2006 STATE PLAYOFF DISCUSSION FORUM

Our freshman pitcher K'd 384 this season (3A). Did anyone have more this season? She also plays on my 18U travel team. Here are some more stats on her for the high school season.

21-3 mark
8 earned runs on 44 hits in 178 2/3 innings
384 strikeouts
ERA 0.40
Ranks sixth in single-season list all time with 384 strikeouts
Tied for 10th all-time with seven career no-hitters.
Threw 178 2/3 innings, which is the 11th most in state history.
Tied for 12th all-time with 17 shutouts.
21 wins is tied for 20th most in a single season
threw three one-hitters and six two-hitters throughout the season
15 inning game k'd 33 batters
19 inning game fanned 37

 

Fantastic Numbers!

This girl has great potential. Needs to see some really tough summer competition to understand that these HS numbers can be "fools gold". Are you playing in Ray Chandler's tournament this weekend, at Columbia next weekend? If not you need try to go the ASA route with this girl as much as possible. She needs to face the best to become the best!

 

We play some of it all. Playing in mid-summer showcase in Va. Beach at end of month. Played in college showcase in Myrtle in Nov. She went head to head with pitcher who has signed with Va. Tech. They had 8 signees in the starting lineup with the lead-off batter going to NC State. We lost 1-0 in tie breaker.

 

Leonard @ CDHS

I am noting a LOT of sarcasm on here. Leonard's fast ball was clocked several times this year at 67. By the end of the season, she really was averaging 64-65 EVERY GAME. The finger thing did take some pop out of that pitch, as did that ridiculous decision to stop the game (for >10 minutes) in the 2nd and "fix" her mechanics by the two field umpires. 9 other umps had seen her, as well as a full season of others, and NO ONE had ever said anything about her delivery. I am not blaming officials at all, but that seemed cheap... that is something that is addressed in pre-season, not the state finals. A lot of CD supporters screamed foul, and rightfully so, IMHO.

That being said, CD did not lose because of Leonard's finger.. or the umps... or the N. Pitt Defense. The reason they lost can be summed up in two words "timely hitting". CD hit Sutton better than NP hit Leonard, but CD simply could not get the bats going TOGETHER. They wasted a lot of great hits by poor hitting by the next girl up. That was true in all 4 of Central's games. Only 2 runs in 4 games, with a 2-2 record is a testament to how well they play the game in the other aspects.

As far as how hard Leonard and Sutton throw it, Sutton had more on her fastball that weekend. She was clocked at 67 by more than one gun I saw in Raleigh.. NO JOKE! Leonard was that fast BEFORE the finger thing. Just because they are in HS, does not mean that they cannot throw as hard, or HARDER than the college girls. If you have studied any physiology, you know that ladies do NOT get appreciably stronger in the years between 15-20... they simply don't. If their mechanics are good, there is NO reason they cannot bring it like the best college pitchers. Better control is what sets the great ones apart.

 

Sarcasm

That should not surprise you. The original claim was 61 + 8 = 69 mph. Having a masters degree in exercise phys and having trained a D1 pitcher (who only throws 64/65) I fully understand what it takes to do this . . . hence the skepticism. I also understand that a very special 15 year old can throw 65. This is plenty fast but still very different than 69. The fact is that very few women on the planet throw this fast. Sure its POSSIBLE Leonard can but . . . .

CD hit Sutton better than NP Leonard. Wouldn't have expected anything different. NP was a two person team that had trouble scoring against most teams. There wasn't another TB player on the team. The amazing thing was the CD pitched to Sutton & Shaw at all. Not smart . . Had they chosen to pitch around those two they would most likely be state champs.

 

???

softball folks (& I am one) always seem a little forgetful............
you said that Sutton was clocked at 67 mph, but then " (CD) wasted a lot of great hits by poor hitting by the next hitter up". Maybe, just maybe, CD's lack of "timely hitting" may have been adversely affected by those 67 mph bullets.
???? Seriously in general many times at ballgames with 2 outstandingly equal opposing pitchers, you take pride in the fact that your pitcher is mowing hitters down continuously while you cannot figure out why your own batters can't seem to slap hits all over the field on the opposing star pitcher.
???

 

Chelsea

Chelsea plays for me now in the summer. I have no idea how hard she throws have not put a gun on her but she does throw very hard and uses her legs very well. I think her strength is not as much speed as her ball moves, she has a great change-up and she works hard. She is a tough kid. Also, she hits well and does a nice job in outfield so she is a complete player. I believe girls only peak if they don't continue to work on pitching and not just throwing. The more precise U can become, the better U find the corners, the better the rise ball appears and batters have a much harder time trying to sit on one pitch. Being just fast doesn't matter as we saw the kid from UCLA that threw 70, get killed in a World Series game a few years ago. Chelsea has the talent and I believe the drive to be one of the top pitchers in the state, maybe the southeast and I think she has the heart to make it.

 

Is this the kid that pitched against me Friday night?

 

Pitcher

Yes, U had all your girls get back in the box on her but after the first inning mistakes my defense had, she was able to hold her own. U have a good hitting team as shown by the other teams U beat and I think for a freshman she shows some guts and confidence, your thoughts?

 

She did great....take the first inning away, and you win that game. She needs to work on her motion, so she keeps her stride foot on the pitchers plate consistently. The illegal pitch kept that inning alive for us.
As far as her velocity, not sure I saw 67 mph that evening. I didn't turn on my gun, but thought she was around 61...which is outstanding for a freshman, throwing for the first time at 43'.

My kids are all 07's.... They need to just learn to play with each other.
Hopefully by the end of the summer, we will be be playing consistent defense. Both pitchers show great potential, and a willingness to work.
Biggest challenge will be for them to handle the mental side that I will require.

See you out there!!