Shocker Softball at Kajikawa Classic (Tempe, AZ)

[1972Shocker]

Kasha Kolb is making her long anticipated debut in the circle for the Shocker Softball team today against UCSB in Tempe, AZ.

So far so good as she has 2 scoreless innings under her belt.

Shocks batting in the bottom of the 2nd.

:goshocks:

[1972Shocker]

UCSB takes the lead on a 2-run homer in the top of the 4th.

Kasha then gives up another home run.

UCSB 3 - Shocks 0.

Both homers came with 2-out.

UCSB giving KK a rude welcome to D-1 Softball.

[WuDrWu]

I guess this isn't small school Oklahoma high school anymore. Thanks for the updates '72....keep 'em coming.

Let it be said I believe she is going to be very, very successful throughout her career.

:wsu_posters: :goshocks: :posterwu: :posterwsu:

[1972Shocker]

Shocks rally for 2 in the bottom of the 4th to get right back into the game.

Shocks had 4 singles, a SB and 2 stolen bases in the inning.

They had scored 2 runs and had runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out, but a strike out and line out to 2B ended the inning.

Looks like we have a long ball vs small ball contest on our hands.

:goshocks:

[1972Shocker]

I was wrong. Shocks use the long ball to tack on 3 runs on 2 homers in the bottom of the 5th to take a 5 - 3 lead.

Kiersten Dixon with a solo shot and Jamie Hull with a 2-run shot following a walk to Kara L'Huillier.

:clap: :goshocks: :good:

[1972Shocker]

Kasha gave up a tying 2-run homer in the Top of the 6th.

:(

Shocks batting in Bottom of the 6th.

UCSB 5 - Shocks 5

[1972Shocker]

Kasha got the 1st two batters in the Top of the 7th, but then gave up a single, walk and another home run.

UCSB 8 - Shocks 5.

All eight runs scored on 4 home runs KK gave up today (6 of those runs coming with two outs). Hopefully, it will prove to be a learning experience for KK.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks get the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 7th but fail to score.

UCSB wins 8-5.

Tough first outing for Kasha Kolb.

Not a bad performance by the Shocks offensively.

Oregon up next at 4:00 or so.

[WuDrWu]

Looks to have been a decent UCSB team....returned a lot from last year and picked 3rd in their conference this year.

Tough outing...I'm sure that was an adjustment for Kasha....8 earned is more than she gave up in 2 seasons in high school.

[1972Shocker]

2 UCSB players had 2-homers each.

[flyingMoose]

I have stated before that Kasha is the real deal - but she is a freshman! If her record this year is in the neighborhood of .500, she will have had a nice freshman season.

One of her main pitches is a rise ball. If you hang a rise ball, it can go a long way. I dare say that the WSU pitchers who are highest on the "Most HRs Allowed - Career" list are all rise ball pitchers. That is just a pitch you cannot make a mistake with, and four home runs today suggests she hung a few. But I would admit that allowing them with two outs and allowing base runners in front of them is a little troubling. And I would have hoped for more than one strike out.

I think the comparisons to her high school stats are misleading. Football and perhaps track and field (?) is the only sport where coaches recruit primarily-to-exclusively from an athlete's high school performance. Basketball, volleyball and softball are all recruited off what you do in the summer, that is, non-high school. Softball coaches at D-I are looking at girls when they play travel ball - in Kasha's case, 18U Gold with the Tulsa Eagles if I am not mistaken. High school stats may get you a look, but they will not get you recruited.

This is one game against a quality team. I am looking forward to her career as she develops.

[flyingMoose]

Shocks scored three unearned in the top of the first against Oregon.

The Ducks are picked seventh in the Pac-10 (and likely all eight of the Pac-10 teams who play softball will make the postseason). They lost to UCSB, 4-2, earlier today.

[1972Shocker]

FM, another thing I had read about Kasha was that, unlike many pitchers, her rise ball will start at the knees and finish in the upper part of the strike zone. A lot of pitchers start it waist high and it ends up out of the strike zone. Not sure if that was a factor today, but I suspect KK will make the necessary adjustments to be effective.

I think it also takes awhile to adjust to ptiching from a couple of feet further out.

[1972Shocker]

Nice early season Tournament for the Shocks. 5 games in 3 days in good weather. Interesting that we don't play the host Arizona State.

Shocks play UCSB, Oregon, Portland State, #23 Nevada and McNeese State in this Tournament.

Shocks up 4-0 in the Top of the 2nd vs Oregon. Gamewatcher seems to have locked up with 2 outs and the bases loaded for the Shocks.

[1972Shocker]

Jamie Stanclift cleared the bases in the 2nd with a double, but was thrown out at 3rd to end the inning.

Shocks up 7-0 after 2.

Shocks back on the attack in the Top of the 3rd with the bases loaded and no outs.

:clap: :goshocks: