Shocker SB v Kansas

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers host Kansas for a single game at 6pm on Wednesday.

The Jayhawks are in a bit of transition with a new coaching staff this year. Jennifer McFall, the head coach, was most recently an assistant coach at Texas before a retirement and subsequent coaching changes there. Cacy Williams, former Shocker, is the Director of Softball Operations at KU, the same position she had with the Shocks.

Kansas's record this year is 8-19. They have played some good competition, but also some that is not so good. Among common opponents, the Jayhawks lost twice to SEMO while the Shockers beat them in their only meeting. This past weekend KU lost twice to Tulsa and beat Nebraska by scores of 2-0 and 1-0.

Offensive leaders for Kansas are Madison Sykes (OPS of .897) and Morgan Wynne (.876), not numbers you want leading your offense. Brynn Minor of Goddard Eisenhower and Butler County has a little over half of the innings with an ERA of 3.63 and WHIP of 1.33. The rest of the innings are scattered among five pitchers. And you thought the Shockers had problems with pitching depth.

The Shocks now have an 18-9 record. They are led on offense by Butters (1.159 and five homers) and Laurie (.996 and four homers). Erin now has the most innings (76.0) on the staff. Her numbers are 2.76 and 1.05. At this point, it seems that Hailey and her 22.0 innings are next on the list; 1.59 and 1.00 are her numbers.

[flyingMoose]

Can't stay for long, but here is the Shocker lineup, the familiar faces shuffled around some.

lf Wylie
cf Asea
ss Laurie
c Butters
rf Bailee
1b Ryleigh
dp Neleigh
2b Kaylee
3b Sydney with Erin in the circle.

Tarin Travieso is the starter for KU. To date, she has five appearances and one start in a loss to Tulsa. Her numbers are 10.1 innings with an ERA of 2.71 and a WHIP of 1.78.

Well, actually it is Brynn Minor in the circle for the Jayhawks. No sub is reported/recorded in LiveStats, so perhaps the original was just an error. It is also possible/likely that Minor was originally the DP and entered the game in the circle before the first pitch. This would allow Travieso to re-enter as the pitcher and Minor to remain as a hitter.

[flyingMoose]

KU starts the first with an infield single, but the next batter lines to Laurie for a DP. The Shockers load the bases with one out in the first when Asea is hit by a pitch, Laurie singles and Butters walks, but a ground out and fly out end the inning.

Check back later.

[1972Shocker]

Big go round for the Shocks in the bottom of the 2nd. Neleigh Herring led off the inning with a double. She advanced to 3rd on a Kaylee Huecker sac bunt. Sidney McKinney singled to center to score Neleigh. A Wylie Glover walk and Asea Webber single loaded the bases still with 1 out. Laurie Derrico grounded to short forcing Sidney at home leaving the bases loaded but now with 2 outs. Butters Perrigan and Bailee Nickerson drew back-to-back walks to make it 3-0 and then Ryleigh Buck delivered a 2-run single to left center with Bailee thrown out trying to advance from 1st to 3rd. Shocks lead 5-0.

2 infield singles and walk sandwiched around 2 outs loaded the bases for KU. After getting ahead 0-2 on the next batter Erin got herself out of the jam by giving up a grand slam home run. KU back in the game at 5-4. Didn't see it but must have been a bad mistake by Erin.

[1972Shocker]

Erin asking for trouble again in the top of the 5th. KU scores to ties the game at 5-all and have the bases loaded with only 1 out.

A 2-run double to center puts KU in the lead 7-5. Hailey Martinez on in relief of Erin. Runners at 2nd and 3rd and still only 1 out.

Hailey greeted with a single to right to make it 8-5. Runners at 1st and 3rd. Another single makes it 9-5. A 3rd consecutive single off Hailey loads the bases still with only 1 out. Hailey gets out of it without any further scoring but the damage is done.

Caitlyn on to pitch the 6th and gets a 1-23 inning in.

Sidney leads off the Shocker 6th with and infield single and moves to 2nd on an error by short. Wylie pops out to 2nd. Asea homers to right to make it 9-7. Butters reached on an error by the KU shortstop and advanced to 2nd on a passed ball. Bailee Nickerson singled up the middle to score Butters. Ryleigh and Neliegh walked but were stranded but that will bring the 9, 1 and 2 hole hitters in the 7th for the Shocks. 9-8 heading to the 7th.

Caitlyn can't hold the fort. A hit batter, wild pitch and single up the middle makes 10-8 KU. Ohtherwise, Catilyn stuck out the side.

In the Shocker 7th Wylie Glover singled down the left field line with 1 out and advanced to 2nd on a passed ball. Asea and Laurie due up. Asea singled to center with Wylie stopping at 3rd as she should in this situation. Laurie and Butters should both get a chance to do something here. Laurie reaches on a fielder's choice forcing Asea at 2nd. Wylie hangs on at 3rd. Butters is our last chance perhaps. A passed ball scores Wylie and moves Laurie into scoring position at 2nd base. Butters falls behind in the count 1-2. Now 2-2. Now 3-2. Butters walks. Semi-intentional maybe. Now it is up to Bailee. Kasidee Eck in as a pinch runner for Butters. Bailee reached on an infield siingle to short and Laurie scored from 2nd to tie the game (I assume on a throw attempt to get Bailee at 1st) and the Shockers have tied it at 10-all. Ryleigh Buck coming to the plate with the speedy Kasidee Eck on 2nd. Ryleigh strikes out.

[1972Shocker]

Interesting. Doesn't look like they used the tiebreaker rules. KU failed to score in the 8th. Neleigh was hit by a pitch to lead off the Shocker 8th and moved to 2nd on sac bunt by Kaylee. Sidney singled up the middle but Neleigh was thrown out at the plate.

Caitlyn allowed a 2 out walk in the KU 9th but nothing else. In the bottom of the 9th Butters singled up the middle and moved to 2nd on a sac bunt by Bailee. Ryleigh singled to left with Butters stopping at 3rd. Neleigh followed with a walk off RBI single to left to end the marathon. Perhaps the highlight of Neleigh's young Shocker career.

[1972Shocker]

Caitlyn pitched the final 4 innings pretty effectively. Hopefully this will go along way in getting her back on track.

[1972Shocker]

I did not see the KU grand slam in the top of the 3rd live so I went watch it on the replay of the game and it really wasn't a terrible 0-2 pitch by Erin. It looked like a rise ball that was well above the strike zone but somehow the KU player got on top of it enough to hit it over the center field fence.

I also watched some of Caitlyn's work in the circle on the replay. I wouldn't say she was razor sharp at all except for her change up which was outstanding. If she can learn to command that change up no reason she can't have better command of her other pitches as well.

The Shocks perhaps had Lady Luck in their dugout tonight to be able to win this game,

[flyingMoose]

One hit-batter by Caitlin, one four-pitch walk, one five-pitch walk. At least she did not string ten or twelve pitches in a row that never found the zone.

[flyingMoose]

Interesting. Doesn't look like they used the tiebreaker rules.

The NCAA Rules recommend using the tiebreaker in the 10th inning. Sometimes coaches will agree beforehand to use it in the 8th. Most if not all conferences do not use the tiebreaker at all in their conferences games.