OlderWhiskey

Well pleased with the effort tonight. Superb play by Packer to end the game; close call at second. I assume the ump had a better view; Georgia didn't complain, so it must have looked closer to me than it really was. Really proud of Lisenby for that 2-run double. Ellis' home run a monster, came down at least 75 feet past the fence. Ellis last AB may have been the most important. She fouled off 3 pitches after the count went full, and finally drew the 2-out walk that provided the final margin when Garcia homered. To answer a question above, Tresvik played lf the last 3 innings. McCrary made the last out after Garcia's homer, so Icess never came to the plate. Seemed like a defensive substitution. Will be interesting to see what the pitching plan is for tomorrow.

Golden Eagle is spot on. In case anyone forgot, Myers took the team to the World Series the second year he was here. This is Dean's sixth year, and we have yet to get to a super regional. What he has to do is make these girls care about winning. Most of them don't, in my opinion.

I note our upcoming opponent UGA beat Tech 8-0 about a week ago. Neleman (same pitcher as against us) started, gave up 4 hits and 5 runs in 1 1/3. I have actually thought we could hit, but the last two games have made me question that. Neleman has an ERA over 4. She shouldn't be able to shut us down like that. Georgia Tech lost to Illinois, whom we run-ruled in Clearwater. We need to break out of this team-wide slump.

I had the same thoughts as Samin bama originally, but Dean commented that he had talked to the team about being more patient at the plate, and was pleased that they had done so. Walks are not as much fun for the players and fans as hits are, but they can be productive. A team drawing a lot of walks is not swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, which is probably what got us beaten vs. USA. Lackey is a good pitcher - she struck out 14 vs. La. Tech the weekend before - but she also has 3 losses. We definitely underperformed in that game. Looking forward, I do have concern about the pitching. It's apparent that Lowe is not back to her 2021 form, and may never be. She did throw 4 hitless innings Saturday, though; I think that's the longest outing she's had. Dean has been using her for short stints, probably on account of her injury. Let's hope she can recover fully and get back to being Shutdown Shelby.

I didn't run a thread on the TennTech game as I was busy, but it looked pretty ragged. We did win 11-6, but they were a 1-11 team starting the day. Dean started Roche, and she gave up 3 runs in the first two inning, so Widra came on in relief. She did pretty well except for the 5th, when she gave up a couple of hits followed by a 3-run homer. Offensively, we weren't impressive. We scored 9 runs in the 4th when the second pitcher had a rash of HBP and wild pitches, then couldn't score in the 5th and 6th. We won the game without using Penta or Lowe.

Garcia is hit by a pitch to start bottom 7, and I think she's our first baserunner since the first inning. Tresvik and McCrary due up. McCrary flied out, but Tresvik walked. Blaine will pinch hit for Packer. Blaine singles to center, scoring Garcia. Tresvik takes third, and Packer comes in to run for Blaine. Now Lisenby grounds into a 1-3-2 double play, and the game is over. South Alabama wins 2-1 behind a sterling pitching performance from Olivia Lackey. She gave up one hit (in the 7th) and 3 walks, throwing 101 pitches with 65 strikes. Lackey had 5 strikeouts and 12 flyouts.

Top 6: Another throwing error by Widra allows the runner to advance, but she is thrown out at 3d by Garcia. That's the 3d baserunner thrown out by the outfield in the lst 2 innings. Next batter lines out to 2d, and Penta strikes out the 3d. Going to bottom 6 with the top of the order coming up. We need some bat action. Lackey induces three popups from Peralta, McCondichie, and Ellis to maintain her no-hitter. Moving to the 7th and last inning.

Trouble city. Lowe gives up a double and a single. Runners on the corners for USA, no outs. Now she gives up another double and a run scores, leaving runners on 2d and 3d with nobody out. Penta coming in to pitch. 1-0 USA. Penta held the damage to one more run, with help from the defense throwing out two runners at the plate. 2-0 South Alabama leads going to bot 5, and we don't have a hit yet. Packer strikes out and Lisenby pops out. Now Widra flies out, and we have 6 outs left.

Alright, going to bottom 4. Pitchers in control, Lowe has thrown 49 pitches through 4 and Lackey 40 pitches thru 3. Auburn with 2 baserunners in the first, USA with one in the 2d. Ellis due up, followed by GArcia and McCrary. Ellis walked, with Smith pinch running. Smith stole second. Garcia and KK both strike out looking. That brings up Tresvik, who's already struck out once . She grounded out, and we go to the 5th. Lackie threw 21 pitches that inning.

Shelby Lowe starting in the circle, retires USA batters in order in top 1. 2 strikeouts. In bottom, Peralta walks and advances to 2d on a PB, Ellis reaches via error. But, Garcia flies out, and McCrary fouls out to lf. No score going to the second. Olivia Lackey pitching for South Alabama. SA gets a runner on via a throwing error by Widra, but no scores. Tresvik leads off the bottom, and strikes out swinging. Packer does the same. Lisenby flies out to cf, and Lackie retires Auburn with 11 pitches. Going to top 3, no score.

Penta retired the side in order, adding a strikeout for 8. Garcia to lead off bottom 6. She does it in style, with a bomb to center field. 3-0 Auburn, McCrary coming up. She flies out, Tresvik lines out to center, and Blaine, pinch hitting for Widra, adds one to Hardy's strikeout total. We go to top 7 3-0 Auburn. Penta is still in the circle; she will face Willems, the cleanup hitter, who has one of the three hits that Maddie's given up. She strikes out this time, however, bringing up Ortiz. Ortiz also strikes out, bringing Penta's K number to 10. Both of those were on 3 pitches. And now she strikes out Allen on 4 pitches to end the game. Penta finishes with 11 Ks, yielding 3 hits and no walks. Auburn has 6 hits, including two dingers and a triple. Hardy only gave up two walks. We'll see this team again tomorrow at 3, followed by Tennessee Tech, then finish up Sunday vs. Bowling Green.

McCrary got her second hit, but Tresvik flied out, and Widra hit into a double play. Now in bot 5, Packer on 3d with a triple, but two outs. Now McCondichie with a clutch single, and it's 2-0 Auburn. Ellis pops out, and we go to the 6th, 2-0 Auburn.

As expected, this wicket is proving a bit stickier than most previous. 1-0 Auburn going to bottom 4, on the strength of a solo homer by KK McCrary in the second. She will be leading off the 4th for us. Penta has 7 Ks, and Jenna Hardy has 4 Ks for USA. Penta has given up one hit, and we have only two.

Dees singled up the middle for her 3d hit of the game. Roach now at short for us. Widra gets a groundout, then Weber gets her third hit of the game. Can't get those two out. Runners on 2d and 3d with one out, but Widra induces a popout and a lineout to center field to end the game at 9-1. BG had 7 hits to our 5, with Dees and Weber having 6 of those. Sort of an off day the plate for us, but BG wasn't very disciplined and helped us out a lot.

Auburn plates three in bottom 3 to lead 5-1. Peralta singled, McCondichie reached on a passed ball on 3d strike. Several mistakes by BG and a double by Garcia led to 3 runs. Garcia thrown out at home, trying to score when a ball was thrown into right field. Defensive changes: Bryant to 3d and Cox to RF. In top 4 Widra gets a strikeout and a popup before yielding her first walk on a 3-2 count. Needs to get Reid so the top of the order doesn't come up with runners on. OK, Reid struck out. Bryant reaches on an error, bringing up Lisenby, then Peralta. Yes ma'am! Lisenby doubles, then Peralta walks. Bases juiced with McCondichie, Blaine and Ellis due. Apparently Blaine moved to DP. A fielding error and a bases-loaded groundout bring in two runs. Now Ellis scores two somehow on a flyout and it's 9-1. Now Cox strikes out to end the inning at 9-1 Auburn. Each team has 5 hits, but we can run-rule if we hold them scoreless in top 5. They have 5 errors.

Auburn leads 2-0 after two. Each team has two hits. Peralta walked and manufactured a run alone, followed by a solo homer by Ellis. (6 now, I think.) McCrary doubled in the second and stole third, but got no help. Blaine playing third, McCrary left. Battery is Widra/Lisenby. Top third: Widra gets an out, then three consecutive hits from the top of BG's lineup, scoring a run. Runners on 2d and 3d, one out. Annabelle gets a K and a popup to finish the top. She has 6 SOs but has given up 5 hits. Top of the order due up for Auburn.

No, UCLA beat ULL 4-3. They are 17-1.

I pretty much agree with your assessment. Note also that Troy has a win over Kennesaw State, who just recently beat Alabama. (1/3) The Pittsburgh loss I put on Dean. While they are probably the best team we've played, we should have beaten them, and would have with a better pitching plan. I think Dean underestimated Pitt.

Thanks for the correction. I was checking LiveStats sporadically and missed that substitution. I was also attuned to the fact that Penta had a perfect game going through 3, and probably subconsciously assumed Dean would leave her in as long as she was perfect.

Well, crap. After retiring the first 11 batters, Penta gave up a homer to Frazier. Otherwise 3 groundouts in top 4. Going to bot 4, 9-1 Auburn. D. Bryant singled, and Ellis doubled. Pinch hitters coming in. McCrary lined out to third, Engelkes hit into a force that retired Bryant at home. Lisenby with an infield single that scored Milanowski. Sydney Cox, ph for Packer, struck out. 10-1 Auburn. Top 5 could end it, unless UAB scores 2. Widra taking the circle, Elkins catching. Not sure who's in the field. Widra gives up a single to the first batter, then retires 3 in order. Final: Auburn 10, UAB 1. Auburn had 13 hits in 4 innings.

Now it's 6-0 Auburn after two. Tresvik led off with a single; that was 6 hits in the first pass through the lineup. Peralta doubled Tresvik in, but we stalled after that. McCondichie and Blaine got on with an error and a FC, but Ellis popped up and Garcia grounded out, leaving runners on 2d and 3d. Now bottom 3, it's 9-0 Auburn. Godwin singled with one out, then a triple from Packer and a homer from Tresvik (team leader) scored 3. UAB changing pitchers to Russell. Flyout by Peralta and lineout to short by McCondichie. Going to top 4, 9-0 Auburn.

Auburn leads 5-0 after one inning. Singles by Peralta, McCondichie and Blaine scored 2; then a 2-run homer from Ellis, later a solo blast from Widra. Kirby started in the circle for UAB, but Cespedes replaced her after the first two singles. Penta pitching, retired side in order in T2, AU coming to bat with Tresvik. She was at bat when Packer was thrown out stealing to end the first.

A.J. Daughtry (current UAB coach) must then be the Wallace State coach who beat us in the fall of 2021? Or was that last fall when we played on the road? Kolaitis is the hitting coach at Ariz. St, who won the PAC-12 last year.

Wednesday's opponent has a 7-4 record with losses to Central Arkansas (2), Belmont, and McNeese St. Team batting average is .269, with 6 homers in 11 games. Olivia Valbak (who also pitches) is at .389, with Lauren Brock at .361 and Sierra Frazier at .310. Valbak has thrown 13 innings, and has an ERA of 3.46. She's given up only one walk in those 13 innings. Their most-used pitcher is Sarah Cespedes with 26 innings, and she also has an ERA of 3.46. Caitlin Russell has an ERA of 1.00 over 13 innings, and the 4th pitcher is Leigha Kirby at 3.71. We'll be the best team they've seen, by a good margin. #13 on their roster is Cassady Greenwood, who transferred from Louisville after her sister Carmyn graduated. She's appeared in 5 games.

Agree with your comment about Blaine's "homer". I finally got to watch the replay tonight. I had somehow thought that Penta gave up 4 hits in the first inning. Found out it was only two, but even that is a breakdown for Penta. The game started badly when the first batter hit a pop fly down the line in left that Cox couldn't quite get to. A little quicker outfielder would have caught it. Then the same batter hit a slow roller down to Ellis, who let it go between her legs. That batter scored AP's only run. They did have some threats, though. Widra gave up a leadoff single in top 5. Next batter hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Peralta made several nice plays at the 6 hole; her fielding looks better than last year, and I hope that continues. In top 7, AP had two on and one out, but solid fielding saved us. The last batter and their best player, the 3d baseman, hit a long shot to the track in center field. Packer gathered it in with no trouble, but another 10 feet would have made it a 5-4 game. Oklahoma lost to Baylor today, and I've realized that both Sam and my comments should have been in the Austin Peay thread.