2023 Softball Season

Must have happened in the ISU series.

 

That plate ump was unbelievable. A perfect example of not willing to admit you are wrong. We sit behind the plate to the side and we were all yelling at him "It's 2-1! It's 2-1!" And then he tried covering his butt by consulting the other refs and they frankly weren't paying attention. I know that if he were to admit that it was 2-1 then he'd be open to both coaches then arguing every point.

With that late HR that looked foul, Singleton came out and asked "Is that reviewable?" The plate ump then made some sort of signal with his hands showing "above and below" motions. Basically, since the ball was so above the "Nebraska poles", they couldn't review it and it was all human judgement. By that point, everyone knew the game was over anyway so there wasn't might fight left in the coaches.

And when the Kansas coach was tossed, there wasn't much argument from the Kansas side since, again, they knew the game was pretty much over so why raise a fuss?

 

Every time Whitaker comes to bat my first thought is she will strikeout, usually I am right. Honestly, she has no business being on the University of Texas softball team; can’t field, can’t hit.

Thinking J Whitaker is our best bet off the bench is crazy to me. Anyone with any softball knowledge who has watched this team this season should see that

Whitaker is probably the last person i would put in, in a crucial at bat.

“Our best option off the bench.” Open your eyes..

 

New that broke late yesterday:

Why is this important? Because when I've asked CDC, "Chris when are we going to get a new stadium for softball?" His answer was always:

0. I gotta take care of Moody first
1. New indoor practice facility to replace the bubble
2. [something related to an olympic sport]
3. Softball upgrades

Spoke to some student managers from Texas State when they came to play us in Austin. They were wowed by the new training building. Then they politely said that our stadium was a bit "old".

OU got Love's to pony up money for their new stadium. Why can't we get Buc ees? Unless it was founded by an Aggie.

 

The thing about it is that he signaled strike. I watched it again this morning. How did all 3 miss the call?

 

100% This!

 

This. Same as in basketball and football.

 

Before we left for the game, I said to my son, "I wonder if Texas might run rule Kansas today. They are so pissed off that they might just go crazy at the plate"

I'm not sure I've been at a Texas game where they scored 9 runs in the first inning.

The plate ump wasn't the best, but he was mostly consistent about what he considered a strike.

And also, it helps to have a confident Mac Morgan, with 9 runs backing her up, pitching.

 

Canzez better be happy Texas only got to bat 4x, otherwise it night have been 15-20 to zip. Let's keep the momentum going today!

 

Yea I think the team was pretty happy after that win!

 

Texas Softball...help me make this bad feeling go away. I don't like close games against inferior teams....

 

Thank you. Nice, tough win.

 

Troubling, but a win. If their #11 pitcher could throw so well against our Horns, why only see her as the last possible pitcher on Sunday?

Updated: Freshman. 1.64 ERA. 2-4, with 3 saves. 38.1 innings pitched. Started 1 game.

Looks like McFalls doesn't trust her enough to start, but she's pretty good in relief.

 

Racer, the crowds looked amazing this weekend. How were they in person? The close games against the lesser opponent makes me crazy

 

I’m thinking I like Corona in the lineup over Washington right now. And Quiroga figuring her way into the rotation more, even if just a PH.

 

Malcom and others, here's a writeup of the weekend of games and some stuff you might notice since you're watching it via your screens.

First, we learned that Lisa White has 10 tickets for the game in the reserved section. Usually it's friends and family who come along. But on days where she's by herself (her daughters aren't there) she sometimes goes out into the outfield bleachers and picks people at random and asks, "Hi, would you like to sit closer? I've got free ticket upgrade for you!"

The NCAA site, where I get all my official stats, still lists the stadium as seating 1,254. But this year we've mostly exceeded that because it doesn't account for the bleacher seating. Bleachers are now all GA and inside the stadium is 85% reserved seating that's been purchased for the season.

Additionally, you may not realize it, but the person who tallies the stats for UT has a wry sense of humor. They inject light jabs or jokes in the the "weather" report in the box score that gets transmitted up to the NCAA as well and has been part of the official record for years. I'll include this weekend's comments.

Friday
There are more KU fans here than you would think. As they are crushing the team, there is a lot of "Rock Chalk --- Jayhawk" back and forth. To my wife, who graduated from KSU, this is equivalent to fingernails across a blackboard.

Our seat mates, who have extra tickets, shows up with a friend and is quickly trying to see if some squatters are on his extra seats because he says that there is a football recruit and his dad who are joining us. What?

There is a kid and his dad from NY who are here on an unofficial visit for the Spring Game. He's 17 and 6'4" and 310lbs. They had a meeting with a coach, but it was postponed, so they decided to take in a softball game to kill time and purchased GA tickets. Also, his sister plays at college softball somewhere, so they are actual fans of the game.

Lisa White was heading to the GA section (you have to leave the stadium and enter from the berm area to get to the bleachers) when my friend spotted her and asked what she was doing there. When she said she was looking for people to upgrade, he said, "Well I have extra tickets". So she pointed at the father and son and pointed at my friend and said, "He's got tickets. Follow him". I don't think she realized he was a football recruit.

Anyway, that's about the only positive thing about Friday. They stayed until the 6th inning and maybe had to go meet the coach.

Weather: "Rachel jinxed us"
(I have no idea what that means)

Attendance: 1,496

Saturday
No Jayhawk chants at all. Scoring 9 in the first inning as everyone very relaxed and joking around.

In the first inning, at the first at-bat when Mia almost got hit by a pitch, Mike White at 3rd was joking with Mia. He swung his hips to the side as to tell her (jokingly), "You couldn't just take one for the team?"

Weather: "Allergy numbers are very high"

Attendance: 1,659

Sunday
The lack of any runs in the first few innings is starting to make everyone a bit nervous. And when Kansas finally scores 2 at the top of the 4th, the Rock-Chalk chants start.

You may not know this about Mia, but she gets a strike call that she disagrees with she pouts at the plate. Often she makes a face at the ump and almost always uses her foot to scratch away at the box lines (which are almost all gone anyway). And she makes these odd motions with her body. Anyway, the ump didn't like being showed up like that after a call and that's where she got a warning. Singleton talked to her, but Mike did not. So, you can see her start behaving at the plate from that point forward.

Crowd is still nervous that the pitcher Hamilton has got our number. But, the changeup that befuddled everyone Friday was not there. They were all high pitches. And, you can tell she's getting a bit tired.

We get tied up and in the subsequent innings we're all shocked to see Lisa White leading the "Texas - Fight" chants from her seats! It's usually two guys who start the chants on their own.

Anyway, good guys win.

Weather: "Skies are as blue as KU's unis"

Attendance: 1,491

Added: Mia is a very dramatic runner. When she gets on a base, she (immaturely) dances around like she's daring them to throw at the base while she's off of it. And when she slides into a base, she gets dramatic. With the winning slide into the base today, she laid there for a few seconds like she twisted her ankle. But then got off, dusted herself off near the dugout slowly and then remembered she had to get into the handshake line.

 

Oh, and later that day......

ISU beats #3 OSU 3-2 in 11 innings. The previous day, ISU lost to OSU 2-3.

 

Okie Light lost again last night 3-1 to a ranked (#23) Wichita State team. We may be catching them at a good time. I would sure like to sweep or at least win the series with them. Hope they stay in this slump. Maxwell got a blister on her throwing index finger against ISU and wasn’t able to close out the game.

 

Second loss to the same team in the same season.

4/04/23 - 7-8
4/18/23 - 1-3(8)

WS has their number!

 

Is today's game going to get postponed due to weather?

 

I’m in no way trying to bash her but you’re right she just doesn’t have it. She was recruited for her power but strikes out ever at bat. Definitely not the freshman we saw. I honestly see her leaving after the season. She still be passed up by that freshman class. Ryan brown to be exact because her power is equal if not stronger than Whitaker and she can’t give you quality at bats. Not to mention her speed is what impressed me the most so unless she gets it together she won’t see any at bats next season.

 

I just dont think she played enough softball before here. Her ABs are far behind the freshman. I just can't believe White hasn't gotten Baylea Brandon more playing time.

 

Did she start softball late? I also agree Brandon needs more playing time. I’d rather have her and corona pinch hit over Whitaker.

 

What's the weather in Austin, is the game going to get played?

 

It's humid, warm and it's had rain in various parts of town. Hard to tell what's going to happen. I'm headed there tonight.

 

Sometime I wonder why Camille Corona isn't starting...double play against Oregon couple of years ago is still one of my favorite plays..

 

How’s the weather looking in Austin? Possible cancellation or it’s not that bad yet?

 

I don't think they gonna play any softball tonight. Forecast looks terrible...

 

Radio broadcast said they are in a delay currently.