Shocker SB v 13/12 LSU

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers host LSU on Thursday at 5pm. The Tigers will be on their way to Lawrence for a weekend tournament, and this stop in Wichita is a homecoming for junior OF Emily Griggs, a Maize High product.

LSU were a T3 pick in the preseason SEC poll. OF Bailey Landry, C Sahvannah Jaquish and P Carley Hoover are members of the Preseason All-SEC team. The Tigers current record is 19-6 with a 1-2 mark in the SEC, having played a series at 2/2 Auburn this past weekend. They had a runs-ahead win and two one-run losses there. Their wins include two over Oklahoma State and a runs-ahead win over Illinois State.

Hoover, Allie Walljasper and Sydney Smith have each started seven games. There is not much to choose between them. Hoover has an ERA of 1.13 and a WHIP of, yes, 1.13. Walljasper has numbers of 1.49 and 1.02, while Smith's numbers are 1.59 and 1.01.

The Tiger offense is led by Landry (OPS of 1.264) and Jaquish (1.191 and four homers). Amanda Doyle, Amber Serrett and Sydney Springfield (five homers) all have an OPS above .900. Griggs, a slapper with only one extra base hit, has a BA of .337.

As the pitching the Shockers have faced has gotten better, the offensive numbers have started falling off. Only Laurie (1.106 and five homers) has an OPS above 1.000. Those with OPS above .900 are Macklin (.972 and four homers), Madison (.971 and four homers) and Paige (.927 and four homers).

Katie still has nice numbers from the circle with an ERA of 2.75 and a WHIP of 1.42. After the rough (not surprising) start for Jenni, she is now at 4.88 and 2.37. Bailey, who did not see action over the weekend, is 4.16 and 1.84. Unlike Jenni, her recent numbers are headed in the wrong direction.

The Shocks have a record of 12-9 with conference play to start this weekend.

[1972Shocker]

Hell of a challenge for the Lady Shocks.

[flyingMoose]

I messed around, and now I will have to be part of the SRO crowd behind the outfield fence. Oh well.

[luvthoseshox]

I personally will be there and am interested in watching Bailey Landry. I've always liked her play and she's really hitting the ball well this year so far. Their shortstop is also really good.

[flyingMoose]

Game article from the Shocker site

[1972Shocker]

Katie Malone starting in the circle for the Lady Shocks.

LSU drew first blood in the top of the second with a 2-out triple followed by a double to go up 1-0.

Shocker Jr. Paige Luellen pulled the Shocks even with a solo homer in the bottom of the 2nd.

After Katie set down the Lady Tigers in order in the 4th Jr. 3B Makenzie Wright lead off the Shockers half with an infield single. However, a Paige stirkeout and a Mauriana Jamele ground out the Shocks looked like that might be it with the 0.200 hitting freshman from Wellington, Ryleigh Buck. coming to the plate. Ryleigh said, don't worry about it, I got this and delivered a 2-out, 2-run homer to left filed to put the Shocks up 3-1 heading to the 5th.

Goose eggs for both teams in the 5th. On to the 6th.

In the top of the 6th a 1-out double to RF followed 1 batter later by a 2-out single up the middle pates a run for the Lady Tigers. Katie then goes 3-0 on the next batter before inducing a ground out to 2B on a 3-2 count. Shocks lead is cut to 3-2.

Shocks draw a 2-out walk in the bottom of the 6th but nothing comes of it. LSU will bring up the 8-9-1 hole hitters in the 7th.

Oh man! A one-out single followed by the pinch runner advancing to 2B on a foul out to the 3B put the tying run at 2nd with 2 outs and LSU's Baily Landry, their .529 hitting 2-hole hitter, coming to bat. I am assuming Landry is a speedy slapper from the left side of the plate. Hard to say exactly what happened but a throwing errow by Katie allowed Landry to reach safely and the tying run to score. Katie was able to get the final out but LSU ties the game at 3-all heading into the bottom of the 7th.

Can the Shocks produce a walk-off run in the 7th?

Good start at Ryleigh draws a 4-pitch walk to lead off. After a pitching change (LSU bringing in their ace?) Mckenzie Adams is unable to advance the runner and is at 1st after a fielder's choice force at 2nd. Laurie Derrico fouled out to the catcher and Kelli Spring strikes.

Free softball it is.

A lead off home run in the 8th gives LSU the lead 4-3. 3-up, 3-down for the Shocks in the bottom of the 8th and that is the ballgame.

LSU 4 - WSU 3

Heartbreaking loss to the #13 Lady Tigers. As far as I can tell Katie made 2 mistakes (maybe?) in the game. Her throwing error in the 7th being the killer and the home run ball in the eighth (maybe).

Looking forward to an eyewitness account from @flyingMoose

Had to be an entertaining game.

[flyingMoose]

Looking forward to an eyewitness account from @flyingMoose


Had to be an entertaining game.

Oh, my! This is almost too painful to write about.

LSU drew first blood in the top of the second with a 2-out triple followed by a double to go up 1-0.

The triple was off the wall in center field, and McKenzieA just could not flag it down. It would have been a great catch and on some days she will make that catch, but not today. Then there was another "almost" catch on the double. Paige tried to make a sliding catch - the ball hit in the pocket of the glove, but rolled out.

In the top of the 6th a 1-out double to RF followed 1 batter later by a 2-out single up the middle plates a run for the Lady Tigers.

The single was just a chopper that found the hole - not hit that hard, but hard enough to get through the infield.

Ryleigh said, don't worry about it, I got this and delivered a 2-out, 2-run homer to left filed to put the Shocks up 3-1 heading to the 5th.

I didn't realize until I read this that Ryleigh was the one who homered! The sound system is not that great when you are standing under the scoreboard. :) Plus I had not seen her in person yet, so I did not distinguish her from some others.

LSU will bring up the 8-9-1 hole hitters in the 7th.


Oh man! A one-out single followed by the pinch runner advancing to 2B on a foul out to the 3B

This was a great diving catch by Mackenzie as she dashed toward home plate, perhaps six feet into foul territory. By the time she rolled over, she could not her throw to second in time. Heads-up base running by the Tigers.

put the tying run at 2nd with 2 outs and LSU's Bailey Landry, their .529 hitting 2-hole hitter, coming to bat. I am assuming Landry is a speedy slapper from the left side of the plate. Hard to say exactly what happened but a throwing error by Katie allowed Landry to reach safely and the tying run to score.

Here's where the pain begins. This was sharply hit comebacker that Katie flagged down. A simple throw to first and the Shockers have great win. I would have to watch the replay, but it appeared she tried to lob the ball to first as she was slowly trotting to first. She airmailed it! This game is easy to play standing under the scoreboard, but you make the throw you practice - get your feet set and make a strong throw to first. Alack and alas.

After a pitching change (LSU bringing in their ace?)

Carley Hoover, the reliever, and Walljasper are probably co-#1s. Hoover threw quite a bit harder than Sydney Smith, the starter for LSU. The Shocks battled her - she didn't overpower them - but she was probably going to take awhile to get to at best.

A lead off home run in the 8th gives LSU the lead 4-3.

The next batter after the homer hit a change to the fence in center, but McKenzie was able to track this one down, making a very nice running catch.

3-up, 3-down for the Shocks in the bottom of the 8th and that is the ballgame.

The last out of the game by Mackenzie was caught on the warning track in right.

LSU 4 - WSU 3


Heartbreaking loss to the #13 Lady Tigers. As far as I can tell Katie made 2 mistakes (maybe?) in the game. Her throwing error in the 7th being the killer and the home run ball in the eighth (maybe).

I was kinda proud of Katie that she held it together after making the error in the seventh. Many times things head south in a hurry for her and (to mix metaphors) she can't get the train back on the rails. She gave up nine hits and no! walks with three strikeouts. One of the infield hits was a chopper to Laurie that she had to short hop but could not handle. It has to be scored a hit, but you would like for your shortstop to make that play most of the time.


Maybe Ryleigh's homer will give her some confidence going forward.


About the fifth inning, the bottom of the umpire's zone got lower - for both sides. A called strike out of Mackenzie in the sixth innings was especially bad and got HCKB a third of the way to home to bark at the plate umpire. After that, an LSU pitcher had a pitch that was mid-shin, but the catcher still held the pitch - maybe hoping to lower his zone even more. The fellow is a good umpire - I think he has worked Regionals - but the zone changed.


I know it did because throughout the game, I was visiting with a family (well, the dad actually) from Houston that was on their 11-year old daughter's spring break watching their beloved LSU (Geaux Tigers!) play softball. Of course, they are continuing on to Lawrence to see the tournament there. And their daughter gets to be the batgirl for LSU there! I know, TMI. But he and I agreed that the zone had changed.


Now the real season starts this weekend. The Shockers host Drake to open the conference. I hope this game gives the team some confidence, but that they are able to forget it quickly and move on to conference.

[luvthoseshox]

My heart broke for Katie. She pitched a great game. Enough to win. Ugh so close!

[flyingMoose]

Emily Griggs (1-4) was in the leadoff spot for the Tigers, not her normal spot - a nice gesture by Coach Torina to get the maximum number of at-bats for Emily.

[flyingMoose]

... a chopper to Laurie that she had to short hop but could not handle. It has to be scored a hit, but you would like for your shortstop to make that play most of the time.

In the top of the eighth, Laurie did make a terrific catch of a foul pop on the dead run, moving toward the fence along the left field foul line.

Another interesting note. Most of the time when an LSU slapper appeared, the Shocks moved Paige from right field to left, brought Kelli in from left to play second base (changing gloves on the way) and moved Mauriana from second base to "middle infielder." Right field was wide open.

The attendance of 1115 is another record (by two). Give it up for the outfield people.

[flyingMoose]

Game article from the LSU site

[flyingMoose]

Emily Griggs (1-4) was in the leadoff spot for the Tigers, not her normal spot - a nice gesture by Coach Torina to get the maximum number of at-bats for Emily.

Oops! Bad info from the dad under the scoreboard. A little research shows that leadoff has been Emily's spot all year. Too bad - kinda made a nice story. :)

[1972Shocker]

Oops! Bad info from the dad under the scoreboard. A little research shows that leadoff has been Emily's spot all year. Too bad - kinda made a nice story. :)

Trolled under the scoreboard.

[flyingMoose]

Scores of interest from Lawrence

LSU 10-2(6) Kansas
Carley Hoover pitched this game, allowing five hits and one earned run. The Tigers scored seven runs in the last two innings to break open a close game. Springfield, who hit the game-winning home run against the Shockers, had two in this one.

LSU 0-1 Tulsa
Hoover pitched this one, too. She only gave up an infield single, but Tulsa scored a run in the first on a walk, two wild pitches and a sac fly. Emily Watson pitched a five-hit shutout with eight strike outs for the Golden Hurricane. The only threat against her was a double by Emily Griggs and a bunt single by Bailey Landry that put runners at the corners with no outs in the sixth. She escaped with a fly out and two strike outs. Last weekend, the Shockers saw two other Tulsa pitchers.