WCWS 2021

[Mikey 16,550]

I've never been much of an FSU fan in any sport but I really like the way this team plays ball. I've been pulling for them since the WCWS started.

On Oklahoma: I've never seen a team with hitting statistics like this team has. A team batting average of over .400 is something I've never heard of, and the power numbers are also beyond belief.

I'm wondering if their regular season competition is very good? Those numbers would be hard to achieve in the SEC.

[Jad0003 405]

The WCWS has been really fun to watch and very unpredictable. It was hard not to root for JMU in every game. I didn’t think anyone was going to stop Bama after Fouts threw a perfect game against UCLA, but FSU is peaking at the right time, similar to their 2018 National Championship run. Oklahoma is a great team, especially the offense, but they have looked a little lost at times this week. They have beaten some great teams this year, but their stats seem inflated based on the level of competition the rest of the year. I’m not counting them out yet, but FSU has a chance to win the series because they utilize a pitching staff rather than an ace. 

I’ve enjoyed watching Taylon play this week. She has displayed her versatility by playing LF and 1st. She has a few hits, but her lack of power has kept her out of the lineup at times. 

The WCWS has continued to show  the importance of the long ball. FSU pitches, runs the bases, and plays defense well, but they have taken their game to the next level with more XBH and HR power. If we can find more power, Auburn could utilize a similar model for success. We have the pitching staff, and only need marginal improvement on defense and the bases. 

Edited June 9, 2021 by Jad0003

[OlderWhiskey 953]

I noticed last night that OU's first three hitters (Jennings, Alo, and Hansen) had 79 homers between them.  The team as a whole had 155, or something close to that.  Auburn's 2016 team that I thought was a monstrous hitting team had 99 homers.

[steeleagle 2,945]

22 hours ago, saminbama said:

Slot and OW, I agree 100% with you guys.  OU always has home field advantage being 12 or 13 miles from their campus.  Arnold never impressed me when she was at UT.  Think Gasso plays it like she did against us with Paige Parker.  Starts her #1 in game 1 and her #2 in game 2.  There is speed and power on both teams and both play great defense.  This is a great  matchup for us fans

Surprisingly, their coach didn't start their ace. Especially since she started G against JMU. She went against her norm. Must have been a match up issue, or bc she had to come from the losers bracket, she was looking at resting her #1 for first game. Even though they lost, she can use G in the next 2 games if she wants...

[saminbama 740]

2 hours ago, steeleagle said:

Surprisingly, their coach didn't start their ace. Especially since she started G against JMU. She went against her norm. Must have been a match up issue, or bc she had to come from the losers bracket, she was looking at resting her #1 for first game. Even though they lost, she can use G in the next 2 games if she wants...

Yeah, neither coach started their #1 and both should be rested.  FSU just keeps clawing.  I think OU was shell shocked  or a few innings after that 5 run inning.

[steeleagle 2,945]

18 hours ago, saminbama said:

Yeah, neither coach started their #1 and both should be rested.  FSU just keeps clawing.  I think OU was shell shocked  or a few innings after that 5 run inning.

I wonder who starts in the final game? May/Saille w/ G in the wings if they score a little too much early?

THis game could be a slugfest, now that they have used so much pitching coming from the loser's bracket...

[saminbama 740]

Well OU banks another one with their home field advantage.  Their bashers wear you down and Gasso keeps finding gritty pitchers.  I have never seen a pitcher putting so much reverse spin on a ball the way Juarez can and she's coming back next year.  FSU pitcher Sandercock was throwing low in the zone in game 2 and OU still got under the pitches to drive them out.   Unbelievable.   Congrats to Taylon Snow.  At least someone with a connection to our team will get a ring.  Just canceled my ESPN+ subscription and waiting for February 2022 to start it back.

Edited June 11, 2021 by saminbama

[slot canyon 1,328]

10 hours ago, saminbama said:

Well OU banks another one with their home field advantage.  Their bashers wear you down and Gasso keeps finding gritty pitchers.  I have never seen a pitcher putting so much reverse spin on a ball the way Juarez can and she's coming back next year.  FSU pitcher Sandercock was throwing low in the zone in game 2 and OU still got under the pitches to drive them out.   Unbelievable.   Congrats to Taylon Snow.  At least someone with a connection to our team will get a ring.  Just canceled my ESPN+ subscription and waiting for February 2022 to start it back.

There were times when Oklahoma hitters got home runs that were in the "honey spot" about waist high in the middle of the plate but like you pointed out there were a number of times of times they got a pitch about knee level (or even a bit lower) and were able to "golf" it out;  especially Alo.  Not that I know anything about hitting, but these good hitters are rooted to the ground when they strike the ball and transfer power from their legs, hips and torso as well as having their head down tracking ball to bat.  I know any number of times this is not the case with AU hitters.  They did a visual on Alo hitting two different HR's which well illustrated her form.  She must have amazing eye-hand coordination.  AU hit total (all games) of 22 HR's last year while the next lowest team hit 35.  The range was 22 - 95 and the average was 62 (total 811/13.  The new indoor facility was supposed to help our hitters; not sure we are getting an adequate return on investment.  Sorry to wander off topic; got carried away.

[OlderWhiskey 953]

The first three hitters in OU's lineup each had more homers than Auburn this year.

[AUBwins 10,064]

Btw, completely stupid to have the final game at 3pm during work week.  

[saminbama 740]

2 hours ago, AUBwins said:

Btw, completely stupid to have the final game at 3pm during work week.  

You could probably blame the OKC weather for that development.  The rain delays on Saturday and Sunday were to blame.

 

8 hours ago, slot canyon said:

There were times when Oklahoma hitters got home runs that were in the "honey spot" about waist high in the middle of the plate but like you pointed out there were a number of times of times they got a pitch about knee level (or even a bit lower) and were able to "golf" it out;  especially Alo.  Not that I know anything about hitting, but these good hitters are rooted to the ground when they strike the ball and transfer power from their legs, hips and torso as well as having their head down tracking ball to bat.  I know any number of times this is not the case with AU hitters.  They did a visual on Alo hitting two different HR's which well illustrated her form.  She must have amazing eye-hand coordination.  AU hit total (all games) of 22 HR's last year while the next lowest team hit 35.  The range was 22 - 95 and the average was 62 (total 811/13.  The new indoor facility was supposed to help our hitters; not sure we are getting an adequate return on investment.  Sorry to wander off topic; got carried away.

You're not off topic at all.  Watching the 8 teams in the WCWS makes some things perfectly clear.  We are no where near close to those teams and no facility will make up for the human element we seem to be missing.  I'm not talking about hitting or fielding or pitching,  The only team that made me scratch my head and wonder why they were there was UGA.  The only idea I could come up with was that Lou Harris Champer told her team of her retirement plans before they went to Gainesville and her team played over their heads against UF.   The 4 semi-finalist teams especially, those players looked like they would go into a burning building for their coaches.   I'm not saying our team doesn't play hard, but still....  Those players played for each other because they banded together and played as hard as they could and that kind of attitude comes from coaches doing the small things to bring them together and we are missing that.  Obviously, we need drastic improvement with hitting and defense and some improvement with pitching, but I think we need improvement in motivation more than anything.  That's my 2 cents.

[OlderWhiskey 953]

Georgia caught a break when either the Duke administration or the state of NC wouldn't allow Duke to host a regional; so Duke played as the 1 seed in Athens.  That didn't work out well for the Devils.  Then UGA upsets UF like they did in 2016.  Florida wasn't a powerful hitting team; usually their pitching and excellent defense got them by, with the occasional bomb from Lindaman or Hoover.

[WarTiger 3,896]

So, so glad Oklahoma got the win in game 3.  I detest all things fsu.