NCAA Softball Tournament

[flyingMoose]

Okay, for completeness. :)

Friday

Arizona State 0-1 (8 ) Washington

Danielle Lawrie pitched a two-hitter to lead the Huskies to the win. Washington had a runner thrown out at the plate in the fourth when she tried to score on a two-out double, and then had a runner at third in the seventh with one out but could not score her either.

But a one-out double in the eighth scored on a ground single to left for a Washington win.

Arizona State had a two-out double in the second for their only suggestion of a threat.


Florida 1-0 Michigan

Stacey Nelson threw a one-hitter and had nine strike outs to lead Florida in the circle. Megan Bush homered in the sixth, her second of the WCWS, for the only run of the game.

Michigan threatened in the fourth with a single and an ill-advised attempt by Nelson for a force out on a sacrifice bunt to put two runners on. But with runners at second and third with one out, Nelson recorded two of her strike outs to escape the inning.

[flyingMoose]

Saturday afternoon elimination games

Missouri 2-5 Georgia

Georgia scored an unearned run in the first, added two on a homer in the fourth and two more with a double in the fifth. Missouri scored their two in the top of the seventh.

Georgia had only three hits but took advantage of five walks and two hit-batters.


Alabama 14-0(5) Arizona

Arizona pitched by committee (they used all three of their pitchers) and got bombed by committee (every Alabama starter had at least one hit and one RBI). WCWS records were set: most runs scored, largest margin of victory.

Alabama was able to use their second pitcher for the entire game.


Missouri and Arizona are eliminated. The evening session has Georgia playing Michigan and Alabama playing Arizona State. The loser in those two games will also be eliminated.

[flyingMoose]

Saturday evening elimination games

Michigan 5-7 Georgia

Neither starter (Michigan's ace and Georgia's second pitcher) can get past the second inning. Three Michigan runs in the first including a two-run homer bring on Christie Hamilton in the second for Georgia. (More on Christie later.) A Taylor Schlopy homer in the first for Georgia and a three-run blast by her as part of a four runs in the second bring on a Michigan reliever to start the third.

Solo homers in the fourth and sixth complete the scoring for Georgia and are part of their WCWS-record four home runs by one team in one game. Michigan strings together three hits in the fifth for their additional two runs.

Christie Hamilton had five illegal pitches called for pitcher's lane violations. This is probably a record, too. :) Where is Taryne Mowatt when we need her?

Georgia now plays Washington tomorrow in Bracket 1 and must defeat them twice to reach the best two-of-three Championship Series which begins on Monday.


Arizona State 2-6 Alabama

Arizona State hit a two-run homer in the top of the fourth, but Alabama countered with a two-out, pinch-hit grand slam in the bottom half. ASU's Hillary Bach had loaded the bases with two walks and a hit-batter. Jessica Mendoza had some excellent analysis about why you pinch-hit your senior All-American slap hitter with someone (a freshman!) who could drive the ball.

The Sun Devils gave away two unearned runs in the fifth and developed a nasty habit of taking called strike threes late.

Alabama now plays Florida tomorrow in Bracket 2 and must defeat them twice to reach the best two-of-three Championship Series which begins on Monday.

Of the four remaining teams, three are from the SEC with Washington from the Pac-10.

[flyingMoose]

Sunday Bracket 1 - Game 1

Washington 8-9(9) Georgia

Georgia gets a 3-2 count, two-out bases loaded walk to win and force the if-game later today.

This was a wild game. Washington goes up early with a three-run blast in the second to force Georgia's #2 pitcher out of the game. Georgia has to bring in the #3 pitcher, the regular center fielder. Georgia responds with two runs in the bottom half of the second as Danielle Lawrie, the Washington ace, leaves a lot of pitches up in the zone.

A two-run homer in the third for the Bulldogs ties the game at 4-4 after three complete. A run-scoring single and a three-run homer has Georgia ahead 8-4 after four. By this time, Georgia has brought their ace, Christie Hamilton, in the game. But she is gassed and gives up a grand slam in the fifth to the nine-hole batter, the second homer of the game for Niki Williams and her third of the WCWS. This homer, along with her three-run shot in the second, gives her a record-setting seven RBI.

When Washington threatens in the top of the sixth, Georgia brings in a freshman with a total of twelve(!) innings on the year to pitch. Though she gives up four hits in four innings, she holds them off for the rest of the game, with the help of a Huskie runner being thrown out at the plate by the center fielder in the eighth.

Lawrie enters the ninth having retired fourteen Bulldogs in a row. But a bunt single, a (questionably scored) error and an intentional walk load the bases with one out. Lawrie gets the second out, but then issues the game-ending walk.

Michelle Smith had excellent analysis of the pitch selection in the critical at-bat. If the umpire does not have a wide outside edge for your curve ball, do not expect to get that call if the batter takes the pitch. The pitch was off the plate, ball four was called and the game was over.

Washington and Georgia meet again later this evening with the winner advancing to the Championship Series.

[shoxlax]

A couple of great games today....Tim Walton is making us proud.

[shoxlax]

A couple of great games today....Tim Walton is making us proud.


John Kruk could not only hit, he can talk mechanics and approach all day long...wonder if he wants to be Krusty's hitting coach?

[flyingMoose]

Sunday Bracket 2

Alabama 5-6 Florida

Oh, my!!! I only got to watch the last inning or so if this one, but ...

Alabama scored an unearned run in the third. Florida hits a two-run homer in the fourth to take the lead.

With two outs and no one on base, Alabama strings together hits and a walk and a hit batter against Stacey Nelson, to this point the dominant pitcher in the WCWS, to score four in the top of fifth. Brombacher, Florida's #2, comes on to pitch the last two innings.

Walks, Kelsi Dunne's bugaboo, come to the fore in the bottom of the seventh. Two walks (of the five she issued for the game) and a single load the bases. Then Ali Gardiner deposits a pitch over the left field fence for a two-out walk-off grand slam, her first hit of the WCWS.

All of Florida's ten runs in their three games have come via the big fly.

Florida wins Bracket 2 and plays in the Championship Series.

[flyingMoose]

Sunday Bracket 1 - Game 2

Georgia 3-9 Washington

Washington wins the if-game to join Florida in the Championship Series.

Danielle Lawrie hit a grand slam in the first off Erin Arevalo, the freshman who won the game earlier in the day in relief, to give Washington the lead in the first. Christie Hamilton relieved for Georgia in the second where a triple drove in another run. Washington hit a solo homer in the third and plated three more runs in the sixth to complete their scoring.

Lawrie's only bad inning was the third when Georgia bunched four of their five hits to score three runs. She retired thirteen of the last fifteen batters, striking out nine of her total of twelve strike outs during that stretch.

[flyingMoose]

Championship Series - Game 1

Washington 8-0 Florida

Washington's Danielle Lawrie completely dominated the Florida lineup, giving up only two hits and three walks while striking out twelve.

The Huskies struck for four runs in the third, getting a walk, an infield hit and a fielder's choice (should have been scored a hit?) to set the table for another ground ball single to center field which scored two runs. After not getting the tag at the plate, the catcher air mails a throw back to second base all the way to the center field fence, and the two remaining runners score.

In the fifth, a walk and single precede a double to the base of the center field fence which scores the two runners. Nelson is out and Brombacher is in to pitch for Florida in the Washington sixth. No matter. An ankle high pitch is driven over the fence in right for a two-run homer. Washington only had seven hits for their eight runs but were the beneficiaries of five walks.

Washington was ahead by eight after six innings, a situation where the run-rule would normally apply. But in the Championship Series, this rule is waived. But no one but the ESPN crew seemed to know! The umpires left the field, the team were lining up for the "Good game" and the field crew was pulling bases. A bit bizarre, and especially for the umpires, embarrassing.

The ESPN announcers seem to think Florida can bounce back and be competitive tomorrow in Game 2. I have my doubts - if Florida has to score more than two runs to win, I think they are in trouble. Their WCWS batting average has to be very near .200 (batting .198 actually). BWDIK.

[flyingMoose]

Championship Series - Game 2

Florida 2-3 Washington

Washington wins the series, 2-0, and has the first National Championship in school history.

After both teams scored two runs in the first, Washington scratched across an unearned run in the third and held on to win the game and the championship.

Florida scored using a lead-off triple, some tentative Huskie play (a passed ball and an error) and a double steal followed by a sac fly to score their runs.

Washington scored using three singles and a run-scoring wild pitch in their first to tie the game.

The Huskies took the lead in the bottom of the third when the center fielder started the rally by dropping a line drive. Two singles loaded the bases, and a run scored when Stacey Nelson, the Florida pitcher, could not pick up a squibber back to the circle. Washington's only runner in scoring position for the remainder of the game came in the fourth.

However, the Gators had a runner reach at least second base in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. Their best chance to score came in the fourth with a single up the middle with a runner at second. The runner was obstructed by the shortstop, but it was uncalled and Coach Walton stopped the runner a third. The throw was offline towards first base, and the runner probably (possibly?) would have scored. Would he have sent the runner if he noticed the umpire signaling obstruction?

Francesca Enea had a double off the wall down the left field line in the seventh for Florida, but two strike outs followed to end the game.

Danielle Lawrie gave up seven hits and walked three, but four of her eight strike outs were among the last seven outs of the game. Stacey Nelson pitched well for Florida, yielding six hits while striking out five and walking one.

[1972Shocker]

I did see a little of the 1st game of the Championship series and Danielle Lawrie was very impressive on the mound for the Huskies.

Florida had a great season though in a tough conference. Sure hated to see Tim Walton leave the Shocks but I suppose it was only a matter of time.

Thanks for the reports 'Moose. I've been checking in for updates, but not posting much.

[flyingMoose]

Sure hated to see Tim Walton leave the Shocks but I suppose it was only a matter of time.

I agree. My notion is that he was only here for five or six years maximum - either because he was successful and a more prominent program wanted him, or because he was unsuccessful and moved on to another career.

To change the Pac-10 dominance in the WCWS, the SEC and the Big XII and the Big 10 need to have at least five strong teams each year. Right now they are at about three, sometimes four, each year.

Florida has a reasonably strong pitcher coming back, so they may be in the mix next year. But Washington has a reasonably strong returning pitcher, too. Lawrie. :)