Softball Conference games begin

[Tax Guy]

Tulsa (21-5)

The remaining 25 games on the schedule are comprised of conference 3 game series on the weekend and a regional nonconference game on Tuesday and/or Wednesday.

The 3 game series are usually Friday, Saturday, Sunday but the Holiday pushes this weekend up to Thursday (5:30), Friday(5:30), Saturday(noon) in Houston.
The midweek game is a trip up to Wichita State(6:00) on Wednesday. There will be a return trip 4/27.

Houston (12-13)
Picked 3rd in the preseason conference poll, including a 1st place vote, but have had a rough first half.
Lost to Texas 4-1
Lost to Minnesota twice 5-3, 6-1

Wichita State (13-11)
Very capable of scoring runs against good teams.
I did not see any common opponents, but lost to UCLA 5-6, Texas A&M 3-4, in a three game series with Nebraska won 2-1, and lost 4-6, and 5-10.

 

[TU_BLA]

Looks like Houston is struggling to hit the ball and score runs. That sets up well for us because we can score but our pitching is strong enough to limit most lineups.

 

[TUBballJunkie]

The ladies won yesterday 11-2.

Going to cheer them on at the finale tomorrow afternoon. Never been to a softball game and cannot wait!

 

[TUBballJunkie]

Ladies win the rubber match today! Great afternoon in Houston, had a blast.

For a baseball fan not accustomed to softball some of the differences were really surprising...namely runners on first keeping a foot on the bag until a pitch is thrown and the way left handed batters seem to run with every pitch like you see in baseball when someone is trying to bunt his way on. But they are taking pitches or swinging with it.

Pretty decent Tulsa contingency too. At least 1/3 of the crowd.

 

[Bill Lowery]

Ladies win the rubber match today! Great afternoon in Houston, had a blast.

For a baseball fan not accustomed to softball some of the differences were really surprising...namely runners on first keeping a foot on the bag until a pitch is thrown and the way left handed batters seem to run with every pitch like you see in baseball when someone is trying to bunt his way on. But they are taking pitches or swinging with it.

Pretty decent Tulsa contingency too. At least 1/3 of the crowd.

With this being your 1st softball game, on the 1st pitch of the game you didn't scream in your loudest voice, "Did you see that pitcher? She threw that ball underhanded". Lol

 

[TUBballJunkie]

Lol no that's the one single thing I was prepared for!

And I knew the field was smaller as a whole but wasn't prepared for how much smaller in person. Double plays must be really hard to come by!

 

[Rippin]

Contingent. But thanks for the good report! Looks like the team is having having a great season so far! Gutsy performances.

 

[TUBballJunkie]

Awwww snap.

 

[canerush]

Hollingsworth is a great looking freshman. Very aggressive in her hitting and running. Should of hit the brakes a couple of times getting caught in run downs. But she's a winner.
1st base play sometimes looks shaky. Hope it don't cost us a game. Too many pop ups but overall a good weekend winning 2 of 3 over a Houston team having a down year.

 

[Tax Guy]

Weekend results 2-1
Overall 23-6

Thursday W 11-2
Tulsa 11 runs on 11 hits had 3 errors and 9 LOB
Houston 2 runs on 9 hits had 3 errors and 11 LOB
Notable: Maggie Withee was 3 for 5 with a double 3 runs and 1 RBI
Catherine Horner was 4 for 4 with 3 RBI
Caitlin Sill pitched all 7 innings 1 ER on 9 hits 0 BB 4 K.

Friday L 2-1
Tulsa had 1 run on 4 hits had 1 error and 6 LOB
Houston had 2 runs on 5 hits had 4 errors and 5 LOB
Notable
Catherine Horner was 2 for 3
Emily Watson pitched 6 innings with 2 ER on 5 hits 2 BB and had 9 K

Saturday W 8-3
Tulsa had 8 runs on 9 hits had 0 errors and 5 LOB
Houston had 3 runs on 5 hits had 4 errors and 5 LOB
Notable:
Maddie Withee was 2 for 3 with a double and an HR and a SAC scored twice and 4 RBI
Julia Hollingsworth was 2 for 4 with an RBI and 1 for 2 on stolen bases.
Jodi Edmiston also stole a base and Kaitlin Allen had 3 RBI.
Caitlin Sill got the start and the W. Went 4 innings with 3 ER on 5 hits 2 BB and had 2 K and 2 HBP.
Emily Watson picked up a Save going the final 3 innings with 0 runs 0 hits 0 BB and 4 K.

Also notable Tulsa always struggles with Houston, and this was the first series Tulsa has won in Houston.

 

[TU_BLA]

Weekend results 2-1
Overall 23-6

Thursday W 11-2
Tulsa 11 runs on 11 hits had 3 errors and 9 LOB
Houston 2 runs on 9 hits had 3 errors and 11 LOB
Notable: Maggie Withee was 3 for 5 with a double 3 runs and 1 RBI
Catherine Horner was 4 for 4 with 3 RBI
Caitlin Sill pitched all 7 innings 1 ER on 9 hits 0 BB 4 K.

Friday L 2-1
Tulsa had 1 run on 4 hits had 1 error and 6 LOB
Houston had 2 runs on 5 hits had 4 errors and 5 LOB
Notable
Catherine Horner was 2 for 3
Emily Watson pitched 6 innings with 2 ER on 5 hits 2 BB and had 9 K

Saturday W 8-3
Tulsa had 8 runs on 9 hits had 0 errors and 5 LOB
Houston had 3 runs on 5 hits had 4 errors and 5 LOB
Notable:
Maddie Withee was 2 for 3 with a double and an HR and a SAC scored twice and 4 RBI
Julia Hollingsworth was 2 for 4 with an RBI and 1 for 2 on stolen bases.
Jodi Edmiston also stole a base and Kaitlin Allen had 3 RBI.
Caitlin Sill got the start and the W. Went 4 innings with 3 ER on 5 hits 2 BB and had 2 K and 2 HBP.
Emily Watson picked up a Save going the final 3 innings with 0 runs 0 hits 0 BB and 4 K.

Also notable Tulsa always struggles with Houston, and this was the first series Tulsa has won in Houston.

Houston had 4 errors in the 2nd game and still won? Bats went cold in that one.

 

[TU_BLA]

Lol no that's the one single thing I was prepared for!

And I knew the field was smaller as a whole but wasn't prepared for how much smaller in person. Double plays must be really hard to come by!

Junkie, things to look for in softball that are different than baseball:

1) Slap hits. Most lefties with speed become slap hitters in fast pitch. It's almost like a bunt but not really. They are trying to slap it into the 3B/SS hole and even if the 3B or SS move to field it, they have almost no chance of throwing that type of hitter/runner out at first with 60 ft bases (same as U11, U12 LL bases).
2) Runner commitment: Runners have to commit to going back to the base or going to the next base when the ball is returned to the pitcher in the circle. OU won their first college world series when the tying run for UCLA lingered off 3B once the pitcher had the ball back in the circle and the umpire called the runner out...for the 3rd out...in the 7th inning.
3) Field size...the size of the field is essentially the same as a little league baseball field.
4) Infield...no grass on the infield area. Pitcher's area is flat (no mound). Usually for a LH hitter you will see the 3B play about halfway between 3B and home. Some actually will wear a catcher's like mask (as do some pitchers).
5) You will see some DPs, but they usually are from hard hit balls right at a SS or 2B. You think MLB players are good at turning DPs, fast pitch softball players who are good at it have lightning quick releases.
6) Stolen Bases: The very fastest players will try and steal 2nd almost every time they get on base.
7) Extra base hits: Because the fences are so short and many OF have good to great arms at this level, you rarely see doubles unless they are down the lines or the runner is fast and hit the ball in the gap. Triples are even more rare.

I saw a documentary a couple weeks back that combined an athletic trainer's research on muscle firing vs the ability to be "more ready" to move for a ball in softball. The researcher found if every infielder took a "kangaroo hop" as the pitcher begins their wind-up, the muscle is ready to react a lot quicker than just going into a crouch. They employ this at Auburn and someone showed a video of every infielder taking a hop at the same time...it looked weird but the increased amount of range each fielder had was someone staggering (even an extra 2-3 feet of range can be the difference between fielding a ball on the infield or it getting through to the OF).

 

[TUBballJunkie]

Actually we did see a DP now that I think about it! It was a line drive to the 3B where she also just tagged the bag to get the runner who'd started for home.

Wish I'd gone to more games when I had the chance. I love the vibe that you're right on top of the action and can hear all the chatter and really get into the game. Reminded me of high school baseball in a good way.

 

[TUcandoit]

Softball is one of the best live sports in my opinion. I coached for a few years and thought when I went back to a spectator I would be disappointed. I was not. Softball is high action, takes incredible skill, and pinpoint accuracy. There is not much give in softball, one mistake will most likely cost you a run. It's a lot of fun.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

It sounds kinda similar to indoor soccer.

 

[Tax Guy]

Wednesday’s results Loss 11-3 (5 Innings)
Tulsa 3 runs on 8 hits had 2 errors and 5 LOB
Wichita State 11 runs on 9 hits had 0 errors and 0 LOB
Notable:
Catherine Horner was 3 for 3 with a double
Morgan Neal and Shelby Estocado also doubled
Tori Stafford homered
Emily Watson pitched 4 inning with 8 ER 1 BB and 5 K
Ellie Reaves came in after 5 runs were scored in the 5th and gave up a homer for the run rule.

Watson has great stuff but not consistently. This was not her day.
Of the 17 hits in the game 9 were extra base hits.
Wichita State had 5 homers and Tulsa had 3 doubles and 1 HR.

 

[Tax Guy]

This last weekend was technology free and I did not post the schedule prior to, or look past the scores for the results.
Tulsa swept East Carolina 12-0. 8-0, and 11-3 all in 5 inning games.

Wednesday Oklahoma State comes to Tulsa at 5:00

 

[Tax Guy]

 

[TU_BLA]

Tulsa beats OKState tonight 9-0. Big weekend series with UCF in Orlando coming up...GO TU!

 

[Tax Guy]

Wednesday W 9-0 (5 innings)
Tulsa 9 runs on 11 hits had 0 errors and 5 LOB
OSU 0 runs on 2 hits had 3 errors and 7 LOB
Notable:
Maggie Withee was 3 for 3 scored twice
Shelby Estocado was 2 for 3 with a 1st inning 4 RBI HR. total of 5 RBI.
Maddie Withee also homered and had an RBI Sac.
Caitlin Sill pitched a 2 hit shutout with 4 BB 5 K
Not without drama, she did hit two batters in a row and then walked the next one to load the bases in the 5th with only 1 out. Got an infield popup and a ground ball to end the game on the run rule.

 

[Tax Guy]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsext...cle_5247f9cc-81c3-501a-b2b2-ede7794543ef.html