Shocker Softball-Looking ahead to 21-22

[shoxlax]

This is the point where I let Moose and 72 do their thing about who is returning and holes to fill.

[shocks02]

Any All-American pitchers in the portal. We could use one of them!

[WstateU]

Any All-American pitchers in the portal. We could use one of them!

And maybe a couple of mashers...

[shoxlax]

Any All-American pitchers in the portal. We could use one of them!

Maybe Corrick will enter the portal.

[B&Gpassion]

Looking forward to following this thread for a while. Would really enjoy seeing a rundown of signed ‘02 recruits and any known targets that are uncommitted. I realize targets can be hard to identify in this sport (like volleyball) as high school players are typically so young, freshmen & sophomores, when verbals are made.

[1972Shocker]

I don't think they have announced any signings in the class of 2021.
.
She signed 8 high schoolers out of the Class of 2020 but did not lose any seniors from the 2020 roster due to the Covid situation. They all came back this year for the redo.

https://goshockers.com/news/2019/11/...t-signees.aspx

As a result of the Covid do over year the Shocks ended up with 13 Freshman on this years roster 5 from the Class of 2019 in their do over year and the 8 in the 2020 signing class. Only Bailey Urban from the class of 2019 and Addison Barnard and Camryn Compton had significant playing time this year. Others that did play were in limited pinch running or pinch hitting roles.

The only pitcher in this group of freshman is 5'6" Jordyn Pipkin out of Jenks High School in Texas. What the fact that she saw no action in the circle this years says about her ability is hard to say.

What we do know is the Shocks have major holes to fill to replace:
Bailey Lange in the circle. Just over half of the innings pitched this year were by Bailey.
Madison Perigan behind the plate. It's been a long time since anyone else has caught a game for the Shocks and Butters' career records speak for themselves.
Ryleigh Buck at 3rd. Very dependable and vocal player. Very solid defensively and at the plate.
Kaylee Huecker at 2nd. The AAC 2021 Defensive Playrer of the Year coming off of her best year at the plate.
Bailee Nickerson in CF. Very solid defensive outfielder. Not a great hitter but often delivered in the clutch.

I really don't know if there are any obvious replacements ready to plug in. Maybe Camryn Compton at 3rd base.

I think a repeat of this season is very unlikely. But where to set expectations is hard to say. A lot of uncertainty heading into next season.

[shocks02]

Found one.

[1972Shocker]

I looked back at the rosters for the last 5 years. The ranged from 19-22 players and averaged exactly 20 players. The 2020 rosters lists 25 players. 6 of those players we know are moving on. So if everyone else comes back the Shocks have a roster of 19 players.

I thin it is very possible that maybe 2 or 3 of these 19 players will not be back.

Women's softball has 12 scholarships to divide up. I don't know if there are other limits or restrictions such as those that apply to baseball (i.e. maximum number of players on scholarship = 27 and minimum scholarship award = 1/3rd). Not sure how HCKB approaches her scholarship allocations but, unsurprisingly, most full rides go to pitchers. Whether or not HCKB offers any full rides I do not know but my guess is to attract top notch pitching a coach probably would have to consider offering 1 or 2 full rides to pitchers. That would leave you with 10 scholarships to divide up. This is assuming that the WSU softball program is fully funded. Not all D-1 programs fully fund 12 scholarships. That is the maximum number.

There is really no way of knowing how much of a scholarship any individual may have for sure. Most of these young ladies are pretty good students so their softball scholarships can potentially be supplemented by academic or need based scholarships. Again not sure how you get this information.

[1972Shocker]

Found one.

As did i. Class of 2022:

https://sportsrecruits.com/athlete/taylor_sedlacek

https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/tay...ball/stats.htm

https://journalstar.com/sports/high-school/softball/commitment-to-wichita-state-will-give-benningtons-sedlacek-a-chance-to-play-alongside-role-models/article_875b1592-1d72-5291-bfa2-e3e00f35cf44.html

[flyingMoose]

I don't think they have announced any signings in the class of 2021.
.
She signed 8 high schoolers out of the Class of 2020 but did not lose any seniors from the 2020 roster due to the Covid situation. They all came back this year for the redo.

https://goshockers.com/news/2019/11/...t-signees.aspx

As a result of the Covid do over year the Shocks ended up with 13 Freshman on this years roster 5 from the Class of 2019 in their do over year and the 8 in the 2020 signing class. Only Bailey Urban from the class of 2019 and Addison Barnard and Camryn Compton had significant playing time this year. Others that did play were in limited pinch running or pinch hitting roles.

The only pitcher in this group of freshman is 5'6" Jordyn Pipkin out of Jenks High School in Texas. What the fact that she saw no action in the circle this years says about her ability is hard to say.

What we do know is the Shocks have major holes to fill to replace:
Bailey Lange in the circle. Just over half of the innings pitched this year were by Bailey.
Madison Perigan behind the plate. It's been a long time since anyone else has caught a game for the Shocks and Butters' career records speak for themselves.
Ryleigh Buck at 3rd. Very dependable and vocal player. Very solid defensively and at the plate.
Kaylee Huecker at 2nd. The AAC 2021 Defensive Playrer of the Year coming off of her best year at the plate.
Bailee Nickerson in CF. Very solid defensive outfielder. Not a great hitter but often delivered in the clutch.

I really don't know if there are any obvious replacements ready to plug in. Maybe Camryn Compton at 3rd base.

I think a repeat of this season is very unlikely. But where to set expectations is hard to say. A lot of uncertainty heading into next season.

Addison had some innings at second base early in the season, so I assume she is a candidate for that spot. Wylie battled BaileyU for the available outfield spot before losing out there. Jessica Garcia pinch-hit a lot early and played third base the first weekend until Ryleigh was available. LoJo was the designated pinch-runner and was a center fielder at Maize South.

Lainee Brown is listed as the other catcher on the roster. Maybe the fact that she played zero innings is a good sign - HCKB did not want her to lose a year of eligibility for "ten" innings of softball in run-rule time. We can hope.

Hmm. Upon reviewing the release about 2020 signees, I see that the pics for both Jessica and Gracie Sullivan have them behind the plate.

Jenks, the hometown of Jordyn, is a suburb of Tulsa.

But as mentioned, the elephant in the room is, Can Caitlin and Erin make strides over the winter? Large strides. New pitches? Better location? Gotta do something.

[1972Shocker]

Hmm. Upon reviewing the release about 2020 signees, I see that the pics for both Jessica and Gracie Sullivan have them behind the plate.

Not sure how much you can really read into those high school recruiting sketches. Addison was listed as a pitcher/SS. So yeah she could be a candidate to play at 2nd. You could tell she wasn't totally comfortable in the outfield although I thought she got better as the year progressed. However, it was not uncommon for HCKB to replace her with Wylie Glover late in closed games for defensive purposes. Unlikely, Addison will be doing any pitching but who knows. Then again maybe the P was for Power Hitter.

Camryn Compton was listed as a shortstop. Don't think we will be seeing her there. I think we might see her some at 3rd base and perhaps some at 1st if they feel the match ups favor using Neleigh over LoLo at DP., She would appear to be the heir apparent at 1B after Neleigh finishes up next year.

Jessica was listed as a C/3B and Gracie Sullivan was also listed as a C/SS On the Shocker roster they are both listed as Utility players. Gracie played 3A softball in high school but she did play club ball with the Texas Glory. But I am thinking you may be correct about Lainee Brown being a sleeper. She has been in the program for 2 years so she has that advantage and at 5-9 with two years of college weight training under her belt may have a strength advantage over the 5-4 Jessica and the 5-5 Gracie. Here is Lainee's recruiting sketch when she signed in November of 2019:

Lainee Brown comes to Wichita State from Oklahoma City, Okla., and Choctaw High School. Brown was named the 2017 Big 10 Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and 6A All-District Defensive Player of the Year. As a sophomore she landed on the Big 10 Conference First Team at catcher, while also being named the Impact Player of the Year. In the classroom, Brown is a member of the National Honor Society and is in the running for class valedictorian.

Bredbenner on Lainee Brown: "Lainee brings a strong arm and a solid defensive presence behind the plate. She has potential to hit for power and provides some much-needed depth and experience at the catcher position. She has played at the highest level in her travel ball experiences and will come into the program ready for the pace of Division I softball."

Tatum Long is interesting. Listed as an infielder on her recruiting sketch she is listed as a utility player on the Shocker 2020 roster. However, she lost a year of eligibility by playing in 4 games andgetting 10 at bats. So not sure what the implies if anything.

Tatum hit .509 as a senior and is a four-time First Team All-Conference pick. Other honors include all-state, three-time All-Conference MVP and two-time all-district at shortstop. Long holds the career home run and RBI record at Chisholm. A standout on the basketball court as well, Long averaged a double-double as a junior and is a two-time Vype Top 100 selection.

Bredbenner on Long: "Tatum Long has hit some of the longest home runs I have seen in travel ball. She is a strong, powerful athlete with a great glove. She runs well for her size and will compete for a spot on the corners, in the outfield or as a designated hitter."

While Bailey Urban did a decent job in the outfield and Wylie Glover mostly played in left as a late game defensive replacement but I think you want more than the .212 and .211 batting averages that Bailey and Wylie put on the books this year. So perhaps someone like Tatum will get a shot at competing for those positions or to replace Addison in the outfield if she moves to 2nd base.

I'm thinking that perhaps Lauren Johnson will take over for Bailey Nickerson in center. Mostly used as a pinch runner so far in her short Shocker career. Not sure she will have Bailee's instincts or occasional power but she will probably adds speed to the center field position. Perhaps slot her in the 9-hole in the batting order or perhaps slot her in the 2-hole and move Addison back to the 3-hole.

[1972Shocker]

But as mentioned, the elephant in the room is, Can Caitlin and Erin make strides over the winter? Large strides. New pitches? Better location? Gotta do something.

But whatever the Shocks do to replace Butters, Ryleigh, Bailey and Kaylee and perhaps upgrade in the outfield the pitching is where the rubber meets the road. Caitlin at times is effective and seems to have decent stuff but her command comes and goes and you don't quite know for sure what your going to get from inning to inning. She is serviceable against the weaker part of the schedule but against better teams I see her as a one time through the lineup pitcher. I thought Caitlyn made some positive strides this season. Hopefully, she will do the same next year. Not sure Erin's stuff is good enough to be anything other than what she is. Hated to see her get lit up so badly by her hometown team the Sooners (39.4 ERA in 3.2 innings) but she had a couple of good innings against them.

Apparently, at this point, the only other option the Shocks have is 5-6 Jordyn Pipkin. Jenks High is in the Oklahoma large school class and has a good history of producing D-1 athletes. It appears Jordyn played at Jenks for just 1 year after moving from Wisconsin. However, she apparently had a very good year as a senior at Jenks. Not sure where she played her summer ball. But unless HCKB can bring in another arm or two over the summer I would guess Jordyn will at least get a shot at showing what she is capable of.

[flyingMoose]

Not sure how much you can really read into those high school recruiting sketches.

True dat. Depending on the quality of the high school program, typically your best athletes are up the middle - catcher, shortstop, center field.

[ShockTalk]

True dat. Depending on the quality of the high school program, typically your best athletes are up the middle - catcher, shortstop, center field.

Pitcher?

[1972Shocker]

Pitcher?

Some pitchers are pretty athletic, i.e. Bailey Lange. Some are not. There are more than a few very good pitchers who look like offensive lineman.