AZ vs. NW game #1

I would like to hear everyone's comment on game one last night. What did you see in terms of how the teams matched up? What was you impression of the play at 2nd where the AZ player got a nice serving of cleats on her shin and apparently the AZ pitcher threatened to pop the NW player in her next AB? What about the play at 3rd where the NW player ended up with stitches on her forehead and the AZ 3B started crying? The last shot from the field looked like the AZ P was playing bodyguard as they went through the obligatory hand slapping line.

... let's hear your thoughts.....

 

Did you notice the slap to the head the AZ 3B gave the NW SS after the slide into third? No reason for it.

 

play at 3rd base

please explain what happened on the play at 3rd base; did not see it, I only saw the part afterwards when they were tending to the NW player and she was helped off the field.

on the play at 2nd base, it appeared to be a hard slide in the heat of battle, but not a malicious play intended to harm another player.

hate to see retaliation by pitchers get into the fastpitch softball game, if that was indeed the case.

 

My opinion of N.W. play was awful, look like a bunch of rec ball players..players out of position...errors will kill you, especially at this age. As far as the play at second a good coach teaches you to go in hard when you slide..she did not vary off the baseline, it was legal,defensive player takes a chance when on the inside of bag...Arizona will take this World with ease.


:1pyth:....................... Softball Guru

 

NW had a bad game

NW looked great in all previous WCWS games. Just ask UCLA the top-seeded team.

But I agree that Arizona will win the championship.

Too bad that Cat O. / Texas could not get a national championship in her 4 yr's. I looked up Texas softball website & they only had 2 players this season to bat above .300 ; by the way NCSU & UNC (both in regional playoffs) had zero(0).

I did not know until this season that college softball players wear metal cleats. Was a bit surprised by that.

 

Speed Kills!

NW power vs AU speed. The field (like concrete or Freedom Florence in July) is tailor-made for AU's slappers. Hollowell put on pitching clinic (see my post above). I'm pulling for NW (anybody but the Pac 10) but I'd be shocked if AU doesn't close it out this evening.

 

It was a hard clean play at third. NW player slid in head first and was tagged out by a tough #3B who stood her ground... looked to me like she was blocking the bag before she had the ball but all of us have seen every possible call under the sun in that type of play. AZ 3B slapped NW runner hard with the back on the back of the head and neck after she had tagged her out... this occurred just a couple of seconds after she had the glove down and the runner was called out.. clearly an in your face kind of action. My reading into the AZ 3B emotions after the play was that the NW dugout was hard on her case for the malicious tag after the call (the tag had nothing to do with the cut on NW forehead btw).

On the other hard play at second the AZ pitcher did not throw at the NW runner because she did not make it up next time. I just found it rather comical that the ESPN on the field reporter was saying the AZ pitcher was going to "take care of her teamates"... for what? Fernandes called it right from the booth when she said the AZ 2B did not take the correct path off the bag to remove herself from the path of the baserunner thereby avoiding contact.

 

slapping

the slappers aren't successful a large % of time, but their presence & threat keeps the defense always guessing & knowing they must hurry a throw to 1st.

notice the path that slappers take running to 1st base. the entire run is to the left of the foul-line not in the running lane (illlegal) , but we all know that is not called unless the throw is from behind the runner to 1st base.

 

Correct

AZ Slappers:

Lowe .423
Champion .401
Acton .295

I'll take that any time!

Correct . . . and most are actually out of the BB when they contact the ball; absolutely illegal. Also pay attention to the NW pitcher tonite. Her lead foot ALWAYS lands to the left of the imaginary box that extends in front of the rubber . . again, illegal. Crystal Cox was another who was often guilty of this. Canney and Crystal both rely on the screw ball. Those who do "open up" to the batter to throw the pitch. Of course, its not illegal if its not called!

Check out the Hollowell Clinic thread. We already have next Kat Osterman nomination! Just one more year in HS and 2000+ D1 K's to go!