Shocker SB at Mizzou Tournament

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers continue their season this weekend at the Mizzou Tournament in Columbia. These games are a double round-robin with Nebraska and Missouri. Opponents Saturday are Missouri at 9 am and Nebraska at 2 pm. On Sunday, the Shockers play the Huskers at 1230 pm and the Tigers at 3 pm.

Missouri are the preseason pick for tenth in the SEC where thirteen schools play softball. (Vanderbilt does not field a team.) Their current record is 12-6 with a 7-3 record against teams who were at least RV. They have played at the NFCA Leadoff Classic and the St. Pete/Clearwater Invitational, both in Clearwater, and the Mary Nutter Classic in California. All of those tournaments draw quality fields. The Tigers are currently ranked #21/23. Depending on the poll, that is either seventh or eighth of the ranked SEC teams. Hatti Moore (1.138 and five homers), Jazmyn Rollin (1.101 and five), and Cayla Kessinger (1.028 and three) have the best OPS. Pitchers in the order of most starts are Megan Schumacher (ERA of 4.09 and WHIP of 1.61), Emma Nichols (4.32 and 1.45), and Jordan Weber (2.49 and 1.08).

Nebraska are members of the Big 10, and we know how that conference feels about preseason accolades. They were the #8 seed in last year’s conference tournament, losing in the first round. The current record for the Huskers is 6-8. They played in a tournament hosted by New Mexico State, in the BigTen/ACC Challenge, and in the Mary Nutter mentioned above. They are 0-4 against ranked teams, losing three of those by run-rule. Oklahoma and Arkansas are among the three. Tristen Edwards (OPS of 1.394 and six homers) and Rylie Unzicker (.888) lead the offense. Another player has a high OPS but with limited plate appearances. Just over half of the innings in the circle belong to Olivia Ferrell (ERA of 3.12 and WHIP of 1.57). Lindsey Walljasper (6.70 and 1.70) and Courtney Wallace (8.40 and 2.86) are the other pitchers.

The Shockers are now 7-9 for the season. The win-by-run-rule-or-else streak was broken this past weekend. The OPS numbers are beginning to come back to earth. BaileyU (1.095), Neleigh (1.061 and four homers), and Butters (1.010) lead the way on offense. Caitlin had a nice weekend (against Penn State) and now has the leading stat line among the pitchers: ERA of 3.07 and WHIP of 1.58. Bailey (6.84 and 1.88) and Erin (7.24 and 2.31) have almost all of the remaining innings. Each of the three has an almost equal share of the innings pitched.

[flyingMoose]

Game One

Shockers at Missouri

It appears I will miss all of this one. In fact, because of WBB later on Saturday and a variety of Sunday activities, I think I will miss the entire weekend except possibly the last few innings of Game Four. Oh well.

Bailey has the start in the circle with LoLo as the DP.

The Shocks took an early lead in this one. A Sydney single to lead off the game is followed by two ground outs before LoLo's single drive Sydney home. In the second inning, Bailee reaches second on a throwing error, advances on a ground out and scores on Wylie's sac fly.

Bailey staggers through the first three innings, giving up two base runners in the first two and four baserunners and a run in the third inning. 2-1 Shocks after three complete.

The wheels come off in the Mizzou fourth. A walk, hit batter, double and single score two runs and brings Erin to the circle. She loads the bases with a walk and then gives up a bases-clearing double. A sixth run scores later in the inning, and the Tigers take a 7-2 lead after four complete.

And after five.

The Shockers get on the board again in the sixth. Singles by Kaylee and Wylie with one out are followed by a double by Sydney that scores one run. 7-3 after six.

Three-up, three-down in the Shocker seventh.


Shockers 3-7 Missouri

Seven hits for the Shocks with a single and double by Sydney and two singles by Kaylee.

Bailey gave up six hits and five runs in three innings plus four batters in the fourth. Erin had a rough beginning in the circle but eventually allowed two hits and four walks over three innings to give up two runs.

[flyingMoose]

Game Two

Shockers v Nebraska

Caitlin has this start, and Bailey L is the DP.

In the first, Sydney singles and Butters walks, but the Shocks don't score. Back-to-back doubles lead off the Husker first. 1-0 Nebraska after one.

With two outs in the second, Neleigh doubles but Wylie's single only moves her to third. Still 1-0.

Butters doubles with one out in the third but does not advance. Huskers 1-0 after three.

Bailee leads off the fourth with the third Shocker double. Now can they string some hits together? An infield error allows Bailee to score. Wylie triples to score Bailey L, and Sydney singles to score Wylie. After a fielder's choice, the Huskers change pitchers. The game moves to the fifth with the Shockers leading 3-1.

A single by Ryleigh, sac bunt, walk to Bailee and another error on a ground ball by Bailey, and the bases are loaded in the fifth. A single by Neleigh advances everyone a base, and then all move up another base when Wylie walks to score the second run of the inning. With the bases still loaded and two outs, Bailey U scores two with a single and the third run scores on an outfield error. 8-1 Shockers as the game moves to the bottom of the fifth.

For Nebraska, a walk, single, single, throwing error on a steal of second and groundout score three runs for the Huskers. 8-4 Shocks after five complete.

In the sixth, Bailee homers after a single Kaylee. Bailey L follows by planting another pitch over the centerfield fence. Wylie walks, steals second and scores on a single by Sydney. On to the bottom of the sixth with the Shocks leading 12-4.

A Husker double, single and groundout make the score 12-5 after six.

The beat goes on in the top of the seventh. A Ryleigh hit-by-pitch, an error and an infield single by Bailee load the bases. A walk to Bailey, pinch-hit walks to Mckenzie and LoLo, and walks to Bailey U and pinch-hitter Madyson Espinosa score five runs. 17-5.

Three-up, three-down in the Nebraska seventh, and the agony is over.


Shockers 17-5 Nebraska

Seventeen hits and nine walks for the Shocks. Sydney and Bailee each had three hits. The homers were by Bailee and Bailey.

Caitlin gave up eight hits (by only four players), four walks and four earned runs during her seven-inning complete game. She struck out three.


Also today,

Nebraska 1-7 Missouri

[flyingMoose]

Game Three

Nebraska v Shockers

Bailey is listed at the P and Erin is listed as the Flex. I suspect this means Erin will sub in to pitch in the first inning, and Bailey will remain in the batting order. Then if necessary, Bailey will go to the circle in relief. Ferrell is the pitcher for the Huskers.

[flyingMoose]

Game Four

Shockers at Missouri

[1972Shocker]

Game Three

Nebraska v Shockers

Bailey is listed at the P and Erin is listed as the Flex. I suspect this means Erin will sub in to pitch in the first inning, and Bailey will remain in the batting order. Then if necessary, Bailey will go to the circle in relief. Ferrell is the pitcher for the Huskers.

Bailey L. started and gave hit the lead off batter then gave up a 2-run homer.

The Shocks responded with 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st. With the bases loaded Bailee N. was hit by a pitch and then Bailey L. delivered a 2-run single.

In the top of the 2nd back-to-back singles and a hit batter loaded the bases for the Huskers with no outs. Erin M. took over in the circle. Did a good job holding the damage to 1 run.

In the bottom of the 3rd a Butters solo home run to lead off the inning and a Kaylee H. walk, a Bailee N. single and a Bailey L. home run put the Shocks up 7-3.

Nebraska responded in the top of the 4th with 3 runs after the first two hitters were retired. Back-to-back Shocker errors followed a Nebraska home run. Shocks still up 7-6 after 4.

A walk and a home run by Nebraska to open the top of the 6th provided the tying and winning runs.

Sidney M. doubled to lead off the bottom of the 6th for the Shocks. Was sacrificed to 3rd but an infield pop by Butters and a strike out by Ryleigh B. stranded her. Shocks go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 7th on 10 pitches.

Final Score: Huskers 8 - Shockers 7.

Probably a game the Shocks should have won. Simply not picking each other up in critical situations and the pitching behind Caitlyn so far this year has been very suspect.

[1972Shocker]

Game Four

Shockers at Missouri

Caitlyn B with the start in this one.

In the bottom of the 1st Caitlyn got the first two batters she faced then three consecutive singles, the last one an infield single, loaded the bases for Mizzou but Caitlyn got the next batter to escape without any damage.

Caitlyn cruised through a 1-2-3 2nd inning but ran into trouble in the 3rd. After getting the 1st batter on a fly to left a walk followed by back-to-back home runs made it 3-0 Mizzou. At that point Bailey L took over in the circle. After a ground out Bailey gave up a single and a walk before getting the final out on a ground ball to 3rd.

Mizzou tacked on another run in the bottom of the 4th on a solo home run to make it 4-0.

The Shocks got back in the game in the top of the 5th. Bailey U led off with an infield single. Nelieigh H singled to right center sending Bailey U to 3rd. Bailee N doubled to right center to score Bailey U and move Neleigh H to 3rd. Kaylee H ground to 2nd and they apparently caught Neleigh in a run down. Nelieigh was out with Bailee N advancing to 3rd and Kaylee advancing to 2nd. That play was duplicated on the next hitter when Wylie G ground to 2nd. The caught Bailee M in run down with Kaylee and Wylie ending up on 3rd and 2nd. Sidney McKinney picker her teamates up with a 2-out single up the middle scoring both Kaylee and Wylie to make it 4-3 Mizzou.

After Bailey L made quick work of Mizzou in the bottom of the 5th Butters led off the 6th with a walk. LoJo came on as a pinch runner for Butters. Lojo was still on 1st two outs later when she stole 2nd and the Neleigh delivered her home with the tying run with a 2-out double to center to tie the game at 4-all heading into the bottom of the 6th.

Mizzou went down in order in the bottom of the 6th and the Shockers did the same in the top of the 7th. In the bottom of the 7th a walk, a stolen base and a RBI single to left gave Mizzou the walk off 5-4 win.

Good to see the Shocks show some resilience and fight in this one. Bailey L actually had a decent 3.2 innings of relief work giving up 2 runs. Perhaps something for her to build on going forward.

flyingMoose needs to get back on the job. I think the Shocks do better when he does the recaps. Plus his recaps are better.