Shocker SB at Oklahoma

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers travel to Norman on Wednesday for a mid-week game against Oklahoma. The start time is 6pm.

The Sooners have a record of 25-7 and are ranked 14/T12 in this week's polls. Their RPI ranking is 12. Among common opponents, they have wins over UCLA, Dartmouth and Nebraska and a loss to Oregon State. In the Big 12, they have a win over Oklahoma State and won their series with Kansas 2-1 this past weekend.

The individual stats for the Oklahoma players are not on their site, but Paige Parker got two starts in the circle against Kansas and Kelsey Stevens had the other with Jayden Chestnut being a reliever of Stevens.

The Shockers are continue to be led on offense by Macklin Hitz whose OPS is 1.191 along with six home runs. Others are PaigeL (1.138 and five home runs), Brittany (1.028) and Cacy (1.010 and seven home runs).

Jenni has an ERA of 2.83 and a WHIP of 1.37. The numbers for Katie are 4.48 and 1.50 and for Kelsey are 3.27 and 1.60.

The RPI ranking for the Shocks is now 49. Northern Iowa is next at 75 followed by Illinois State at 87 and Drake at 93 for Valley teams with a ranking less than 100.

[flyingMoose]

The pre-game writeup from the Shockers has a few individual stats for the Sooners.

[flyingMoose]

Kelsey has the start tonight for the Shocks and Paige Parker, their ace, is in the circle for the Sooners. Liz is at third, MackenzieW is catching and Cassidy is sitting.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks not competitive tonight. OU up 9-0 after 3. Not sure this game was much of a priority for the Shocks. At least it didn't seem like it was.

[1972Shocker]

Final: OU 10 - WSU 1 in a five inning run-rule game.

After the Shocks put runners on 2nd and 3rd in the 1st and failed to score they were never in the game.

Laurie Anne Derrico's solo home run in the top of the 5th avoided a shut-out. Laurie Anne seems to picking it up a bit recently.

[flyingMoose]

Not sure this game was much of a priority for the Shocks. At least it didn't seem like it was.

We pitched #3 and #4. They started #1. I am not sure what kind of RPI number is needed for a wild-card berth in the Tournament, but just playing the Sooners probably helps the RPI.

Laurie Anne Derrico's solo home run in the top of the 5th avoided a shut-out. Laurie Anne seems to picking it up a bit recently.

She got her home run off Oklahoma's #3 who came on to start the fifth. Yes, I think her combination of offense and middle defense is causing the shuffle among Liz, MackenzieW and Cassidy for the two available positions (3B and C), since Kelli is not going to sit.

[1972Shocker]

We pitched #3 and #4. They started #1. I am not sure what kind of RPI number is needed for a wild-card berth in the Tournament, but just playing the Sooners probably helps the RPI.

This is just a guess but I am thinking the Valley is probably a one-bid league in softball.

The Shockers had an RPI of 49 coming into the OU game. Next best in the conference is UNI at 75. The Missouri games and the Tulsa games are the best opportunities for the Shocks to garner some good RPI wins and they really can't afford too many more Valley losses.

[flyingMoose]

This is just a guess but I am thinking the Valley is probably a one-bid league in softball.

The Shockers had an RPI of 49 coming into the OU game. Next best in the conference is UNI at 75. The Missouri games and the Tulsa games are the best opportunities for the Shocks to garner some good RPI wins and they really can't afford too many more Valley losses.

The Valley has had multiple teams in the tournament before - a Tim Walton team was an at-large - but it is a rare event. The Valley itself hurts our opportunities. We can sweep Evansville and our RPI is still going to drop.