OlderWhiskey

Did everyone notice that Kenny Gajewski's team scored 0 runs on 5 hits in 2 games in OKC?  Of course, he did get there in the first place. 

I had it in my mind that a statement had been made to the effect of "the new coach will be named after the World Series", but I can't seem to find such a statement.  That aside, it makes sense to name the new coach ASAP, so she/he can get going with recruiting and the portal.  I think it will be pretty quickly after the WCWS is finished.

I don't have any inside information, but I think Cohen has at least his list in order.  I don't think a deal has been cut, because it would have leaked by now.  Assuming he starts working the list as soon as the WCWS is over, there's a decent chance we can name a coach before the portal closes.  (About a 2 week window)  If it comes down to the wire, players who are uncertain can enter the portal with intent to back out, should they like the new coach.  Players have no obligation to announce their intention to return.  All players who have said nothing may be intending to return, regardless of who the new coach is.  The closing date of the portal only applies to players entering it, not to coaches recruiting from it.  I invite correction if I'm in error about any of this.

It makes sense to me that players would wait to see who the new coach is before deciding whether to transfer.   The portal is still open for 3 weeks or so.  Glad to hear rom the players who've announced they're returning.

I think it was on this thread that someone mentioned the possibility of Carosone's filling the vacancy at Appalachian State.  Just noticed that they hired Whitney Jones from Ohio St.

And now if Anna Wohlers returns, we'll at least have our 2 leading hitters.  Wohlers leads the team in BA, but McCrary has the edge in OPS.  Anna seems to have flown under the radar all season, but she may be  the best softball player on the team.

5 hours ago, Jad0003 said:

I did forget Denver. Thank you for the correction!

And fwiw, SC did make the final vs. Duke, only to lose 10-1.  That's a bit misleading, as Duke scored 8 runs in top 7.  Bryant played second and hit leadoff for the Gamecocks, went 0 for 4 vs. Duke with 3 Ks.  Had a hit and scored against Utah.

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

It's nice that Maddie has set all sorts of AU records, but we'd be a lot better off as a team if Dean had used some of those early season games against lesser competition to develop a third pitcher. Now we don't even have enough pitching to get through a four-team tournament.

It might even help the offense, if they got into more situations where it was " Hit the ball, or lose to SW Dimwit St.".

12 hours ago, Big Fat Barner said:

Bri Ellis transferring to Arkansas and then getting eliminated before Auburn is objectively, f*****g hilarious

Also note Clemson is eliminated.  

I'm not sure we want to save Lowe for anything.  Her last two outings have been disastrous.  Normally, with Penta in the circle and a 4-run lead, we're 98% to win.   

Well, we can't go 1-2 with both losses to FSU. If we win over UCF and lose to FSU, then we have to play the winner of the UCF-'Nooga game before FSU again.

Wife and I noticed this also.  Didn't see the team at any time.  When they showed the 4-way screen for all the teams in Tallahassee, they simply showed an icon for Auburn.  Didn't know this happened last year as well.  I do suspect it's something that's happening on Auburn's end of things; either a techno-glitch or Auburn's choosing not to participate in this particular ritual.  

Mizzou has eliminated Arkansas, and Gators now spanking Georgia 6-2 in bot 5.

I wasn't that excited when KK transferred from UT, based on her numbers up there. She has changed my mind with her performance, and I am now highly excited she is coming back.

Is the tournament in a rain delay now?  I only see one partial score on ESPN, and it's for the 10 AM game.

I think that she has just been beaten out for the catcher position by Wohlers and Elkins.  Her bat was never strong, and she also had that problem throwing the ball back to the pitcher.

Why was Widra playing halfway up the line for the leadoff batter in the bottom of the 14th?  With normal positioning, that ball is an easy out.

On 5/5/2024 at 10:21 AM, Mikey said:

Pat Dye, Bruce Pearl, Butch Thompson, Shug Jordan, Tommy Tuberville. I could go on and on. Every successful coach at AU could have gone elsewhere at some point in their career. They didn't.

Head basketball coach Joel Eaves left to become AD at Georgia, 1963 I believe.  I may be the only one old enough to remember that.  He supplanted the infamous Wally Butts, the subject (along with Bear Bryant) of a Saturday Evening Post article concerning the "fixing" of the 1962 Alabama-Georgia football game.

Couldn't find an article.  Does one need to be a subscriber, or has it been removed?

10 hours ago, Mikey said:

Point was I think Widra should have had more pitching opportunities, particularly in the early non-conference games. Having a trusted 3rd pitcher would have been great this last third of the season.

After reviewing the pitching stats, I think your point is well taken.  I didn't watch nearly all the games, and my impression of Widra's results was skewed.  She entered yesterday's game with an ERA of 3.59, compared to 1.82 for Penta and 2.59 for Lowe.  Her most impressive stat:  35 Ks and 3 walks, almost 12:1 ratio.  Way better than either Penta or Lowe.  My counterpoint was that she hadn't displayed pitching like yesterday until yesterday.  I still agree she should have had more innings.  Good talk. 

8 hours ago, Mikey said:

Widra, while not a power pitcher, appears to be very effective. She was recruited partly as a pitcher. Why did we wear Penta out. It was worse while Lowe was injured.

I'm probably misunderstanding your point, but today was far and away the best outing that Widra has had.  She has pretty much been the #3 pitcher the past two years, but hasn't produced a result like today previously.  Really glad her hair was on fire today. 

1 hour ago, TD1 said:

At one point in the game, they mentioned that we left 9 or 10 players on base. 

We wound up with 13 and Ole Miss with 14.  We did have 10 hits in this game.  Tresvik and McCrary had 6 of those. 

Widra with a 2-out, bases loaded single in top 4 to score two; then she and Elkins worked the double steal for a run.  Nice effort by the Tigers.  Lowe looked like the 2021 Lowe.

We upset LSU in Baton Rouge.  Scratched out 3 runs in 3d, 6th, and 7th with small ball.  Wohlers had a couple doubles.  Lowe gave up a 2-run HR to put LSU up 2-1, but we kept getting runners on base, and Milanowski beat out an infield hit to score the tying run.  Then LSU infield botched one to let us score the go-ahead in the 7th.  Lowe pitched 4 1/3, Widra 2/3, and Penta the last two.  Dean had inserted Milanowski at first after we got a 1-0 lead; I figured for defense, but she turned out to be important at the plate.  Fun to watch.  Happy for the girls to get that satisfying W.  Miss. St. run-ruled UT in Starkville.

Nice comeback win for the girls after shaky 1st inning by Penta.  Encouraging to see the continued development of the younger Penta.