Shocker SB v RV/RV Tulsa

[flyingMoose]

The Shocker's mid-week game for the week is Thursday against Tulsa at 6pm.

Tulsa is the preseason pick to win the American Athletic Conference, just points ahead of South Florida. Their record now is 26-11 and 5-1 in the AAC including three wins on the road at USF. They have two wins over Kansas, a win over LSU by 1-0 and (tonight) over Oklahoma State by 3-2 (a two-hitter) and a 1-0 loss to Oklahoma. The leading hitters are Julia Hollingsworth (OPS of 1.020) and Maggie Withee (.894). Emily Watson has a little over half of the innings in the circle and pitches the big games, including tonight (Wednesday). Her ERA is 1.23 and WHIP is 0.85. Lexi Blevins (3.60 and 1.26) and Haley Meinen (1.98 and 1.19) have most of the rest of the innings. With Watson pitching tonight and a conference weekend coming for the Golden Hurricane, the Shockers are unlikely to see her Thursday. The Shocks have a 5-3 win over Blevins in the Tulsa Invitational.

Katie is leading the staff of the Shockers. Her ERA is 2.34 with a WHIP of 1.27. Who knows if the numbers for Jenni and Bailey are worth reporting.

The numbers for the offense are Laurie (OPS of 1.054 and eight homers), Madison (1.044 and eight homers), Mackenzie (.974), Paige (.962 and seven homers) and Macklin (.925 and six homers).


The RPIs of teams with conference records above .500 in the Valley are:
Illinois State - 64
Shockers - 69
Northern Iowa - 85
Missouri State - 92
Southern Illinois - 110

In the AAC, RPIs of interest are:
Tulsa - 32
UCF - 62
USF - 63
Memphis - 70

[1972Shocker]

Katie starting in the circle again for the Lady Shocks and as @flyingMoose: suggested it might be Lexi Belvins is in the circle for Tulsa.

Katies has not be sharp so far giving up 6 singles in 2 innings. 3 each in the 1st and 2nd. Very fortunate to only be trailing 1-0.

Looks like the book is out on the Shocks. Throw them change ups for strikes and get them out on fast balls out of the strike zone.

[1972Shocker]

Shockers have been no hit through 4 innings. They simply are not making any adjustments for the way they are being pitched and don't particularly seem inclined to take a different approach.

Tulsa still leading 1-0. Katie still in the circle for the Shocks although Jenni did warm up in the 2nd.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks try a Bull Durham move as the sprinklers go off in the top of the 6th with 2 outs. Someone needs to work on their timing. If your going for the rain out that needs to happen before the middle of the 4th inning.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks get a gift from Tulsa in the top of the 6th. Ashley Johnson lead off with a slow roller to 2nd. The Tulsa 2B booted the grounder than threw wild to first allowing Ashley to go to 2nd. Mackenzie Wright sacfrificed Ashley to 3rd and Kelli Spring delivered her with a single up the middle against a drawm in infield to tie the game.

Madison Perrigan then hit the hardest ball of the game and nearly decapitated Blevins. Replay shows the ball go Blevins flush on the left side of her head just in front of her left ear. Hopefully, it will prove not too serious but it is hard to believe she isn't concussed at a minimum. Scary deal.

Kelli Spring went to 3rd on the play so the Shockers have runners on the corners with 1 out and Laurie Derrico at bat. Fr. Madison Higley has come in to the game in relief of the fallen Blevins.

Laurie jumps on the 1st pitch, probably not a strike as it was high, drive a single to LF past the SS and score Kelli Spring with the lead run.

Macklin Hitz walks to load the bases with 2 outs. Higly threw a change up on a 3-0 count to walk Macklin.

Paige Luellen drove the ball hard to RF but pretty much right at the RF for the final out of the 6th. Shocks lead 2-1.

[1972Shocker]

Katie Malone gave up a 1 out walk in the Tulsa 7th but nothing else and the Shocks get a win that might be looked at as stealing a win.

Katie somehow survived the 1st two innings allowing only 1 run on 6 hits and then settled down allowing only hit over the final 5 innings to pick up her 18th win of the year.

Tulsa opened the door in the 6th with the double error on the 2B and the Shocks took advantage to score the tying and winning runs.

Hopefully, Lexi Blevins, the Tulsa starting pitcher is okay. She pitched a very smart game and probably deserved better. Quite a shot she took to the noggin on the line drive by Madison Perrigan.

Hopefully, Tulsa will still vote for the Shockers getting into the AAC. I think the Lady Shocker softball team has now won 6 in a row over a pretty good Tulsa program and the Lady Shocks also beat them in Tennis yesterday. Maybe we should of let them win one of these.

[1972Shocker]

@flyingMoose did you go to the game? If so what were your impressions? Did you hear anything about Lexi Blevins' status?

I guess since Jenni did warm up in the 2nd inning after Katie ran into trouble for the 2nd consecutive inning that she is available if needed. Bailey seems to be MIA though.

[flyingMoose]

No, I was MIA relative to the game. I did go back and watch the Replay of the bottom of the sixth when I got back in. It looked like Blevins never slowed the ball down, turning her head so she got hit on the side of the head rather than in her face. There is nothing about her condition on the Tulsa site this morning. Oh, and there was not really a double error on the ball Ashley hit. Although the 2B did bobble the ball, the (wild) throw still beat Ashley to the bag. It should have been a single error. Whatever.

Strangely, shockernet would not be let me quote @1972Shocker: and provide the reply. Whatever again.

[1972Shocker]

No, I was MIA relative to the game. I did go back and watch the Replay of the bottom of the sixth when I got back in. It looked like Blevins never slowed the ball down, turning her head so she got hit on the side of the head rather than in her face. There is nothing about her condition on the Tulsa site this morning. Oh, and there was not really a double error on the ball Ashley hit. Although the 2B did bobble the ball, the (wild) throw still beat Ashley to the bag. It should have been a single error. Whatever.

Strangely, shockernet would not be let me quote @1972Shocker and provide the reply. Whatever again.

I just desribed the error as the Steve Strain described it on the ESPN3 broadcast. So they apparently ruled that the throw would have beat her had it been accurate. In any case, the Shocks probably do not win that game without that Tulsa misplay.

[1972Shocker]

It looked like Blevins never slowed the ball down, turning her head so she got hit on the side of the head rather than in her face.

She threw her left arm up but I agree I don't think she slowed the ball down. Glad she was able to turn her head as the ball was pretty much right at eye level.

I have to believe she has a concussion that will keep her out of action for awhile. That was a shot pretty much right to the temple.

[flyingMoose]

I just desribed the error as the Steve Strain described it on the ESPN3 broadcast. So they apparently ruled that the throw would have beat her had it been accurate. In any case, the Shocks probably do not win that game without that Tulsa misplay.

Sorry. That was my ruling on the play. :) The official scoring was two errors. And I think you are right, in some sense, that was the "game-winning" play. Enough batters got fired up that some nice hits followed, three of the four the Shockers had during the game.