Shocker Softball at Kajikawa Classic (Tempe, AZ)

[KC Shox]

Good Lord, how big are the dimensions at this stadium? 50 feet?

Really, I think the team ERA is around 9.00 and KK's is at 12.00. Yikes, as Morphias said to Neo, "welcome to the real world"

[flyingMoose]

McNeese State is a preseason pick for sixth place in the Southland Conference. After losing to Arizona State (5-4) in eight innings on Thursday, they were run-ruled by Stanford and Portland State on Friday and lost to Oklahoma State (7-2) and UCSB (9-2) on Saturday.

[shocks02]

Taken from Goshockers.com

Wichita State's final game at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., against McNeese State has been pushed back to 12:30 p.m., due to overnight rain.

Once play resumes the Shockers (2-2) will be looking to finish above .500 in a season opening tournament for the first time since 1993.

[1972Shocker]

KK came out of HS w/ one of the best rise balls in the nation.
Judging by the fall games the pitching coach has moved her away from that pitch.
Its going to take awhile to transition when you lose your most dominating weapon.

Do you know this for a fact, or are you simply speculating on or looking for reasons for KK's poor start? If that is a fact, it doesn't look like it is working.

http://www.kansas.com/sports/shockers/story/676006.html

All three are right-handers. That is where the similarities stop. Smet relies on her curve and drop ball. Hull throws a changeup almost half the time. Kolb specializes in a rise ball and fastball. The Shockers hope that variety keeps hitters off balance.

While this article by Paul Suellentrop mentions Kolb specializes in a rise ball and a fast ball, I remember reading an article where Kolb said she rarely threw her fast ball. She said it was fast enough at around 65 MPH, but that it was very straight with no movement. She relied on her rise, curve and change and would only show her fastball off the plate occassionally.

If they are making her pitch off of her fastball more than there may be something to what you say. I really don't know for sure one way or the other, but was expecting, or at leasting hoping, for a much stronger start for KK.

So far none of our pitchers have been effective. That needs to change.

[1972Shocker]

On the other side of the coin the offense have been much better than I expected so far. Thank goodness.

[shocks02]

Game has been cancelled. Just great, cancelled our easiest game.

[shoxsoftball]

:goshocks:

[WuDrWu]

When we finally get to see the team in person, what should we expect to see her throw? If she doesn't throw fastballs then what pitches does she usually throw to get ahead and then I assume she likes the riseball as her "out" pitch?

[shoxsoftball]

:posterwu:

[1972Shocker]

From what I have read about Kasha I'm sure she will be very determined to work through this tough start. I for one am really pulling for her and I am optimistic she will be a very effective pitcher for the Shocks, hopefully sooner than later, because we really need her to be at her best.

:goshocks:

[RoyalShock]

Hopefully, the situation with Kasha is what you sometimes see with minor-league pitchers with major-league potential. Pitching coaches will restrict them from throwing their best pitch in favor of one they need to learn or one they need to learn to throw better. As that pitch improves they are allowed to work the other pitch back in more frequently.

[Quick Pitch]

Just to set the record straight, Kasha's fastball tops out at about 62.
Also, when your "out" pitch is a ball that you throw out of the strike zone, you are in big trouble against a college level disciplined hitter.

[KC Shox]

Just to set the record straight, Kasha's fastball tops out at about 62.
Also, when your "out" pitch is a ball that you throw out of the strike zone, you are in big trouble against a college level disciplined hitter.

So she's then throwing around 58-59 consistently then. Not gonna get it done against D1 comp.

[flyingMoose]

KK came out of HS w/ one of the best rise balls in the nation.
Judging by the fall games the pitching coach has moved her away from that pitch.
Its going to take awhile to transition when you lose your most dominating weapon.

i know not many coaches are experts in teaching and developing the rise ball.
but i think after the results of this weekend the coaches should rethink how they are molding KK.

Hopefully, the situation with Kasha is what you sometimes see with minor-league pitchers with major-league potential. Pitching coaches will restrict them from throwing their best pitch in favor of one they need to learn or one they need to learn to throw better. As that pitch improves they are allowed to work the other pitch back in more frequently.

Just to set the record straight, Kasha's fastball tops out at about 62.
Also, when your "out" pitch is a ball that you throw out of the strike zone, you are in big trouble against a college level disciplined hitter.

So she's then throwing around 58-59 consistently then. Not gonna get it done against D1 comp.

First, let me note that I am already on record that I think Kasha will have a nice career as a Shocker. If ... and I will get to that later.

If I had never seen Kasha pitch, I could tell you that she does not have one of the best rise balls in the nation. We did not out-recruit a Big 12 or SEC school to get her come to Wichita State. I think she has a chance to be quite good, but it is no guarantee. (The "guaranteed" kids do not come to the Missouri Valley - well, maybe an occasional Canadian. And yes, sometimes there are those who slip through the recruiting net or are late bloomers who become dominant in the Valley.)

But to be quite good, she has to make the adjustments that every freshman coming into D-I ball has to make. Throwing to a certain quadrant of the zone is no longer good enough - you have to hit the edges of the zone. You cannot get by with one pitch - you have to improve your secondary pitches. You cannot have just one speed - you have to have a nice change (she does). Hitting spots, getting ball movement, changing speeds - it's called pitching, as opposed to throwing. If you can do those things, you can pitch at 60 in the Valley - you do not have to be 65+.

This past weekend was a "Welcome to D-I softball experience". She will learn from it and adapt and improve. I also suspect this is the toughest tournament the Shocks will play this year, but it allows the team/players to know where they stand. The sooner you know that, the better.

Ahhh, BWDIK. :)

[KC Shox]

KK came out of HS w/ one of the best rise balls in the nation.
Judging by the fall games the pitching coach has moved her away from that pitch.
Its going to take awhile to transition when you lose your most dominating weapon.

i know not many coaches are experts in teaching and developing the rise ball.
but i think after the results of this weekend the coaches should rethink how they are molding KK.

Hopefully, the situation with Kasha is what you sometimes see with minor-league pitchers with major-league potential. Pitching coaches will restrict them from throwing their best pitch in favor of one they need to learn or one they need to learn to throw better. As that pitch improves they are allowed to work the other pitch back in more frequently.

Just to set the record straight, Kasha's fastball tops out at about 62.
Also, when your "out" pitch is a ball that you throw out of the strike zone, you are in big trouble against a college level disciplined hitter.

So she's then throwing around 58-59 consistently then. Not gonna get it done against D1 comp.

First, let me note that I am already on record that I think Kasha will have a nice career as a Shocker. If ... and I will get to that later.

If I had never seen Kasha pitch, I could tell you that she does not have one of the best rise balls in the nation. We did not out-recruit a Big 12 or SEC school to get her come to Wichita State. I think she has a chance to be quite good, but it is no guarantee. (The "guaranteed" kids do not come to the Missouri Valley - well, maybe an occasional Canadian. And yes, sometimes there are those who slip through the recruiting net or are late bloomers who become dominant in the Valley.)

But to be quite good, she has to make the adjustments that every freshman coming into D-I ball has to make. Throwing to a certain quadrant of the zone is no longer good enough - you have to hit the edges of the zone. You cannot get by with one pitch - you have to improve your secondary pitches. You cannot have just one speed - you have to have a nice change (she does). Hitting spots, getting ball movement, changing speeds - it's called pitching, as opposed to throwing. If you can do those things, you can pitch at 60 in the Valley - you do not have to be 65+.

This past weekend was a "Welcome to D-I softball experience". She will learn from it and adapt and improve. I also suspect this is the toughest tournament the Shocks will play this year, but it allows the team/players to know where they stand. The sooner you know that, the better.

Ahhh, BWDIK. :)

Don't quit your dayj ob. It appears the girls are in the toughest tournament right now and got it handed to them. Long season this year, next season looks brighter.