2018 fall softball practice starts

[slot canyon 1,333]

According to AU softball twitter page softball practice started yesterday.  There were a few pictures; one was of the 4 pitchers in the dugout.  I did not realize that the transfer pitcher, Lexie Handley was that tall.  Looked at her Akron page and she was listed as 6'1".  She was their primary pitcher her freshman year and threw in excess of 200 innings.  Do not know the nature of the injury that had her sitting out last year.  Maybe we will be getting some practice updates in the near future.

[OlderWhiskey 953]

First fall game in two days.  Twitter page has a video of the girls lifting weights and rafting down the Chattahoochee.  Any news out there?

[slot canyon 1,333]

My wife and I may go down for the Sunday double header.  There was a discussion topic on Robo Coach about fall ball.  Someone there indicated that teams have rules about players not missing classes for fall softball games and that is why they tend to play near by community college teams/smaller instate teams.  Wonder if we could arrange to play someone like Samford.   Of course if they come to your field they have travel expenses.  

edit:  Just looked at Samford fall schedule.  They begin 9/28.  play 2 inter-squad games and play Enterprise CC, Wallace Hanceville and Central Alabama CC.  Seems they might be limited on inter-squad games as I believe their roster last year was 16 players.

Alabama fall schedule includes AUM, West Alabama, Wallace State, Marion Military, and Shelton State.  

[slot canyon 1,333]

Our opponent tomorrow Wallace State Dothan.  They play 16 games in their fall schedule.  They will have played 2 double headers prior to playing Auburn.  Their fall schedule goes from 9/4 - 10/27 when the finish in some Birmingham Southern Tournament. 

[AUatHeart 624]

My daughter plays for a JUCO and their fall schedule serves two purposes.  1.  Allows their coach to evaluate prospects in the higher level travel or invitational tournaments.  2.  Allows for her players to be seen by the bigger schools.

[OlderWhiskey 953]

The roster page has now been updated, and we have 21 players.  Godwyn is 00 and listed as C-OF.  Moseley is 6 and listed as OF, and Nillen is listed as a catcher, #43.  The pitcher Handley is 27, and Carosone is still listed as a volunteer assistant coach.  Guess we were wrong about the NCAA doing away with that position. 

[slot canyon 1,333]

10 hours ago, OlderWhiskey said:

The roster page has now been updated, and we have 21 players.  Godwyn is 00 and listed as C-OF.  Moseley is 6 and listed as OF, and Nillen is listed as a catcher, #43.  The pitcher Handley is 27, and Carosone is still listed as a volunteer assistant coach.  Guess we were wrong about the NCAA doing away with that position. 

Noticed Gutierrez not listed.

20 hours ago, AUatHeart said:

My daughter plays for a JUCO and their fall schedule serves two purposes.  1.  Allows their coach to evaluate prospects in the higher level travel or invitational tournaments.  2.  Allows for her players to be seen by the bigger schools.

How many games does your daughters team play in the fall....just curious?  What age did she develop an interest in softball?  How much have you spent for gas and buying SB equipment?....just kidding; but from parents I have talked to at games it seems to be big commitment for the players and family.  I respect anyone who can stick to something like this the way these ladies do.

[OlderWhiskey 953]

Thanks for the Gutierrez note, I missed that.  Also, Swindle has changed to #4.  Hope Gutierrez can land on her feet, but we have 4 other catchers, including Veach.  We've lost half of last year's incoming class; Bilodeaux, Nutt, Olszweski, and Schiele.  This year's seniors:  Martin, Veach, Podany, McCrackin, Fornis.

Update:  Starting lineup for tonight's game:

Tay Snow - Crocker - McCrackin - TanSnow - Rivera - Veach - Perry - Tissier - Podany - Martin

Looks like Tissier catching with Veach at third and Perry at first, Crocker probably in left.  Swindle relieved at some point, and struck out the side in her first inning.  Fornis had a stolen base.

 

[AuburnTiger4Life 2,225]

Dothan won 1-0 

[OlderWhiskey 953]

Thanks for the info, as discouraging as it is.  That's the first time I'm aware of that we lost a fall game.  The norm in the past was to win them 10 or 15 to nothing.

[slot canyon 1,333]

12 hours ago, OlderWhiskey said:

Thanks for the Gutierrez note, I missed that.  Also, Swindle has changed to #4.  Hope Gutierrez can land on her feet, but we have 4 other catchers, including Veach.  We've lost half of last year's incoming class; Bilodeaux, Nutt, Olszweski, and Schiele.  This year's seniors:  Martin, Veach, Podany, McCrackin, Fornis.

Update:  Starting lineup for tonight's game:

Tay Snow - Crocker - McCrackin - TanSnow - Rivera - Veach - Perry - Tissier - Podany - Martin

Looks like Tissier catching with Veach at third and Perry at first, Crocker probably in left.  Swindle relieved at some point, and struck out the side in her first inning.  Fornis had a stolen base.

 

Looking at the 8 sec video on Twitter it  appeared that the Snow sisters were starters on the left side of the infield with Crack and Veach on the right side.  Tissier behind the plate with Martin on the mound. At that point, I suspect Perry was DP.  Could not make out the starting outfielders....suspect Crocker, Podany and Rivera.   Apparently multiple combinations during used the night.  

Just being my grumpy self I thought the Twitter "updates" for the game were basically of no use.  Could have used some creative journalism at the end of each inning like "end of first inning score 0-0." (I'll be less sarcastic after my second cup of coffee).

 

[AUatHeart 624]

21 hours ago, slot canyon said:

 

How many games does your daughters team play in the fall....just curious?  What age did she develop an interest in softball?  How much have you spent for gas and buying SB equipment?....just kidding; but from parents I have talked to at games it seems to be big commitment for the players and family.  I respect anyone who can stick to something like this the way these ladies do.

They are playing 16 games this fall.  When she was going into the 10th grade, she decided that she only wanted to focus on softball and that she wanted to earn a softball scholarship.  And yeah, with the amount of money we’ve spent on travel ball, camps, hitting lessons, etc we could’ve paid for her college education. ? It’s all good though, she loves playing and I love watching her!

[tallgraycat 33]

The quartet of Lexie Handley, Chardonnay Harris, Makayla Martin and Ashlee Swindle each pitched two innings and combined for 10 strikeouts to lead the Tigers in the circle.

"I felt good about how our pitchers threw tonight," head coach Mickey Dean said. "Makayla's movement was ridiculous. Ashlee's dropball was really working for her tonight. I thought Chardonnay and Lexie pitched well, too."

The Tigers, however, were unable to get it going offensively and fell to the Governors in eight innings, 1-0.

"We spun and rotated all night at the plate," Dean stated. "We didn't see half the balls we hit. What we work on in practice, we've got to be able to do that when the lights come on, there's people in the stands and you have an opponent. You have to perform and we didn't."

Auburn was limited to three hits in the exhibition at Jane B. Moore Field - all singles from Morgan Podany, Alyssa Rivera and Kendall Veach. The team combined for eight stolen bases on the night, as well.

"This is what fall ball is for," Dean said. "Everybody got to play tonight. I need to see some things offensively and see if we're willing to make adjustments."

 

https://auburntigers.com/news/2018/9/21/softball-tigers-drop-fall-opener.aspx?path=softball

 

We went to the game, several players played a few endings at different position.  WWCC pitcher was throwing in the upper 50, before last year we would hit several home runs and almost everyone would get a hit.  Three hits against WWCC will not win any SEC games.   If our hitting does no improve drastically, it will be a disappointing season.  

[wildling 35]

Yeah scoring 0 against Wallace State Dothan is a really bad sign, not entirely shocking though. Take a bad offensive team from last year, lose key players and add no new impact recruits, and the players who are supposed to fill the vacancies have no experience = bad results.

 

https://www.masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=299002&t0=Auburn&h=0&s1=299002&t1=Wallace+Community+College-Dothan

[OlderWhiskey 953]

The news was a little better today.  Won both games.  12 players had hits, with seven having multiple hits, including Makayla Martin. McCrackin had a slammer in the second game, although the news write-up called it a 3-run homer. Crack had 5 hits in the two games, Taylon four. Any eyewitness reports?

[slot canyon 1,333]

My wife and I drove down to the games yesterday.  Better attended than I expected but of course  fair portion are the parents of the two visiting teams.  The area directly behind home plate was pretty much full with the adjoining sides probably half full and a few other scattered fans.  We were fortunate to be in the shade behind home plate near the top.  Whiskey, I know you keep up with the roster #'s …..Lexie Handley is wearing #16 not #27.  Haley Nilen is wearing # 22 not #43.  I did not see Bree Fornis in the dugout.  I do not believe Greenwood ever played (she was dressed) so shoulder may not be ready to put at risk.  Don't recall if I saw Godwin play (recall she tore left ACL about 8 months ago)

First game against Wallace State ended 7-1 Auburn.  We had 11 hits, 1 error (McCrackin), 4 LOB.   Wallace State 4-1-3.  Swindle started, pitched 4 full innings,   throwing 65-66 mph with very effective change at about 44 mph.  Starting were Swindle, Tissier, Veach 1st, Crack 2nd, Taylon ss, Tannon 3rd, Crocker lf, Podany cf and Rivera rf.  In 5th inning Chardonnay Harris took the mound and Nillen was catcher.  Morrow took over 1st and Crocker played 2nd.  Maresette rf with Podany moving to lf and Rivera cf.  Dowell played ss.  Will mention the starting Wallace State pitcher was throwing 58-59 mph.

My feelings after game 1...….I was a tad chocked up to see Tannon Snow playing 3rd.  Good for her plus it gives us a lot more line up flexibility.  I will add here that she appeared to "jam her knee" sliding into 2nd during the second game and did not return.  Did not require any on field attention and no assistance leaving the field but obviously "gimpy".  Thought both catchers did well.  Tissier  appears very comfortable.  No attempted steals by Wallace State so could not evaluate that aspect.  Nice work by both pitchers.  

In game two against NW Fla there was sporadic input on score board and not tally of R-H E.  by my count ended AU 16  NW Fla 2.  starting for AU: Martin in circle with Veach behind plate.  Around infield were Perry, Crocker, Snow and Snow. Outfield KK, Podany, and Rivera.  Many different combinations throughout the game.  Makayla pitched well and also made an impressive play on a hard high bouncing ball to her left which she gloved had the presence to get a runner at 2nd and then the throw to 1st resulted in  DP.  I believe she had 3 at bats resulting in a double, fly out to CF, and a single to LF.  As much as we need hits she may become an option.  Prior to having to leave the game, Tannon hit a foul ball over fence down LF.  Still has the power.  The HR by McCrackin over LF fence was (as they like to say on the radio broadcast) "a no doubter".  Lexie Handley entered in 5th.  She throws 65-67 mph but had control issues and seemed to throw a lot of high pitches.  Eventually walked in 2 runs and had to be relieved by Harris who finished the game. When Handley gets her control issues settled she could be very helpful in the circle.    Late in the game Swindle got a single via a ground ball through infield into CF.  If I had to vote a player of the game it would be Makayla based on her pitching, fielding and hitting.  

[around4ever 4,139]

Thanks for the updates Whiskey and Slot!!

[OlderWhiskey 953]

Interesting starting lineup tonight against AUM.

Snow/Maresette/McCrackin/Martin/Rivera/Veach/Perry /Dowell/Podany/Swindle

Drawing inferences, it's Maresette in left, Martin as DP hitting cleanup, Veach catching, Perry at first, Dowell at third, Swindle pitching.  Or maybe not.

[slot canyon 1,333]

The lineup makes me wonder about the status of Tannon Snow.....she hurt her leg in the second game last week.  From what I saw last week it did appear that Marsette has made strides in her hitting.  

[OlderWhiskey 953]

Looks like we won the game at least. Four pitchers had 10 strikeouts in 10 innings. Taylon Snow and Maresette had RBI doubles, with Morrow and Martin also garnering hits. Linke: https://auburntigers.com/news/2018/9/28/softball-tigers-dominate-in-the-circle-in-exhibition-against-aum.aspx?path=softball

[tigerman1186 537]

Did Tannon Snow play?

[OlderWhiskey 953]

They don't keep or post stats on these games, which are exhibitions; so I don't know.  CMD wants to experiment with lineups in these fall games anyway; if Tannon has a ding, would be the ideal opportunity to let her sit.  Tissier caught last weekend, but wasn't starting against AUM.  

[slot canyon 1,333]

Will piggy back on what Whiskey said above....Tannon was not mentioned in starting lineup, no mention in post game article as getting a hit or stolen base and we know she had some sort of injury sliding into second base the prior week end. I suspect she did not play.

[4WDE 89]

7 hours ago, slot canyon said:

Will piggy back on what Whiskey said above....Tannon was not mentioned in starting lineup, no mention in post game article as getting a hit or stolen base and we know she had some sort of injury sliding into second base the prior week end. I suspect she did not play.

Tannon was not playing due to another illness, not from the slide last week.  That was just a superficial scrape.  Crocker was a healthy scratch due to discretion of the head coach.  It had nothing to do with "improvements" from others, more of a disciplinary reason.

[slot canyon 1,333]

10 hours ago, 4WDE said:

Tannon was not playing due to another illness, not from the slide last week.  That was just a superficial scrape.  Crocker was a healthy scratch due to discretion of the head coach.  It had nothing to do with "improvements" from others, more of a disciplinary reason.

Thanks for the information.  I did not realized that KK was not in the lineup.