OT: Softball

is anyone watching this!

back to back HRs to take the lead in the top of the 7th!

HBP. AZ St falling apart. Crickets in Tempe right now

3 outs away. Lets go ladies

Holy cow I thought that last one was gone.  phew!


Ladies to the Super Regionals!


Hutch's face was priceless


Congrats.

Not all that "OT", sandy. It's MICHIGAN SPORTS---and I still recall going nuts over our girls' title in 2005.

Yeah, I've been away a good while, since there's nothing really to post at this time of year...but the ladies' softball team IS current news, so I will.

I'm convinced Coach Hutch is as good a coach as we have in any sport, and has been for quite some time.

I didn't see the games (don't have ESPN-U), but from the write-ups, that second one must have been a doozie!  Cripes, how many home runs are going to be hit in this Regional/Super-Regional/WorldSeries before it's over? The damned balls seem to fly out of the park OFF THE HANDLE---forget about "sweet part of the bat"!!!  (Remember, home runs are not something this one-time U-M pitcher loves to see---unless they're OURS).

But a point I'll make: in the top of the 7th, when Taylor H. launched hers to give us an insurance run, it was, according to ncaa.com, on the very next pitch after Sierra L's. Made me think of a quote from the immortal Ted
Williams: "[assuming no pitching change has been made]: Never, never, EVER, take the first pitch after a home run!"

I'll let you comment on his reasoning, Sandy...I have my opinion (and I agree with him).

I agree about that Coach Hutch being one hell of a coach. She is probably the second best coach at UM. She's sandwiched in between Red being #1 and Beilein being #3.

I was fully deflated when Sierra Romero struck out to end the 6th. I was convinced that the game was over. Side note, it was the first time in 40 games that Sierra didn't reach base. I think her BA is now under .500 now too. She'll still win the batting title this year though. She's the best in the NCAAs by far. Also, those of you who didn't see it, Sierra Romero was sick all game. She had wraps on her wrist from where she IVs in. In the top of the 6th she was being covered up/hidden in the dugout while she was supposed to be on deck to bat. I'm almost positive she was throwing up.

Anyway, when Sierra Lawrence hit that ball out I was so pumped. It totally deflated the home crowd and our girls looked so pumped. SL sprinted around the bases. It was fastest I've ever seen a home run trot.

Just like you said mike, Hasselbach swung at the very next pitch and crushed it to center too. She yelled so loud coming out of the batters box. Here is a picture from MgoBlue.



Seems like sound advice from Ted Williams. It was the same pitch in the same spot and it seemed like Hasselbach was looking for it.

What a game though. As if the drama from the top of the 7th wasn't enough, our center fielder had to go back and catch a home run ball with a runner on for the third out in the bottom of the 7th to end the game. If that ball would have went over ASU would have won. It was close.

I wish I could find a gif of Hutch's reaction to the hit and catch of the last out. It was classic.

speak of the devil... Hutch's reaction .gif and a picture of the catch to end the game are over on mgoblog.com. You have to check it out.

I didn't even know the game was on. I would have watched it. Sounds like a great game. Maybe it will propel them to the title.

Hopefully Haylie Wagner's arm will be rested enough for her to go two of the three games in Gainesville.  Because judging by how long our other starter, who started the finale in Tempe,  lasted, if Haylie can't go more than one start vs. the lady Gators--- ALL BETSA OFF!!!

michmike wrote:

...ALL BETSA OFF!!!...

Funny but to me Betsa and Wagner aren't our #1. Dreisenga is. So I think we have three viable options and that bodes well for UM. Plus our O is really, really good when the Sierra's (Romero and Lawrence) are on, and that's pretty much always.

One thing neither you, Sandy, nor Fish commented on from my initial post was about the absolutely insane number of long balls in this tournament. Didn't that girl from Nebraska hit four in three games during their upset of Mizzou?  And, of course, Lawrence and Romero crushing the ball into Sierra Mist... er, forget that one. Crimeny's sake, seems almost every other game has a case of "All the runs were produced by homers."

But seriously---is the ball different?  I recall, years ago, when in February, during spring camp, the major leaguers got together for a slo-pitch softball game. I distinctly recall hearing the announcer say "That's a restricted-flight ball." (meaning, presumably, a "de-juiced" one). Could the reverse be true in this ladies' tourney?  Or are the hitters simply that powerful AND the pitchers throwing too many meatballs?  (I don't give a shit how strong your bat is, if the pitch isn't there, you won't hit it out...or anywhere...voice of experience).

Another comment relating to your post above about SL's game-winning dinger, Sandy---where you joked about the pace of her home run "trot". It shoved a less-than-pleasant thought into my head:

Trust me, I've seen all varieties of HR trots--- both in high school and at U-M, but more the latter---and in all cases, I got a perpendicular eye-view of the batter "touching them all", from about 66 feet away.  (Do the geometry and read between the lines if you will...)

Mike, I guess I haven't been paying attention to the HRs because I've only loosely followed UM all year and they have been crushing them at a decent pace anyways. So to hear that our girls hit 5 total in the double header against ASU wasn't all that alarming to me.

I only played up to Majors and I only hit three total HRs. I never played in HS and I never pitched so I guess your perspective on home run trots is probably a bit different than mine.   

Question, after someone hit one out on you did you go back to same pitch against the very next batter?

michmike wrote:

Hopefully Haylie Wagner's arm will be rested enough for her to go two of the three games in Gainesville.  Because judging by how long our other starter, who started the finale in Tempe,  lasted, if Haylie can't go more than one start vs. the lady Gators--- ALL BETSA OFF!!!

 
mike, they are playing in Tallahassee not Gainesville.  So hopfully the ladies can tomahawk chop the ball over the fences against the Lady Seminoles.
 
OK, so my ability to make puns isn't up to your standards.

fishgoblue22 wrote:

OK, so my ability to make puns isn't up to your standards.

Most rational human beings would say that that fact is definitely to your credit, sir!!!

Sandy, what follows relates to (1) your question of what pitch I'd throw after a gopher ball, and even more, (2) Ted Williams' philosophy of never taking the first first pitch after a home run (assuming same pitcher).

After a home run, particularly against a power pitcher (and while hardly a "power pitcher" by Div-I standards, my hummer was still my B&B pitch), it's only natural that the pitcher will be very disgusted with himself. And chances are, he'll want to reaffirm his "manhood" right away, blowing his hottest heater right by the next man. And we all know how one's precision is reduced when "hot under the collar". And location's as important as velocity when facing high-level hitters (e.g., majors, or triple-A). So Ted's reasoning, I believe,  was that the next pitch will be a bad one...maybe overthrown, so quite fast, possibly, but very hit-able, and in the "wheel zone" of the hitter. Or at the very least, not in a very good "pitcher's" spot.

As to your question, if it pertains to my U-M pitching (vs. HS) days, I can't answer, because coach ("Mody") Benedict almost invariably "asked" me for the ball right after a gopher ball!!!  In HS, didn't throw too many gopher balls (our opponents were so shabby, we could name the score much of the time), but when I did, I tried keeping calm, and saying, "Get the NEXT man"...

michmike wrote:

fishgoblue22 wrote:

OK, so my ability to make puns isn't up to your standards.

Most rational human beings would say that that fact is definitely to your credit, sir!!!

Ha, but not nearly as entertaining.

I was keeping track of the tourney, but that5 game was on much to late in Michigan, but when I seen the highlights the next day , it would have been worth staying up for, these games are so entertaining sports wise and the ladies give it their all man...

both the men and women play tonight. The 5th seed baseball team hit a 3 run shot in the 7th to win a close 3-2 game over 4th seeded Minny. Now they take on #1 see Indiana tonight to continue their quest for a B1G tourney championship.

The ladies are in Tallahassee tonight to play in the super regional agaist Florida St. to try to move on to the CWS.

I'm hoping for two wins.

Our ladies are putting on an absolute clinic against FSU right now.

Already ran arguably the best pitcher in the nation off the mound. Scored 12 runs (most FSU has given up all year) and is holding the #8 seed to only 3.

Sure FSU is playing terrible and not doing themselves any favors with all of their errors but still gotta give it the lady Wolverines. About to mercy rule FSU and be one game away from the world series.

VAMOS AZUL!

Make that 13 runs now

what a clinic. 17 now. just batting around like it's BP

Gotta say this---apparently our ladies are still afflicted with the flu...because tonight, they sure have the runs...

michmike wrote:

Gotta say this---apparently our ladies are still afflicted with the flu...because tonight, they sure have the runs...

Oh boy.

C'mon, Fish--- you of all people ought to know by now how to cope with my "humor".

When presented one of my posts, such as the above, you just gotta 'go' with the flow...
and in the end, everything comes out OK.

I only provide you this advice because I'm your friend, not your enema...

Is the first game on today? They only mentioned game 3 last night.

wshoes wrote:

Is the first game on today? They only mentioned game 3 last night.

Yes, at 4 PM on ESPNU.   If FSU somehow pulls out a victory, the "rubber game" (Gm.3) is at 7 tonight on ESPN.
.

Damn

What a damn choke job, horrid base running and watching three straight pitches go by for strikes (although #3 was outside) lost it

bases loaded. no outs. plain and simple, they choked. Bummer.