Softball 2023-24 Offseason & Recruiting Thread

[Jad0003 414]

On 7/25/2023 at 3:22 PM, AUBwins said:

I meant to watch that interview in Houston.  Thanks for the summary.  Arkansas will make the WCWS next year.  I would be shocked if they didnt.

They’ve had a tough time getting over the hurdle the past few years, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they make the WCWS.

They’ll hit the ball very well with Gasso as the new hitting coach, but they’ll need to find someone to replace Delce in the circle. 

[AUBwins 10,088]

 

Update on the apparel ... Bri Ellis just received her Nike gear.

[OlderWhiskey 963]

For want of a nail . . .

[RedDirtFan 52]

It's coming to life...

 

 

[Jad0003 414]

Kenadie Cooper no longer listed on the roster. 

[RedDirtFan 52]

45 minutes ago, Jad0003 said:

Kenadie Cooper no longer listed on the roster. 

She was on there last week. I wonder what happened? 

Edited August 28, 2023 by RedDirtFan

[OlderWhiskey 963]

I just noticed they have posted the photos of the 8 new players.  Not sure exactly when that happened.  Cooper may have left some time back, and they just removed her pic when they put up the new ones.

[Jad0003 414]

Sydney Cox no longer listed on the roster. 

[TD1 231]

11 hours ago, Jad0003 said:

Sydney Cox no longer listed on the roster. 

3/8 from that signing class are still at Auburn.

[Jad0003 414]

Gianna Poletti no longer on roster.

[Golden Eagle 391]

36 minutes ago, Jad0003 said:

Gianna Poletti no longer on roster.

Wow...would love to know what happened.  She was just announced as part of the freshman class on Aug 10...about 6 weeks ago!

Gianna Poletti completes softball’s 2023 class - Auburn University Athletics (auburntigers.com)

 

[Jad0003 414]

56 minutes ago, Golden Eagle said:

Wow...would love to know what happened.  She was just announced as part of the freshman class on Aug 10...about 6 weeks ago!

Gianna Poletti completes softball’s 2023 class - Auburn University Athletics (auburntigers.com)

 

Three players left the team since school started, four players transferred after last season, and one former player blasted the coaches over the summer. I’m not well informed of the inner workings of the team or coaches, but it does not look good from the outside. 

[RedDirtFan 52]

20 hours ago, Golden Eagle said:

Wow...would love to know what happened.  She was just announced as part of the freshman class on Aug 10...about 6 weeks ago!

Gianna Poletti completes softball’s 2023 class - Auburn University Athletics (auburntigers.com)

 

Mickey & his magic touch!

[AuScuba 12]

On 6/15/2023 at 11:26 AM, Big Fat Barner said:

Dean would have be dumb to be uninterested in the following portal players. 
I guess my opinion on Dean in the portal is that he picks up a player each year, but can never get the big fish (or even the medium fish) to buy into the auburn softball program. I look at someone like Courtney Deifil who somehow manages to get a plethora of GOOD transfers to go to ARKANSAS, a team who historically, isn’t better than auburn. I just think Dean isn’t cut out for the portal life as a coach. Which is a problem. 

A lot of schools, Arkansas being one, that either waive out state tuition or offer scholarship programs that offset the cost.  A big difference in choosing between Arkansas and Auburn, an additional $20-25K per year out of pocket for players and that is in addition to the percentage of the regular tuition that the partial scholarship doesn't cover.

[AUBwins 10,088]

i know she's not technically on our team this year.  But man I'm really going to miss Bri.  My favorite player since Kasey Cooper. 

She is absolutely raking this weekend in their fall ball.  2 grand slams, solo shot and an oppo shot in a double header. Now another.  I sad 😔 

 

[AUBwins 10,088]

Arkansas will be in the CWS and a threat to win it all MMW.

[Jad0003 414]

1 hour ago, AUBwins said:

i know she's not technically on our team this year.  But man I'm really going to miss Bri.  My favorite player since Kasey Cooper. 

She is absolutely raking this weekend in their fall ball.  2 grand slams, solo shot and an oppo shot in a double header. Now another.  I sad 😔 

 

I’m happy to see Bri doing so well. I’d feel a lot more comfortable if we still had her in our lineup, especially with another bat like Lech or Wohlers to protect her.

We will definitely need a few players to take a step forward this year. It was great to see Packer hitting homeruns again in the first Fall Games. I forget she was a .360 hitter before her abdominal injury in her sophomore campaign. 

Hopefully we can find some consistency at the plate this year. 

[I_M4_AU 8,003]

In other news:

 

 

[OlderWhiskey 963]

We narrowly won the two games in MGY today - 5-1 over AUM and 4-3 over Alabama State.  Left most of that offense from last weekend back in Lee County, evidently.  Rolfe and Widra the prominent pitchers - haven't used Penta or Lowe. Clemons and Tamborra have thrown some innings. Lots of players seeing action in the infield. Smith, Packer and McCrary anchoring the outfield pretty much. Smith a good day at the plate today. See the X page for starting lineups and game bulletins. Wondering about Aubrie Lisenby. She hasn't played this fall, and was the only player missing from the "Dinner on the Diamond" photo. Elkins and Wohlers have been catching.

Edit:  Per the article at auburntigers.com, Clemons struck out the side in the 7th to get the save in the ASU game.

Edited October 9, 2023 by OlderWhiskey

[Golden Eagle 391]

I went to Montgomery hoping to see Auburn's explosive offense but was sorely disappointed.  We were lucky to beat ASU.  Their starting pitcher was not very effective and 2 of Auburn's 4 runs were due to her walking batters with the bases loaded.  The new pitcher held Auburn in check.  Some sloppy errors on defense, too.  ASU was full of energy and they had a raucous crowd cheering them on.  It was a fun environment (although seating was limited and not very comfortable).

P.S.  Lisenby was there and dressed out.  At the beginning of each defensive inning she went out and caught for the pitcher's warmup pitches before she was replaced by Elkins/Wohlers.  IIRC, she also batted in one of the games and had a nice hit.

There's a lot of work to do before spring...

[OlderWhiskey 963]

Softball played Coastal Alabama in the first game today, and led 25-1 going to top 5.  Homers from Packer, McNemar, Tamborra, Elkins, and Lech (slammer).  Bunch of doubles as well.  Scored 11 in the first and 10 in the 4th.  Rolfe and Wohlers were the battery, with Lech at first, Roach at 2d, Widra at third, Peralta at ss.   Smith, Packer, and McCrary in the outfield.  Pinch hitting going on, as Clemons and Roberts credited with doubles.

Second game vs. Enterprise St. starting about now.

[OlderWhiskey 963]

Auburn gets a slower start in the 2d game.  Clemons with a 2-run double in the first, and it stays that way until the 5th, when we put up 4 behind Peralta's bases-clearing double.  In the 6th, Widra and Wohlers go yard to stoke a 7-run inning for the final margin of 13-0.  Widra and Elkins were the starting battery, with Clemons, McNemar, Roach and Milanowski  composing the infield.  The standard 3 in the outfield; Dean isn't messing with that much.

[Golden Eagle 391]

The AU offense was significantly better the two weekends they played in Auburn vs the weekend they played in Montgomery.  Wonder if ASU and AUM are that much better than the opponents AU faced in Auburn or if Auburn is just significantly more comfortable at home (or if I jinxed them in Montgomery).   

 

Thanks so much for the update @OlderWhiskey.  Interesting (worrisome?) that the team was so dominant in the home games but struggled in the games in Montgomery.  I don't know if Auburn Montgomery (AUM) and Alabama State (ASU) were just that much better than the teams they played in Auburn or if there was something else going on.  Looking forward to spring.

[blakem 296]

I don’t read too much into fall games. Before Dean’s inaugural season, we barely beat Snead state 5-3 at home. I attended because my cousin played for Snead. We also didn’t just play scrubs, Kaylee Carlson pitched. The following 2018 spring season, we lost in the Tallahassee regional 2-1 to the eventual national champion seminoles(granted we also got eliminated by jacksonville state 3-2). All that to say, I’ve never seen fall games as a great barometer for spring season stats. 

[slot canyon 1,344]

From the AU Softball site:  https://auburntigers.com/news/2023/10/15/softball-slugs-its-way-to-sunday-doubleheader-sweep.aspx