Alison, the Cardinal only scores one. If Lauren doesn't deflect the one hit back toward her, Syd would have made the play. That one cost the last run.

Vawter was a nice pitcher for Stanford - drop and change primarily. She ate up the inexperienced batters (sophomores and freshmen) with her change. I thought they might start taking the hard stuff and sit on the change, but that never seemed to happen.

Lauren battled in the circle and I thought did a nice job. Krystin made a couple of nice plays at third. Sami is starting to hit the ball, and Taylor appears to be a keeper.

The Cardinal homer in the seventh was a no-doubter - Addison barely moved.

I was not impressed by the plate umpire. We had a couple of called strike threes (Zoe and Taylor?) that were certainly questionable. Generally, Stanford had more calls go their way than calls going for the Shocks. But Vawter was better that Alison and Lauren, so that sort of thing happens.

Stanford is clearly the better team, but not 11-0 better.

I may have some more good stuff, but I cannot read my writing. Cold weather does not help my penmanship. :)

**NCAABound** · March 9, 2023, 10:38 PM

Pretty bad if we're a softball school now

**flyingMoose** · March 10, 2023, 03:03 PM

Shocker Classic

Game One

RV Nebraska at 23 Shockers

Lineups: Sydney, Addison, Lauren, Zoe 1B, Lolo, Sami, Taylor, Lainee, Camryn 3B with Alex in the circle. Sarah Harness, second in IP, is the pitcher for Nebraska.

Single, fly out, single, strikeout, fly out and Alex is out of the top of the first. In the bottom half, Syd walks and Addison reaches on catcher obstruction. Lauren brings them both home with a double. Zoe walks and both runners move up on a wild pitch. Lolo then walks to load 'em up. Still nobody out. With one out, Taylor walks to score another run. Neither Lainee nor Camryn can push another run across. Shockers lead 3-0 after one. Four walks by the Huskers.

A walk and an error start the Nebraska second inning. A force at second base gets one out, but the throw to first is bad and a run scores. 3-1 Shocks in the middle of the second.

Syd triples to leadoff the Shocker second and scores on an error, a mishandled throw apparently. One out later, Lauren has a bunt single and Zoe walks. When Lolo also walks to load the bases, Kendall Mangell (1.0 IP, 35.0, 8.0) is on to pitch for the Huskers. After a force at home, Taylor clears the bases with a grand slam! 8-1 Shocks after two complete.

Alex continues to scramble. Single, single, walk to open the third inning. Another single scores one run and a double scores two more. Still no outs. Alison is on to pitch with runners at second and third and no outs. Krystin also replaces Camryn at 3B for her defense. A sac fly scores one more, but Alison escapes any damage beyond that. Three up, three down for the Shocks. 8-5 after three.

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