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slot canyon

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    Softball vs Austin Peay 2

    in AU Baseball and Softball Forum

    Posted

    Based on the first game, we may have expected to run rule Austin Peay but the starting pitcher (Benefiel) had not pitched in the first game.  She is by far their #1 with ERA 2.9 compared to first game pitchers Miener at 11.16 and Martin at 5.48.  This season, Benefiel has pitched 3X the innings of the next most active pitcher.  I thought she was fairly effective and their hitters did a good job of making contact. Maybe not Pentas best stuff but mama said there would be days like this. Looking at the brief game review on the AU Softball site I believe the Blaine "HR" actually went over/behind the glove of the outfielder, hit in the crack and angled off sharply to her left.  Very good all out effort by Blaine.  Looking at a couple of plays at 1st base (tried to freeze the action), they were very close, and we may have been fortunate to get the call.  Not saying they were wrong, but to me they could have gone either way.  The 1st base coach did not appear to disagree with the call.

    Softball vs Villanova (Fri) and Sat games

    in AU Baseball and Softball Forum

    Posted

    4 hours ago, saminbama said:

    First 2 of her career.  Funny, she was using Godwin's helmet.  Wonder whose bat she used.  I will say this.  She executed a perfect sac bunt and it really seemed to spark the team.

    Observations from Saturday games.  Rolfe is not ready for the SEC.  Her control is non-existent.  Her pitches were all over the place and several were not close.  She has to work on that to be a useful member of the team.  My concerns with Widra continue.  I know the strike zone was the size of a postage stamp and she was frustrated, but as a pitcher, you have to adjust.  Also, if she is going to pitch and hit, it raises the question of how to replace her in the order when she is taken out?  Big dilemma as it weakens the order.  Replacing her bat with Penta?  I don't think anyone wants Penta or Lowe running the bases very much.  Too much risk.  Oh, and the Bri Bomb was a no doubter.  Maybe that will take some pressure off and she can pop some more.

    Widra is able to be in the batting order in many ways; when she pitches, playing infield, as DP or even as sub.  I would say our main options as DP have been Blaine, Goodwin and Widra.  You could have all three in the game for hitting with Widra (P), Goodwin (C) and Blaine (DP).  Also, we have had fielding issues at 3rd base (Bryant and Roach have been snake bit).  Cox has better fielding numbers but less of a hitter than Widra who can also play 3rd.  I feel Widra will help us in the circle but we know who the #1 and # 2 are at this point.

    • Like 1

    Softball vs Villanova (Fri) and Sat games

    in AU Baseball and Softball Forum

    Posted

    10 hours ago, OlderWhiskey said:

    Thanks for the updates.  I was confused by the play with McCondichie at bat with Peralta on 2d.  She bunted a 2-footer, beat it out (I think) and Peralta took third.  Then the umps called Carlee back to the plate, and sent Peralta back to second.  Video showed that Carlee stepped on the line of the batter's box.  So why wasn't McCondichie called out?  I don't remember the count, but McCondichie popped out on the next pitch.  My guess is that there were fewer than 2 strikes, the bunt was called foul, and the ump didn't see the line violation.  Ironically, in the next half inning, a Villnova batter was called out for a line violation.  Did anyone see and understand this?

    I believe rule was changed late last year:

    "11.2.5 Legal Position in the Batter’s Box: At the moment of bat-ball contact, the batter may not contact the pitch when any part of her body is touching the ground outside the lines of the batter’s box.

    EFFECT – Delayed dead ball is signaled. The coach of the defensive team shall choose either the result of the play or the standard effect for illegal contact, which is a strike on the batter and all base runners must return to the base legally occupied at the time of the pitch. If it is the third strike, the batter is declared out.
     

    I believe this happened in one of our earlier games with McCondichie and she was safe at 1st but had stepped on the batter box line and was called back to plate with a strike.  I like this better than the severity of the older rule.  

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    Climate Activism Has a Cult Problem

    in Political Smack Talk

    Posted

    3 hours ago, homersapien said:

    You want me to write a book on this forum??? :rolleyes:

    In short, I think our approach should be comprehensive, starting with the obvious - reduce energy consumption at every level and every possible way.  There's enormous opportunity in that.

    Upgrading things like the electrical grid and public transportation will be needed. (Biden's infra structure investment is hopefully a modest first step.) 

    Meanwhile, we need to develop every source of "clean" energy technology possible, on the assumption we'll need them all.  This would obviously include nuclear as well as the solar and wind. (I personally doubt fusion will play a role until it's almost too late, but I could be wrong.)

    There will be opportunities in agricultural science to be made, such as crops and new production methods. 

    Hopefully population growth can be concurrently attenuated or managed, especially in areas than cannot be expected to support their population increases.

    Off the top of my head, that's about as simple and brief as I can make it.  I probably left significant things out.  There are many articles - and books - that address and/or propose mitigation strategies for global warming.

     

     

    This article seems to cover many of the above points from both the positives and negatives.  It is lengthy but I feel a good read.  The author has background in engineering and finance and clearly expresses her desire for a "clean environment" but details some of the problems in attempting to achieve it. https://seekingalpha.com/article/4551061-energy-still-major-problem

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    Pence has classified documents. Honestly, does anyone actually believe that there is a President or Vice President that doesn't have some documents?

    in Politically Speaking

    Posted

    At some level it would seem that The National Archive and Records Administration should have a better handle on this stuff.  I realize there may be a lot of stuff labeled as "classified" but it is my impression that they are supposed to be responsible for keeping track. Maybe like a library.  1) verify clearance 2) check out classified document 3) view in a secure area 4) return document from secure area after viewing.  5) keep activity log related to who and what.

    Women vs. SEC Opponents

    in AU Basketball Forum

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Mikey said:

    Coach Harris must have read this board and decided something had to change or it would be changed for her.

    I believe some of it is due to a couple of key players getting healthy.  I noticed Levy was not with the team last night and apparently injury related.

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    2023 Softball Preseason

    in AU Baseball and Softball Forum

    Posted

    Really looking forward to see how the competition at catcher and 3rd plays out.  I really liked how McCondichie performed at 2nd last year.  She has good fielding stats.  With Packer status up in the air there may be a need for experience in the outfield that would cause her to move there.  Any Chance that Victoria Draper or Tiffany Howard have any eligibility remaining? 😁

    2023 Softball Preseason

    in AU Baseball and Softball Forum

    Posted

    Text of article by Phillip Marshall on 1/20/23…Auburn Under Cover

    Auburn softball notebook: Newcomers shine for 'excited' Tigers

    Ten days into preseason practice, head coach Mickey Dean likes the look of his sixth Auburn softball team. He says the Tigers are healthy, happy and excited about what is to come.

    “We are staying healthy and getting things done,” Dean said. “We have some kids working well. It’s just not about working hard; they are working well. They are doing a great job with each other. They seem really excited. It’s always fun when you go to practice and they are excited. That has continued. It hasn’t died off.”

    Transfers Icess Tresvik, KK McCrary and Annabelle Widra have stood out, Dean said. Tresvik and Widra are two-way players who will pitch and play in the field.

    “The transfers have been doing really well,” Dean said, “Icess and Annabelle pitching and position-wise. “

    Freshmen have also been attracting attention, particularly catcher Skyler Elkins and corner infielder Axe Milanowski.

    “Skylar has been doing a really nice job behind the plate,” Dean said. “Axe has been doing really well. We have been working her at first and third. It’s nice to be able to give players breaks and not feel like you are having a big dropoff or a dropoff at all.”

    FINDING THE STARTERS

    Fifteen of Auburn’s top 17 hitters return, along with All-SEC pitchers Maddie Penta and Shelby Lowe. Three transfers and four highly regarded freshmen have joined the competition for playing time. So how do Dean and his staff decide who starts?

    “Everybody wants to start, but there is a lot more to it than that,” Dean said. “Really, it is being able to have such a deep bench that you can put some people out there without losing something offensively or defensively. Being able to do that, you don’t have to force innings on kids.”

    But only 10 players can start. Keeping those who don’t happy and involved is a challenge every coach faces.

    “We talk about that,” Dean said. “I tell them no one can make you happy. Only you can make yourself happy. Are you happy about you or are you happy about your team? Are you happy about our process? If you being in the starting lineup is the only thing that makes you happy, you have to step back and re-evaluate. We have been preaching that since Day 1.”

    Lowe is pitching again and feeling no pain in her forearm. Infield Denver Bryant, who missed most of last season with a torn ACL, has returned to full-speed practice. Others who played through pain last season are fully healthy. Only centerfielder Makayla Packer is not yet full-speed. The hope is she will be close to full-speed by the start of the season or, at least, by the start of SEC play.

    SEASON DRAWS NEAR

    Auburn opens its season on Feb. 10 against St. John’s in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla. The Tigers play Fordham on the same day, games against Pittsburgh and Indiana on Feb. 11 and against Illinois on Feb. 12. They open SEC play at Georgia, starting on March 10.

    A week later, the travel to Oklahoma for the Hall of Fame Classic, They play Weber State, followed by two games against Northwestern and two games again two-time defending national champion Oklahoma.

    Here is D1Softball.com projected SEC projections:

    D1Softball.com’s Projected SEC Standings

    1.   Florida

    2.   Arkansas

    3.   Alabama

    4.   Georgia

    5.   Tennessee

    6.   LSU

    7.   Kentucky

    8.   Auburn

    9.   Ole Miss

    10.               Missouri

    11.               Mississippi State

    12.               Texas A&M

    13.               South Carolina

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    2023 Softball Preseason

    in AU Baseball and Softball Forum

    Posted

    I am sure we all want the same thing; for the AU softball team to play to their full potential,,,,,,,,,so moving on,,,,,

    Thats good news about Shelby but I wonder how long she has been able to do pitching motions.  I know the article indicated that she would be going live this week.  Must take a while to get your "stuff" back.  Sure need some of the new pitchers to be able to give Penta and Lowe some rest.  I have said it before, but hats off to Penta for the load she carried last season.  

    Looked again at article posted in another thread by RedDirt (Softball 2023 Schedule).  From that article and what I saw at some fall games I believe we have some excellent competition at a number of positions.  I will mention KK McCrary as someone who appeared to play well at 3rd.  There are several others working there and it will be interesting to see who finally gets the nod.  Really believe we have more overall talent now than we have had in a while.  First game in 23 days vs St. Johns in Clearwater.  They play a game vs Kentucky prior to playing AU later that day.  We run ruled them (2 games) in a early Feb game last year in Auburn.  Their overall record last year was 12 - 35.  Suspect they look forward to getting to play in Clearwater, making the trip from New York in early February.  When I took a glance at their roster, I was surprised they had 13 players from either California or Florida.  

    2023 Softball Preseason

    in AU Baseball and Softball Forum

    Posted

    26 minutes ago, Golden Eagle said:

    With all due respect,  Auburn's elite women athletes are proud Auburn Tigers, full stop.  Just like the men.  Although I know it's not your intention, the 'Lady' designation feels condescending to me (and, I suspect, to Auburn's women athletes).

    The only university I'm aware of that officially uses the 'Lady' designation is Tennessee.  In 2014, they phased it out for all sports except women's basketball:

    https://swimswam.com/university-tennessee-phases-lady-vols-name-womens-sports/

    But in 2017 they brought it back:

    https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/20704564/tennessee-brings-back-lady-volunteers-name

     

    No 'Lady Crimson Tide', 'Lady Bulldogs', 'Lady Gators', 'Lady Gamecocks', etc. - and, please, no 'Lady Tigers'!  Thanks and War Eagle!

     

     

     

     

    Always felt "ladies" was a complimentary term of speech rather than having any condescending connotation.  When I have a chance to talk to one of our softball players I will try to remember to ask.

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