Softball 2024 season

[Big Fat Barner 135]

welp. we lost. 

[saminbama 740]

21 hours ago, Jad0003 said:

I expect this weekend to tell us a lot about this year’s team and how we will perform in the SEC and postseason.

So far, not good.  A little surprised Maddie gave up so many runs, and all on homers.  2 hits for us.     Sounds like we are going to repeat the last 6 years.

[Jad0003 408]

3 hours ago, saminbama said:

So far, not good.  A little surprised Maddie gave up so many runs, and all on homers.  2 hits for us.     Sounds like we are going to repeat the last 6 years.

We’ll see how they respond today. This Missouri team is not the same one we swept last year. 

I’ve been a little bit of a Dean apologist, but I’ve always thought this season was the one to truly assess the trajectory of the program. There are rumors Dean plans to retire, and I’m not sure what that means for the other coaches. I’ll wait and see what happens with the season and the staff’s coaching plans before I start sharing my thoughts. 

Edited March 9 by Jad0003

[Golden Eagle 366]

4 hours ago, saminbama said:

So far, not good.  A little surprised Maddie gave up so many runs, and all on homers.  2 hits for us.     Sounds like we are going to repeat the last 6 years.

The players who bailed last year didn't do so well yesterday, either.  Arkansas (Ellis) lost to South Alabama (!).  South Carolina (Bryant) lost to Texas A&M.  Clemson (Garcia) won but they played Mercer.

I've watched all the games that were televised this year and I don't think Maddie is pitching as well as she did last year.  Maybe it's just that there is a lot more film on her now (they did mention that).  In addition, it was miserably cold yesterday...mid 40s, light rain at times, windy.  It was mentioned on yesterday's broadcast that (I think I'm repeating this accurately) 7 of the 8 SEC series Auburn will play this year are against higher rated teams than Auburn.  Auburn is #25, Missouri is #12.  Yes, it's likely going to be a long season, possibly for a lot of SEC teams.

[Jad0003 408]

Treavik drops a fly ball because she isn’t wearing sunglasses then Roach error puts two on with one out. Next batt hits a three run homer, so Widra should have been out of the inning but errors extend. 

[Golden Eagle 366]

1 hour ago, Jad0003 said:

We’ll see how they respond today. This Missouri team is not the same one we swept last year. 

I’ve been a little bit of a Dean apologist, but I’ve always thought this season was the one to truly assess the trajectory of the program. There are rumors Dean plans to retire, and I’m not sure what that means for the other coaches. I’ll wait and see what happens with the season and the staff’s coaching plans before I start sharing my thoughts. 

I hope he retires.  I gave him the benefit of the doubt for a long time but we can do better.   Dean retiring (vs being fired) would be the best solution IMO...no drama or negativity for the program.  Lenti needs to go, too.  Some of us have wondered if Carasone was elevated to associate head with the intent of elevating her to head coach when Dean leaves???  Don't know what influence she or Hannah Sparks have on the team.

[Golden Eagle 366]

Just now, Jad0003 said:

Treavik drops a fly ball because she isn’t wearing sunglasses then Roach error puts two on with one out. Next batt hits a three run homer, so Widra should have been out of the inning but errors extend. 

Yes, frustrating.

And Missouri is soooo much better at the plate than Auburn is.  I've wondered for years why Emily Carasone - a superstar at the plate - hasn't been able to positively impact Auburn's offense.

[Jad0003 408]

1 hour ago, Golden Eagle said:

Yes, frustrating.

And Missouri is soooo much better at the plate than Auburn is.  I've wondered for years why Emily Carasone - a superstar at the plate - hasn't been able to positively impact Auburn's offense.

Based on interviews, she been working with the offense with Lenti handling “offensive strategy,” whatever that means. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

I'm ready for next season. Hopefully without Dean.  But I do like the players we have, and want them to do well.  I'm just seeing the same song and dance.  Back into SEC play and we are just nonexistent at the plate.  Deflating. 

[AUBwins 10,075]

2 minutes ago, Jad0003 said:

Based on interviews, she been working with the offense with Lenti handling “offensive strategy,” whatever that means. 

I think the strategy is the part we are failing 😆 

[Big Fat Barner 135]

We are ass

[Golden Eagle 366]

Great to see the Maddie we know and love on the mound today!  Auburn 4 - Missouri 0.  Auburn had 10 hits to Missouri's 4.  Lech had 2 home runs and the rest of the team had success at the plate as well.  Hope they build on today's success and crush Arkansas next week.  Way to go, Tigers - War Eagle!

[OlderWhiskey 954]

Lech's second homer was waaay up the road.  Glad to see Abbey Smith get the start.  She went 2 for 3 and scored the first run.

Edited March 10 by OlderWhiskey

[TD1 227]

Congrats to Penta and Packer! 

Penta tied Carlson for most wins in program history. 

Packer is now 2nd in career stolen bases. She's also tied for 2nd in triples. 

Edited March 10 by TD1

[Big Fat Barner 135]

For nearly two years now i have been advocating for Abbey Smith to start. I swear if Dean doesn’t keep her in the lineup…

[all4AU 379]

Next week is a big weekend. We need to take 2/3 from Arkansas at home. Arkansas's pitching is not as good as it used to be. I think this is one of the series that will shape our SEC season. 

[RedDirtFan 39]

On 3/9/2024 at 2:29 PM, Golden Eagle said:

The players who bailed last year didn't do so well yesterday, either.  Arkansas (Ellis) lost to South Alabama (!).  South Carolina (Bryant) lost to Texas A&M.  Clemson (Garcia) won but they played Mercer.

I've watched all the games that were televised this year and I don't think Maddie is pitching as well as she did last year.  Maybe it's just that there is a lot more film on her now (they did mention that).  In addition, it was miserably cold yesterday...mid 40s, light rain at times, windy.  It was mentioned on yesterday's broadcast that (I think I'm repeating this accurately) 7 of the 8 SEC series Auburn will play this year are against higher rated teams than Auburn.  Auburn is #25, Missouri is #12.  Yes, it's likely going to be a long season, possibly for a lot of SEC teams.

Let it go. Those players have moved on to greener pastures and their struggle doesn’t help Maddie pitch any better. Wish them well and focus on what we have to work with. If we have less to work with, address the problem. It’s not NIL, it’s not the school, it’s not the fans (except the imposters that bash these student athletes), it’s Dickey Mean’s caustic and abusive culture. He pulled us out of the death spiral that the Myers put us in, but we should have left him as ‘interim’ while we found a D1 coach. Now we’re in a different nose dive altogether. 

[OlderWhiskey 954]

Arkansas is a little better than we are on paper.  They're hitting .308 as a team, with OPS of .903 and 29 homers (Ellis has 8).  Our comparable numbers are .275, .839, and 20.  Of course, they haven't batted against Maddie Penta yet.  They did, however, bat against Wishnowski of Northern Iowa in their last game.  She pitched a 7-inning game against us in their 4-2 win, gave up 6 hits.  Arkansas touched her for 7 hits and 7 runs in 2 innings.  Arky won 9-0 in 6.

We can beat Arkansas, but we need the kind of hitting we showed in the 3d game against Mizzou.  

[Big Fat Barner 135]

21 hours ago, OlderWhiskey said:

Arkansas is a little better than we are on paper.  They're hitting .308 as a team, with OPS of .903 and 29 homers (Ellis has 8).  Our comparable numbers are .275, .839, and 20.  Of course, they haven't batted against Maddie Penta yet.  They did, however, bat against Wishnowski of Northern Iowa in their last game.  She pitched a 7-inning game against us in their 4-2 win, gave up 6 hits.  Arkansas touched her for 7 hits and 7 runs in 2 innings.  Arky won 9-0 in 6.

We can beat Arkansas, but we need the kind of hitting we showed in the 3d game against Mizzou.  

We need a miracle to win the series. Our bats are about to make the Arkansas pitching staff look like a masterclass. Just watch. 

[Big Fat Barner 135]

On 3/12/2024 at 6:13 PM, Big Fat Barner said:

We need a miracle to win the series. Our bats are about to make the Arkansas pitching staff look like a masterclass. Just watch. 

wow what do you know, I was right. 

[Jad0003 408]

I gave Dean a chance and made excuses based on the circumstances he inherited from the previous regime and the players he recruited during his tenure, but I do not think Dean should lead the program after this season. I hope Cohen is willing to make a change in order to capitalize on the growth in softball. 

[all4AU 379]

1 hour ago, Jad0003 said:

I gave Dean a chance and made excuses based on the circumstances he inherited from the previous regime and the players he recruited during his tenure, but I do not think Dean should lead the program after this season. I hope Cohen is willing to make a change in order to capitalize on the growth in softball. 

Today was bad. Every person at Jane B, including the players, knew we had no chance to come back in either game. The energy bottomed out because we have no faith that this staff will get it done. 

[aucolonel 3]

We do not hit well enough to support our less than stellar pitching staff.  If our pitchers give up more than a couple of runs they get down because they know we are weak at the plate.  We take too many first strikes; be more aggressive at the plate.

Too many base running mistakes; fundamentals plus talent equals WINS

[TD1 227]

1 hour ago, aucolonel said:

too many base running mistakes; fundamentals plus talent equals WINS

We had at least 3 base running mistakes that turned into outs in the 2nd game yesterday. 

I really hope that this is Dean's last year. 

[Jad0003 408]

I will say one thing about the girls: they seem to be really close and supportive of each other.