2010 Softball

[Bball Girl]

Not Big 12...but

Stanford freshman Teagan Gerhart pitched back-to-back no-hitters on Saturday and pitched a perfect game on Friday. That's an amazing couple of days.

Arizona plays UNM in ABQ next week and I'm going! Very excited to see some softball.

I watched part of a Mizzou game with AZ, they have a great team this year.

I know that Kristi Fox is an assistant coach at Tech and they're having a good season.

What's the Big 12 look like this year?

[wildcatfan]

This is just an FYI. My daughter played her first high school softball double header on Tuesday night. The second game involved an OU recruit for next year, Haley McGregor. Her team is very inexperienced, but she is amazing.

[CowgirlsFreak]

Nebraska at (15)Texas
Kansas at (17)Texas A&M
(9)Oklahoma at (4)Missouri
Iowa State at (28)Texas Tech
(23)Baylor at (16)Oklahoma State

Makes for an interesting weekend of softball. 6 ranked Big 12 teams. 5 from the south(sound familiar? ;) ).

[CowgirlsFreak]

OSU is ranked 16, and they are 27-7 on the year. 5 of the losses are against ranked teams. 2 blowout losses to (3)Michigan, one extra inning & one 5-1 game to (12)LSU, and one to (1)Washington. The other losses were to Tulsa in Stillwater & Maryland in FL.

They have wins against (14)Cal, (24)Louisville, (9)Oklahoma, and (20)Illinois.

They have a decent offense, hitting .305 as a team, and a good defense, .975 fielding %age. They have 2 pitchers who are capable, which was a weakness in last years team. Anna Whiddon is a good pitcher with the ability to get a K at any time. Kat, a freshman, lets teams put the ball in play more & relies on her defense.

OSU is also a very young team. Most of the players are non-seniors.

[CowgirlsFreak]

OSU swept Baylor on the weekend. Winning in come from behind fashion, 7-4 & 6-3.

[DblT81]

Let me tell another West Texas coaching family story.

Larry Hays was the long time baseball coach at Texas Tech who retired a couple of years ago. Before Larry coached at Tech, he was a coach across town at Lubbock Christian University, taking LCU to an NAIA National Championship in baseball. Two of Hays' sons followed him into coaching. One son was on his staff as an assistant baseball coach at Tech. The other, Shannon, became a basketball coach. Shannon's basketball coaching took him all over but one stint was as an assistant basketball coach at Tech on James Dickey's staff. When Dickey was fired to be replaced by Bob Knight, Shannon Hays moved on to be a head coach at a junior college, assistant at Houston, and an athletic administrator at Abilene Christian.

Then Lubbock Christian University decided to start a women's softball program.

So lets back up a bit. All the years Larry Hays was the head baseball coach at Tech, he and his sons played softball in men's fast pitch tournaments. From that experience, Shannon applied to start the softball program at LCU. He had lots of contacts from years of playing fast pitch tournaments across the country. After an initial year of getting players in and the program set up, but without playing games, Shannon's team took the field for their first season of competitive NAIA softball in 2008. LCU won the NAIA national championship in that first year.

Tech's softball program had been a train wreck with a series of unfortunate coaching choices. So they tried again and lured Shannon Hays for his second stint as a coach at Tech, for women's softball instead of men's basketball this time. Shannon has a team of mostly freshmen and sophomores and they won't be winning a national championship in his first year here but he has things turning in the right direction.

Meanwhile, LCU needed a women's softball coach. And they found one pretty easy over in the Tech athletic administration offices. They called Larry Hays, who has become his son's successor for a second coaching stint at LCU, for women's softball instead of men's baseball this time.

[Bball Girl]

great story Dblt! Thanks...I saw Shannon Hayes was the HC but hadn't made all the connections.

I watched UofA wear out UNM - 3 run ruled games - in the last game AZ great freshman pitcher Kenzie Fowler threw her 2nd no hitter and hit a home run. Only walked 2. 14-0 Cats

Seems to be some great freshman pitchers around the country.

[CowgirlsFreak]

#15 :OSU: swept #4 :MU: this weekend. 8-3 in a game started Friday & concluded on Saturday due to weather. In the second game Saturday, freshman pitcher Kat Espinosa tossed a 3 hit shutout, and the Cowgirls won 1-0.

[CowgirlsFreak]

:OSU: has defeated :OU: in Stillwater. Both pitchers had a no-hitter going into the 5th inning. Then, OSU got a hit and another girl reached on an error. Leadoff hitter, Mariah Gearhart, hit a 3 run HR with 2 outs in the bottom of 5. Whiddon carried her no-no into the 6th inning. Until, Oklahoma got a hit & followed that with a HR by Flores(i think).

Both teams went scoreless the next few innings, with OSU threatening in the bottom of 6, but unable to capitalize. Top 7, Katie Norris hit a DEEP fly ball to right field, but resulted in the 2nd out of the inning. Another nice Bedlam game this year.

This should push OSU into the Top 10 next week, if they can take care of ISU this weekend.

[DblT81]

Like I said, Shannon Hays has Tech softball headed in the right direction.

[CowgirlsFreak]

OSU went from 1st to tied for 2nd in the Big 12 with a 3 game losing streak. Being swept @ TTU on Thursday the being run ruled by UT on Saturday. However, they came back in a BIG way on Sunday to stay away in the Big 12 race. Freshman pitcher Kat Espinosa NO HIT the best hitting team in the Big 12!!! The Cowgirls (& Sooners) remain 1/2 game back in the conference race, and hold a 3 game lead over Texas A&M.
http://www.okstate.com/sports/w-softbl/recaps/042510aab.html

That Oklahoma/UT series being canceled is in no way good for OSU. Any result from that series would have helped the Cowgirls. Now, there is a BIG game Wednesday in Norman. Good luck Cowgirls!!!

[tycat947]

Sooners run rule Cowgirls, 11-1. They followed that win with two shut outs of Jayhawks over the weekend to finish their conference season at 13-3 and second place.

http://www.newsok.com/ous-katie-norris-continues-hot-streak-against-cowgirls/article/3457646?custom_click=lead_story_title

[CowgirlsFreak]

Katie Norris KILLS OSU. Of course she wasnt the only one that game, but she is the sole reason Oklahoma swept last season.

Looks like the UT/Oklahoma series being cancelled killed OSU (along w/ being swept by TTU). If OSU wins one of two against A&M this weekend, they get 3rd place. UT probably wins the conference. Oklahoma has at least 2nd wrapped up.

[CowgirlsFreak]

NCAA Regional action update:

Oklahoma is 2-0 and will have to be beat twice tomorrow by Fordham. Oklahoma beat Fordham 1-0 today.

Mizzou is 2-0 and will have to lose twice to Illinois. Mizzou beat Illisnois 3-1 today.

Texas beat Iona, but lost the next 2 games to BYU & ECU. UT has been eliminated from the tournament.

TTU lost their first game to Stanford, then beat UC-Davis. TTU is up on Stanford 5-1 in the 4th inning of the elimination game. Winner will have to beat Hawaii twice tomorrow to advance to the SR.

Texas A&M fought their way back thru the losers bracket & will have to beat La-Lafayette twice tomorrow to advance. A&M lost to ULL 5-0 in the opening game.

Nebraska lost the first game to UNC. They are playing in the losers bracket game right now, up 2-0 in the 4th. If they win, they will play UNC again tonight to see who gets to try & beat Washington twice tomorrow.

OSU lost their first game to Hofstra 8-6, basically on ONE bad inning by Kat Espinosa. OSU then beat Cornell 7-0, and are about to face Hofstra again. The winner will get to try & beat Arizona twice tomorrow to advance.

Other interesting notes: LSU was the #12 seed and were eliminated by A&M today. So, LSU(12) and UT(7) are the only national seeds eliminated so far. Every other team is 2-0 as expected, except GaTech who must beat Oregon twice tomorrow.

[Bball Girl]

Oklahoma State eliminated by Hofstra
Texas A&M eliminated by the Rajun Cajuns
Nebraska eliminated by UNC.

Oklahoma and Mizzou onto the Super Regionals

Tech down 4-1 to Hawaii in top of the 4th

[Bball Girl]

Tech eliminated.

Arizona and Hofstra into the 12th inning:mad:

[Bball Girl]

In the 12th inning a walk off grand slam for Arizona. Hofstra walked two to load the bases with 1 out and paid the price when Lini Koria hit the homer. Arizona wins 10-6 and thanks to at UT loss, gets to host BYU in Tucson. Way to go Cats.

[CowgirlsFreak]

With the Super Regionals all but set, 2 Big 12 teams advance, Oklahoma and Mizzou.

Mizzou will be the favorite playing Oregon who upset GaTech.

Oklahoma will face Washington @Washington. Should be a good series, but will be a HUGE challenge going against Lawrie.

[DblT81]

In the 12th inning a walk off grand slam for Arizona. Hofstra walked two to load the bases with 1 out and paid the price when Lini Koria hit the homer. Arizona wins 10-6 and thanks to at UT loss, gets to host BYU in Tucson. Way to go Cats.

Wow! Dramatic ending. That is one those girls will remember for the rest of their lives.

[Bball Girl]

Wow! Dramatic ending. That is one those girls will remember for the rest of their lives.

Coach Candrea said it was one of the best performances he's ever been a part of and that's saying something given some of the games I've seen from Arizona.

And one of those former Cats, Kristi Fox is an assistant coach at Tech, she's a hell of a competitor. I hope she is bringing that to Tech players.

[CowgirlsFreak]

Well, that went not so well for Oklahoma. After winning game 1 convincingly, Lawrie came back and absolutely shut down the Oklahoma offense (intentionally walking Oklahoma's 2nd baseman every time) to win the series 2-1 and head to the WCWS. Mizzou is the last hope for the Big 12 to make the WCWS. Good luck.

Oklahoma has a great pitcher returning. If they can replace the few seniors, they will be good against next year.

[CowgirlsFreak]

Mizzou will be representing the Big 12 in the WCWS! Congratulations on back to back trips!

[tx4OU]

Way to go Mizzou! Now do some damage and represent the B12 proudly.

I'm also going to be rooting for the Rainbow Warriors. What a wonderful crowd stunner and silencer that HR was in the bottom of the 7th! Sorry Bama. Not this year either.

[CowgirlsFreak]

Way to go Mizzou! Now do some damage and represent the B12 proudly.

I'm also going to be rooting for the Rainbow Warriors. What a wonderful crowd stunner and silencer that HR was in the bottom of the 7th! Sorry Bama. Not this year either.

Gonna be a tough first day for you then. Mizzou opens the WCWS against Hawaii.

[Dale8R]

I don't know about anybody else, but I've pretty much lost interest here. What with Oklahoma and Louisiana Lafayette out early, quickly followed by Missouri and Washington, I'm left without anybody I care to cheer for.

I'd have to say Arizona if I'm forced into a choice, but that's like saying they are going to lose for sure.

There really have been the upsets, though. 1, 2, 3 all gone ** and #4.

Two teams from the SEC #6 Georgia and #15 Tennessee and two from the Pac10 #5 UCLA and #10 Arizona remain with Tennessee and UCLA unbeaten to this point.

[Bball Girl]

If you're bad luck do NOT yell for Arizona...please!

Cats all the way, Arizona class of '82.

I could not believe that UW would lose to Arizona - thought sure Lawrie would be fired up and that would be the death knell for the Cats. I was very proud of Kenzie Fowler last night - I think she got tired and stopped hopping and started striking out the Hawai'i hitters.

We're still enjoying softball in my house...

[Dale8R]

Hey! I did good not yelling for Arizona today. I didn't have the TV on once. I do admit to having gametracker on and stealing a look there once in a while.

I'll probably not pull for Arizona again in tomorrow's Pac10 final. :D

[Bball Girl]

Hey! I did good not yelling for Arizona today. I didn't have the TV on once. I do admit to having gametracker on and stealing a look there once in a while.

I'll probably not pull for Arizona again in tomorrow's Pac10 final. :D]

You keep that up...and the volleyball gods will smile on your.

[Scamp]

I happily cheered for UCLA, especially when Megan Langenfeld homered. :) And homered. :) And homered! :)

[Dale8R]

No, I wasn't watching, except by Game Tracker, but my guess is that she probably was selected MVP. :rotflol:

[Scamp]

You got it right! :D

Langenfeld's hometown paper's headline:
Bruins win softball title; Langenfeld MVP :)
http://www.bakersfield.com/news/sports/local/x1008891149/Bruins-back-on-top