Shocker SB at Demarini Desert Classic (UNLV)

[1972Shocker]

CSUN 9 - Shocks 3 after 5 complete.

[flyingMoose]

CSUN 9 - Shocks 3 after 5 complete.

And so it ends.

In the fourth, Ashlynne gave up a hit batter and single. Jenni then gave up a homer, a double and a walk. Katie had to re-enter to finish up the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, Mackenzie doubled and PaigeL hit a two-run homer to make the score 8-2. The last Shocker run came in the fifth when Cacy hit a solo home run. Again,

CSUN 9-3 Shockers


The Shockers had three ineffective pitchers try their hand in this one. The homers by PaigeL and Cacy highlighted the offense - nobody had more than one of the six Shocker hits.

[flyingMoose]

Game Four

Not surprisingly, Kelsey gets the start against Oregon State. The rest of the lineup remains the same as the previous game. Maheera Nelson, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week, is in the circle for the Beavers.

Kelsey gave up a two-run homer in the first and a solo homer in the third to the same batter.

In the fifth, Macklin hit a pinch-hit two-run homer of her own after a single by McKenzie. (McKenzieA? MackenzieW? Maybe I will use last initials for awhile.)

After a one-out single in the Oregon State fifth, Ashlynne is on to relieve Kelsey. She gave up three runs on six hits and three walks in 4.1 innings. A steal, wild pitch and sac fly result in another Beaver run. 4-2 after five.

In the sixth, Liz hits a solo shot for the Shockers to bring the score to 4-3 Oregon State.

In the bottom half, Ashlynne gives up a one-out double and Jenni is on to pitch. (Definitely pitching by committee today - the staff has "earned" it.) An infield single and a walk load the bases, but Jenni gets two ground outs to get out of the jam.

Cacy opened the Shocker seventh with a walk and was pushed over by a sac bunt, but a ground out and fly out ended the threat.

Oregon State 4-3 Shockers


This was a close game, but not as close as it appears. The Beavers left nine on base in their six innings of offense. Shocker pitching gave up ten hits and five walks. For the Shocks, the two homers were the extent of the offense. No one had more than one hit among the five by the Shocks.

The Shockers now stand at 1-3 for the weekend. They close out the Classic with a game against Boise State at 11am CT on Sunday.

[flyingMoose]

We are really, really going to miss Melanie's arm behind the plate. Later this weekend, I will try to dig up the stats.

Through today's games, SB/SBA against the Shockers are 15/16. We have caught only one stealing.

In 2014, the stats against Melanie were 36/51 and in 2015 they were 33/52. Those are outstanding numbers.

When teams start looking at our stat sheet, it's going to get really ugly. For some runners, teams won't even bother with a sac bunt. Instead: runner, steal, sac bunt and she is at third with one out instead of second.


I did finally notice that Brittany pinch hit in the first game of the day, but not the second. I assume she has an injury that affects her even getting the bat around in good fashion.

[flyingMoose]

Game Five

Boise State is 0-4 at the Classic, two losses by run-rule and another 9-1, and 0-9 for the season. I don't want to even think about the possibility.

[1972Shocker]

Through today's games, SB/SBA against the Shockers are 15/16. We have caught only one stealing.

In 2014, the stats against Melanie were 36/51 and in 2015 they were 33/52. Those are outstanding numbers.

When teams start looking at our stat sheet, it's going to get really ugly. For some runners, teams won't even bother with a sac bunt. Instead: runner, steal, sac bunt and she is at third with one out instead of second.

I was a little apprehensive that would be an issue after watching a couple of the fall games but the numbers you have provided really bring home the point in very stark terms.

[flyingMoose]

Katie has the start in this game. MackenzieW is catching again with Cassidy sitting. Liz is at third with Kaylee sitting. Laurie Anne is back at short. Macklin is the DP.

Katie only lasts seven batters in the Broncos' bottom of the first. An RBI double and a two-run homer gives Boise State three runs. With two more runners on via singles, Jenni comes on to get the last out.

In the Shocker third, a single by Laurie Anne, walk to Mackenzie and bunt single by Kelli load the bases. Liz strokes a single with two outs to score Laurie Anne, but Mackenzie is thrown out at the plate. Shockers trail 3-1 after three complete.

The Shocks score five in the fourth to take the lead. After a double by Macklin, a walk to McKenzieA and a sac bunt by Cacy, Laurie Anne drive in two runs with a double. After a ground out advances LA to third, MackenzieW is hit by a pitch and steals second. Kelli's single scores one and after she steals second, PaigeL drives in two with a double.

The Broncos score two in the fifth to bring the score to 6-5. A hit batter and a walk start the inning. A single and a ground out score the runs.

Jenni gives up a leadoff single in the sixth, and Kelsey is on in relief. A line drive double play gets her out of the inning.

The Shocks get an insurance run in the top of the seventh. A walk to Macklin and an error set up an RBI double by Cacy.

The StatBroadcast is frozen with two outs and one on in the bottom of the seventh. We will assume the game ends with no change in the score.

Shockers 7-5 Boise State


Kelli, Liz and Laurie Anne all had two hits among the nine hits by the Shocks. PaigeL and LA each had two RBI. Brittany pinch hit again in this game, lining out.

The pitching gave up ten hits, five of those in the 0.2 innings thrown by Katie. Jenni gets the win, and Kelsey gets a save.


The Shockers are 2-3 in this tournament, not anything to be particularly impressed with. It is hard to draw any solid conclusions yet, but it seems the pitching has to get better. Is Katie pitching hurt? Are her tools not conducive to the pitching approach of Ryne?


Next weekend, the Shocks head to Mobile to play four games in the South Alabama Invitational, not one of your Classic softball weekends.

[flyingMoose]

The StatBroadcast is frozen with two outs and one on in the bottom of the seventh. We will assume the game ends with no change in the score.

The Broncos played Oregon State immediately following their game with the Shockers. The LiveStats for that game had the Broncos at 0-11, so this game ended in a Shocker victory of some sort.

[flyingMoose]

The Shocks get an insurance run in the top of the seventh. A walk to Macklin and an error set up an RBI double by Cacy.

The StatBroadcast is frozen with two outs and one on in the bottom of the seventh. We will assume the game ends with no change in the score.

... so this game ended in a Shocker victory of some sort.

In tournaments such as these when teams have flights to catch, they are allowed to establish at the pre-game meeting a "drop-dead" time when the game is immediately over. The score then reverts to the previous inning. So, no run in the seventh for the Shockers, no RBI-double by Cacy. Hence,

Shockers 6-5 Boise State