Shocker SB at Creighton Tournament

[flyingMoose]

Creighton Tournament


The Shockers have another (almost) double round-robin tournament at Creighton this Friday and Saturday. Iowa is the third team at the tournament, and they only play Creighton once. The Shocks play back-to-back games starting at 1pm on Friday and have games at 11am and 4pm on Saturday. Both days, the Iowa game precedes the Creighton game.


Iowa are a member of the Big 10 Conference, the no-preseason-picks conference.

The Hawkeyes are 10-9 so far this year. They have played in tournaments hosted by Louisiana-Lafayette, Texas A&M (beating Tulsa twice but never facing Tulsa’s best pitcher), Louisiana Tech, Grand Canyon, and a split DH at #13 Arizona State, the loss being a run-rule, this past Wednesday. Other games against ranked teams are a win over Baylor along with losses to UL-Lafayette (another run-rule) and Texas A&M.

The Iowa offense is led by Mallory Kilian with an OPS of 1.018 and a team-leading three home runs, half of the team total. Only one other player has an OPS above .700. Allison Doocy is the ace of the staff with an ERA of 1.17 and a WHIP of 1.08. Lauren Shaw is the other pitcher at 2.22 and 1.24.


Creighton are the pick for fifth among eight teams in the Big East. A returning All-Conference player is Ashley Cantu from the Second Team.

The record for the Bluejays is 10-7, playing at tournaments hosted by UNLV, North Texas State, Missouri (run-ruled twice by the Tigers) and a weekend series against Southeast Missouri State. The depth of their schedule does not jump out at you.

Kelli Finan (OPS of 1.154 and four home runs), Sam Crowley (1.044) and Hope Moreno (1.014) lead the offense for Creighton. The three pitchers in order of starts/appearances are Bryana Clark (ERA of 2.25 and WHIP of 1.43), Kiele Miller (5.44 and 1.52) and Logan Black (4.09 and 1.00). Ashley Cantu has been Player of the Week, and Bryana Clark has been Pitcher of the Week for the Jays.


Bailey’s ERA is now 2.76 with a WHIP of 1.13. The rest of the staff is usually an adventure waiting to happen.

Paige continues to mash the ball and now has an OPS of 1.176 with a team-leading four homers. Madison has an OPS of .898 with seven others over .700.

[1972Shocker]

Schedule change due to the threat of inclement weather. Evevrything has been pushed back a day. Now playing on Saturday and Sunday.

Game times have changed a little bit as well.

http://goshockers.com/news/2018/3/15/softball-schedule-change-for-creighton-tournament.aspx

[1972Shocker]

Iowa 3 - Shockers 2

http://goshockers.com/news/2018/3/17/softball-shockers-fall-to-hawkeyes-in-omaha.aspx

[flyingMoose]

Iowa 4-3 Creighton

After the Jays took the lead with a three-spot in the bottom of the sixth, Iowa won the game with a grand slam in the the seventh.

[1972Shocker]

Fr. Caitlyn Bingham in the circle for the Shocks vs Creighton.

[flyingMoose]

Shockers at Creighton

Caitlin has the start against Kiele Miller. Paige is the DP, and Morgan is in the outfield.


Shocks score a run in the top of the first to take the lead. Macenzie singled and was replaced at first when Ryleigh's sac bunt become a force out at second. Two wild pitches moved Ryleigh to third where Laurie's single scored her.

Creighton countered with three runs to take the early lead. With two outs, a walk, two singles and a double scored the three.


I just noticed that, as we write, Creighton is playing Iowa in the first round of the NCAA WBB Tournament.


In the second, the Shockers regain the lead. Caitlin and Bailee start the inning with a single and double. With two outs, Mackenzie walks to load the bases and Ryleigh drives in one run with an infield single. Laurie follows with a grand slam to clear the bases.

A walk in the Creighton second followed by some kind of goofy out at second base brings BaileyK to the circle. Of course, she walks her first batter on four pitches. She walks the next batter too, but gets the next batters to end the inning.

After two, Shockers lead 6-3.

[1972Shocker]

Laurie counter back with 5 in the 2nd capped by Laurie's grand slam home run.

Looks like we have team ERA wrecker in progress.

[flyingMoose]

In the Creighton third, a double and home run brings the score to 6-5, Shocks.

Logan Black is on to pitch for the Jays in the top of the fourth.

To little avail.

Mackenzie singles and advances on a wild pitch. With two outs, Laurie walks and both runners advance on another wild pitch. Paige singles to score one, Madison doubles to score one, and Bailee doubles to score the last two of the inning.

And I thought the secondary pitching of the Shocks was weak.

Shockers lead 10-5 after four complete.

Morgan triples with one out in the Shocker fifth, but does not score.

In the Jay fifth, a double and walk/wild pitch puts runners on first and third with no outs and brings Hailey on to pitch.

To little avail.

Hailey eventually gives up a three-run homer that ties the game at 10. After another single, Bailey comes on in relief with one out and gets out of the inning with no more runs scoring.

[1972Shocker]

Pretty fugly.

[flyingMoose]

Creighton WBB 76-70 Iowa

[flyingMoose]

Bryanna Clark, the #1 for the Jays, is on to start the sixth.

[1972Shocker]

Suprised with pinch hitting Bethany Canada for Ryleigh Buck with 2 on and 2 outs in the top of the 7th.

[flyingMoose]

Me too! But she went with several pinch-hitters. Still trying to develop some depth?

[1972Shocker]

Using the tiebreaker rules in the 8th. Shocks score in the top half but Creighton has matched that in the bottom half of the inning and they have runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs.

Creighton gets a walk off single to RF to win 12-11.

Both the Shocker baseball team and softball team losing games to Creighton today in walk off fashion.

[ShockTalk]

Has not been a good weekend for Shocker sports......basketball, baseball, softball, or women's tennis.

[1972Shocker]

No kidding.

[flyingMoose]

Tie breaker in the eighth with the score still at 10-10.

Laurie sacrifices Ryleigh to third, and Paige singles her home for the Shocker lead.

Mackenzie commits an error on the Creighton sac bunt, putting runners at first and third with no outs. A single ties the game, still with no outs. Two more singles end the game.


Shockers 11-12(8) Creighton

[flyingMoose]

Shockers 11-12(8) Creighton

Paige with three hits, Mackenzie, Laurie and Bailee with two hits. Laurie a home run, Morgan a triple, Madison, Caitlin and Bailee had doubles. Laurie had five RBI with Paige and Bailee having two.

My estimation of several weeks ago that the young staff would continue to develop is clearly wrong. Bailey came here as an outfielder (I am told). I hate to think where we would be without her in the circle. After Bailey, it is not clear that anybody on the current staff will ever contribute as a D-I pitcher. Freshmen can struggle, but not like this. This is not struggling - this is being totally ineffective.

Let me go find the incoming recruits ... I can't find them. Hopefully there is a serious pitcher in there.

I know we are Home on the Range where Never is Heard, but I am discouraged.

[1972Shocker]

Looks like we have ERA Wrecker version 2.0 going. This time agains Iowa. Shocks, who are the home team, lead the Hawkeyes 7-5 after 3 innings.

McKenzie Weber started in the circle for the Shocks and lasted 2.1 innings. She allowed 5 runs on 5 hits and 1 walk but all 5 runs were unearned as the Shocks contributed 3 errors ot the damage including on by McKenzie on a sac bunt.

The Shocks scored twice in the 1st on a 2-run single by Paige but left runners stranded on 2nd and 3rd when Asea Webber grounded out to the pitcher and Mckenzie Webber struck out.

After Iowa scored 4 in the top of the 3rd to take a 5-2 lead the Shocks answered with 5 runs in the bottom of the 3rd with a large helping of charity form Iowa.

Madison reached on an error by the Iowa 3B to lead off the inning. Bailee Nickerson singled with Madison taking 2nd. Both runners then moved up a base on a passed ball. Asea Webber reached on a fielder's chocie with Madison scoring and Bailee going to 3rd and Asea advancing to 2nd. Not reallys sure what happened on that play although I suspect Iowa tried and failed to thow Madison out at home. Bailey K singled with Bailee scoring and Asea advancing to 3rd and Bailey K advancing to 2nd. After a pitching change Ryleigh singled to CF scoring Asea and advancing Bailey K to 3rd. Ryleigh then stole second to put runners at 2nd and 3rd before Morgan Palmer struck out fo the 1st out of the inning. Mackenzie Wright grounded to 3rd with Bailey K thrown out at the plate, Ryleigh taking 3rd and Mackenzie on 1st on the fielder's chocie. Ryleigh scored on a passed ball with Mackenzie advancing to 3rd. Laurie then walked and stole second to put runners on 2nd and 3rd for Paige. A wild pitch scored Mackenzie and advanced Laurie to 3rd. Paige grounded out to 3rd to end the inning.

After 3 long innings the Shocks lead 7-5.