Shocker SB at Wichita State Tournament

[flyingMoose]

First, that is a Classic name for a tournament you are hosting. Not very Invitational at all. Nevertheless, Omaha, North Texas, and Missouri State have chosen to come.

Due to the weather forecast, the tournament has been moved up a day. There are now four games on Thursday, four more on Friday, and two on Saturday. They will be quite fortunate to get those games in if the forecast holds.

The Shocker games on Thursday are against Omaha at 10 am and Missouri State at 530 pm. On Friday, they face North Texas at 1230 pm and the Bears again at 530 pm. Saturday's game is at 130 pm against North Texas.

Omaha is a member of the Summit League (the same as South Dakota State) where they are a pick for fourth among the seven teams. Sydney Hampton and Jamie White were among the Summit League Players to Watch. The current record for the Mavericks is 4-10. They have played in tournaments hosted by Northern Iowa, Saint Louis, and Central Arkansas as well as several DHs. Losses include two 8-0(5) decisions to Oklahoma State and two losses to Tulsa, losses by healthy margins but not by run-rule.

The two highest OPS for Omaha belong to Janae Cameron (.900) and Lexi Burkhardt (.889). Hampton has half of the starts for the Mavs. She has an ERA of 4.72 with a WHIP of 1.69. Other starters are Kamryn Meyer and Sydney Nuismer, both with an ERA greater than 5.00.

North Texas are a pick among six teams to win the West Division of Conference USA. Hope Trautwein is the All-Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year, and Tayla Evans is an infielder on that team. The Mean Green now have a record of 10-6 after the tournament last weekend at UT Arlington. Molly Rainey (1.213), Kalei Christensen (1.107), and Tarah Hilton (.990) are the offensive leaders for North Texas. GiGi Wall (1.58 and 1.25) and Trautwein (2.31 and 1.07) have most of the starts in the circle. Janie Worthington (3.94 and 1.08) has a number of appearances, mostly in relief.

Missouri State has a record of 8-6. In addition to last weekend in Arlington where they beat Iowa State, they have been in tournaments at Mississipi State and Central Arkansas. The Bears have four players with an OPS above .800. Steffany Dickerson (2.73 and 1.29), Gracie Johnston (1.27 and 1.12), and Madison Hunsaker (1.62 and 1.27) have almost all of the innings for Missouri State.

For the Shockers, Neleigh (1.542 and four home runs), Addison (1.523 and seven homers), and Ryleigh (1.309 and three homers) lead the offense. Lauren also has a hefty OPS, but Camryn has clearly taken her spot in the order. Performance? Injury? I have no idea.

Bailey (1.47 and 1.05) and Erin (3.69 and 1.22) continue to have most of the starts. Caitlin (0.53 and 1.35) is the primary reliever and now has two saves.

[1972Shocker]

They will be quite fortunate to get those games in if the forecast holds.

The Thursday games look okay with each of the 4 teams getting 2 games each. We be extremely lucky to get any games in on Friday and Saturday if the forecast holds.

[1972Shocker]

Roundhouse podcast with softball catcher Madison Perrigan

https://wichitastate.tv/roundhouse-podcast-with-softball-catcher-madison-perrigan/

[flyingMoose]

Omaha at Shockers

Bailey is in the circle for the Shocks and Nuismer for the Mavericks. The batting order for the Shocks remains the same.

At least the live feed no longer has the score from a Creighton game.

The loudmouth up behind home plate should be in fine form this game. This is the same plate umpire as the first game against South Dakota State. Not that he had anything to yell about. He would have yelled at his Mom if she had been calling balls and strikes.

In the first, the Shockers load the bases on a single by Addison, double by Butters, and walk to Neleigh with one out. Ground out (force at home) and fly out and Omaha escapes the jam. No score after one.

After a one-two-three first, six straight balls start the second, and HCKB has a conference in the circle. A single promptly follows. Ground out, strikeout, and ground out, and the Mavs remain scoreless. So do the Shocks as they go one-two-three in the bottom of the second. No score.

No runners in the third. Still scoreless. Nuismer for Omaha has now retired eight in a row.

[1972Shocker]

Not much money hitting the ball in the air today. Wind out of the NE will knock down about any ball it in the air today.

[flyingMoose]

Not much money hitting the ball in the air today. Wind out of the NE will knock down about any ball it in the air today.

Butters fly ball to the warning track to end the third was evidence of that.

[flyingMoose]

In the top of the fourth, the Mavs open with a single, but a 6-4-3 DP ends their at-bat. An infield single by Ryleigh ends the retired-in-order streak at nine. A single by Bailee moves Ryleigh to third. Bailee steals second to put runners in scoring position with one out, but two pop-flys end the inning. No score after four.

The Shocker batter's pitch selection has not been the greatest.

Omaha creates a threat in the fifth with a single and a hit batter on a pitch way up-and-in. An out later, Sydney sno-cones a line drive that is dropped for an error that loads the bases. The next batter is hit by a pitch, but the plate umpire apparently rules she moved her leg into the pitch. She stays in the batter's box and grounds out on the next pitch to end the inning. The game is still 0-0 in the middle of the fifth. And after three Shocker batters, at the end of five complete.

In the Shocker sixth, Butters singles and LoJo (her pinch runner) advances to second on a sac bunt by Neleigh. She moves to third on a fly ball to right and scores when the throw back to the infield is mishandled. Shocks lead 1-0 after six.

Three up, three down for the Mavs. Camryn spears a sharp ground ball for the second out, and Kaylee makes a leaping grab of a line drive for the final out.


Omaha 0-1 Shockers

The Shocks squeek out an uninspiring win.

Bailey gave up four hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Butters had two of the five hits by the Shocks with a double. Her pinch runner scored the only run.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocker batter's pitch selection has not been the greatest.

Agreed their approach hasn't been great but I give the Omaha pitchers some credit. She seems to be working the edges of the strike zone and staying out of the middle of the zone. Two best hit ball by the Shockers were Addison's 1st inning single and Bailee's 4th inning single both low liners into left field. Butter's did make good contact on her fly to center to end the 4h. Yesterday that was a long home run. Today a warning fly ball to the warning track.

Of the 9 Shocker outs in the 3rd, 3th and 5th innings 7 were by way of fly balls or pop ups. Just the opposite of what is needed today. After the Shocker 6th is is 9 of 12 outs fly balls or pop ups. But the Shocks manage to push across an unearned run in the 6th.

Omaha creates a threat in the fifth.

Perhaps more accurately the Shockers create an Omaha threat in the 5th. Very lucky they escaped that jam getting a call by the ump that you don't often get (although more than you used to).

[flyingMoose]

Very luck they escaped that jam getting a call by the ump that you don't often get (although more than you used to).

It is possible that, by NCAA Rules, you must make an attempt to avoid the pitch, and it was ruled she did not. In high school rules, you do not have to avoid a pitch entirely within the batter's box.

[1972Shocker]

Omaha 0-1 Shockers

The Shocks squeek out an uninspiring win.

Bailey gave up four hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Butters had two of the five hits by the Shocks with a double. Her pinch runner scored the only run.

That was about as close of a game as you could get. The Shocks had two great scoring 1-outs scoring opportunities in the 1st (bases loaded) and the 4th (runners on 2nd and 3rd. Poor at bats by Ryleigh in the 1st and Camryn in the 4th left it up to Bailee in the first who flied out to end the inning an Jessica in the 4th who fouled out to the catcher pinch hitting for Kaylee in the 4th.

The Shocks only stranded 5 runners but 4 were in scoring position with 1 out.

Omaha has runners at 1st & 3rd in the 2nd and runners at the corners with 1 out then bases loaded with 2 outs in the 5th and did not score. So both pitchers made the pitches when they had to.

Three up, three down for the Mavs (in the 7th). Camryn spears a sharp ground ball for the second out, and Kaylee makes a leaping grab of a line drive for the final out.

I thought Camryn also made a nice snag of a ground ball down the line on a short hop to end the Omaha at bat in the 2nd inning with runners on 1st and 3rd. Very nice grab by Kaylee to end the game. Kaylee may not hit much (although I think she capable of more than what she has been doing at the plate) but she is a really good defensive second baseman.

[flyingMoose]

It is possible that, by NCAA Rules, you must make an attempt to avoid the pitch, and it was ruled she did not. In high school rules, you do not have to avoid a pitch entirely within the batter's box.

Upon further review, you do not have to try to avoid the pitch in NCAA. She must have moved her leg into the pitch.

[flyingMoose]

Agreed their approach hasn't been great but I give the Omaha pitchers some credit. She seems to be working the edges of the strike zone and staying out of the middle of the zone.

Of the 9 Shocker outs in the 3rd, 3th and 5th innings 7 were by way of fly balls or pop ups. Just the opposite of what is needed today. After the Shocker 6th is is 9 of 12 outs fly balls or pop-ups.

Perhaps Nuismer had a really good rise working - it is hard to know from a live stream directly above the pitch. I just thought the Shocks swung at a lot of pitches off the plate and popped them up off the handle.

[1972Shocker]

It is possible that, by NCAA Rules, you must make an attempt to avoid the pitch, and it was ruled she did not. In high school rules, you do not have to avoid a pitch entirely within the batter's box.

I don't know if the ump ruled she did not try to avoid the pitch or that she moved into the pitch. Not sure if the pitch was ruled to be in the "river" (the 6 inches between the edge of home plate and the edge of the batters box - which some umps apparently believe is part of the strike zone but that's another discussion). I think baseball has a "river rule" but not sure about softball. In any case, the Shocks caught a break there. Whether it was a good call or a bad call I really don't know.

[1972Shocker]

Game 2: North Texas vs Omaha

Omaha pretty much self-destructs in the top of the 2nd. North Texas scores 8 runs on 4 hits, a walk, a hit batter, 3 errors (2 by the left fielder) and 2 wild pitches.

Final: North Texas 10 - Omaha 0 (5 innings).

[flyingMoose]

I don't know if the ump ruled she did not try to avoid the pitch or that she moved into the pitch.

See Post #11.