Softball Mid-Season Report
It is hard to believe but the Softball season is nearly half way completed. We have finished the first segment of the schedule which is primarily weekend tournaments. The second segment of the schedule is the home series with Kent State then the start of the Big Ten Season.
We are currently 22-3 with loses to #1 Florida (twice) and #22 ASU. We are 7-3 over ranked teams, with wins against #3 Alabama (twice), #6 Florida State (twice), #9 Baylor and #21 ASU (twice).
We are ranked #3 this week in the Coaches Poll although we are tied with LSU, who are undefeated along with #1 Florida. Florida remained #1, and Oregon remained #2. We dropped to #4 in the USA Softball poll primarily due to the loss to ASU this past weekend.
Here are some of the team statistics and the national rank (in parentheses)
Batting Average: .345 (20th)
Home runs per game: 1.76 HR/G (4th)
OB %: .448 (13th)
Runs per game: 7.84 (15th)
Slugging %: .619 (5th)
Team ERA: 1.62 (10th)
One area of the game that we are certainly down as compared with previous years is overall team speed. We do not rank high in any of the typical "speed" catagories such as stolen bases, double per game and triples per game. This is a departure for Coach Hutch as she has always had great overall team speed. However, with the offense we have, the team speed is not as important because the timely hitting does enough damage.
We have a player that rank nationally in some important categories. Romo ranks in the top of 6 categories (10 games min).
B/A: 545 (6th)
Slugging %: 1.109% (4th)
OB %: .705 (2nd)
RBIs: 30 (20th)
Runs/game: 1.28 (8th)
HRs: 9 (T-6th)
As you can see, our offense is centered around Romo. The good thing is our 4, 5 and 6 hitters are good enough to bring her in as evidenced by Romo's Runs/Game statistic. If opposing teams choose to pitch to her, great. She will handle her business. If they choose to walk her, great. We have hitters behind her to bring her in.
I just hope more people realize what a very special player we have in Romo. We have not seen the likes of her in over a decade.
In the Individual pitching catagories, we have players in the following:
Ks per 7 innings (10 App min): Megan; 8.5 (32nd)
ERA (20 Inns min): Sara; .78 (9th)
BB per 7 Innings (10 App min): Haylie; 1.24 (17th)
It is great to see all three pitchers rank nationally. This is our core moving into the Big Ten season. Our bats will not be hot in every single game; however, we have 3 awsome pitchers that will keep us in games. This will lead to wins in tight games.
Overall a very good first half of the season. The first loss to Florida was tough to take, then the loss to ASU was heartbreaking. However, we had some very good wins that could have went the other way as well.
My prediction is we will lose one game each to Minny, Maryland and maybe PSU for a 27-3 second half record (20-3 B1G). This puts us at an overall record of 49-6. We will remain in the top 8 and host a Regional and then the Super Regional.
My prediction for the Regional (#3 Seed): Central Michigan (MAC Champ), Notre Dame (ACC Runner Up) and my dark-horse for Champion of the Horizon League: Oakland University.
The Super Regional will be at Alumni Field against La-Lafayette (#14 Seed).
March 10th, 2015 at 10:32 PM ^
Any speculation as to why we haven't seen Driesenga at all the last couple weeks? I get that Betsa appears to have passed her on the depth chart, which doesn't shock me, but Driesenga seems to have dropped off the map.
March 11th, 2015 at 12:16 AM ^
but I would rather not repeat it here until it becomes public. It may or may not be true.
Sara will be just fine but in the meantime, Megan and Haylie can take care of business like you said. We should be hitting on all cylinders when May 1st rolls around and we head into the B1G Playoffs, Regionals and Supers.
March 10th, 2015 at 11:20 PM ^
March 11th, 2015 at 12:06 AM ^
topic every year. I will explain it again. In softball, we rarely use last names. In fact, every softball team that I have been involved with uses nick names or at a minimum, first names. Softball is a very "friendly" and "close-knit" community. The reason it sounds "creepy" to some is because they have not been close to a softball team.
I recommend anyone to go to a game and sit as close to the dugout as you can. You will hear some crazy things being said in the dugout. No other sport that I can name has players standing up, singing a chant and dancing while the game is in progress. Our team has some very good cheers, for the record.
Its a softball thing I guess.
March 11th, 2015 at 12:19 AM ^
Thats all fine and dandy for those close to the team but for those of us who follow the girls at more of a distance, first names makes your reports hard to decipher. If youd like to see interest in the team rise please use last names for the less informed. After all I dont know any of these girls personally, only go to maybe 1 game a year and see them on TV only a couple times.
March 11th, 2015 at 10:41 AM ^
In the past there have been some issues on this website (mostly related to football) with writers using too many in-joke type references that go right over the heads of people who aren't regular readers. We like to think of this site as a community, but it's also good to grow the community by making it accessible to new people.
March 11th, 2015 at 11:04 AM ^
March 11th, 2015 at 11:46 AM ^
There have been a lot of comments about familiarity, and while I definitely don't disagree with what you say, there doesn't seem to be anyone explicitly talking about according these ladies the respect they deserve.
I'm just about positive the correct style is some close approximation of "pitcher Megan Betsa" in her first mention, followed by "Megan Betsa", "Ms. Betsa" or "Betsa" once she's been introduced. Commonly known nicknames like "Hutch" are a different story, but that's not the point being made in the comments here.
I want to put this as delicately as possible because I certainly don't think this is anyone's intent, but I don't think the practice of having a less formal, less respectful convention for the only women's team that gets regular attention is a good look for the softball fans on the site.
I can't say strongly enough that I personally don't feel like this is the author's intent, but I don't think it's a big leap for someone not as familiar with our community to make.
March 11th, 2015 at 12:22 PM ^
I danced around the issue, and I shouldn't have. Here is an earlier post on this subject where I said this flat out--
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/sb-sweeps-tourney#comment-3055803
"let's treat the players with the respect that they have earned."
But I also want to say that even though it doesn't seem like MgoSoftball's intent is disrespectful, the result is disrespectful and, as you point out, "not a good look."
March 11th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
I didn't know that Travis was hurt! I Googled Travis and injury and found the story. Yep, who needs last names.
Neither the UMSoftball twitter account nor the Athletic Department press releases follow this shitty logic. I don't understand why it is so fundamentally difficult for you to make the concession that so many people have respectfully requested. You obviously know the last names.
March 10th, 2015 at 11:27 PM ^
No way they drop 3 conference games unless they drop more than 1 against Minnesota. The Big Ten is way down this year (especially to a truly awful PSU team). Also I think ULL will be higher than a #14 seed. If Michigan is the #3 then I would expect a matchup against a team like UCLA, Baylor, or Arizona.
March 11th, 2015 at 12:13 AM ^
I only say 4 loses because we have been known to 'lay an egg" on a few occasions. In recent years, these 'eggs" are early in the season. However this year we have been playing very well without much drama.
Minny is very good this year and since we do not play Nebraska, I think Minny will be our roadblock. Maryland has some good individual players but cannot seem to pull it together. PSU always puts up a good fight against us.
So you may end up being right about 3 loses but I would hedge against a sweep in the B1G for us this year.
La-Laf is a great team and has proven themselves over the past few years. However, they are not as deep this year. Also their schedule is a little tougher. They play Baylor and Oregon. This could be 6 loses right here.
March 11th, 2015 at 12:59 AM ^
I think they drop 1 to Minny and 1 lay an egg game. They are head, shoulders, knees, and toes ahead of everyone in the league except Minnesota. But shit happens. ULL only has 3 losses so far, they are better than Baylor and I think they win that series and the Oregon series will be difficult. I think can get 1 of those games and then roll through the SBC. It will be fun to see how it plays out, wide open outside of Florida.
March 11th, 2015 at 11:56 AM ^
I think you are underestimating Tiffany and of course Lawanda is lighting it up. And how can we compete with the pitching of Oprah? That is three losses right there. Of course, if Uma returns from injury that is another loss.
Yep, who needs last names.
about this team it looks like we are definitely a national championship contender..I was a little dismayed we dropped at all in this weeks poll..mainly about LSU..Michigan has played 10 games against top 25 team 7 of which were top ten and we won 7 of those..LSU has played 3 games against top 25 and ZERO top 10 games...what ever happened to strength of schedule.?.that tells me voters are ONLY looking at record and not whose played who..Unfair to Michgian...However in the end Our RPI will be stronger I think and we will be a top 2-4 seed and host regs and supers.....Looks like we have a great chance to make it to final 4
right about the fact that voters are looking only at records; especially in the USA Softball poll where we dropped 2 spots. However, in the coaches poll, we remained tied for 3rd with LSU. So it looks like some voters gave LSU some of our votes.
It is a little too early to start worrying about polls. The regular season has a way of shaking this out. As long as we do not lay down at any point; we will be fine.
We do have a weak regular season schedule so any prolonged rough patch will certainly cause us to drop significantly in the polls. I just do not see this happening with all 3 pitchers doing so well.
March 11th, 2015 at 11:37 AM ^
Mgo very appreciated...I will attempt to get used to the "nickname-first name" thing you do if it does not violate the terms of my parole.
How does this years team numbers compare to the M National Championship team?
Your opinion on pitching comparison as well please.
Batting Average: .345 (20th)
Home runs per game: 1.76 HR/G (4th)
OB %: .448 (13th)
Runs per game: 7.84 (15th)
Slugging %: .619 (5th)
Team ERA: 1.62 (10th)
You said we haven't seen a Romo in over a decade. Who was the last comparable player?
I was at UM from 1998-05 and followed the softball team fairly closely. We never had a position player as dominant as Romero in those years. Ritter was a pitcher.
Dreisenga,is injured. I expect her to contribute as a pitcher but not as a DP; the freshman are hitting well and will cover DP.
Romero is also a hurt arm-wise. That is why she is playing 2b rather than ss.
While UM has had speed in the past Hutch is an old school coach who bunts more than she should and doesn't use team speed all that much. That said it is hard to to have Lawrence (leadoff) stealing a lot because opposing teams can/do walk Romero. Romero has about as many walks as hits.
This team is good, clicking on all cylinders. However they will lose some games in the Big10. Good pitching or unfamiliar pitching will flummox us.
And no one discussing other softball teams uses first names. It is Haeger not Lauren, etc.
Dreisenga,is injured. I expect her to contribute as a pitcher but not as a DP; the freshman are hitting well and will cover DP.
Romero is also a hurt arm-wise. That is why she is playing 2b rather than ss.
While UM has had speed in the past Hutch is an old school coach who bunts more than she should and doesn't use team speed all that much. That said it is hard to to have Lawrence (leadoff) stealing a lot because opposing teams can/do walk Romero. Romero has about as many walks as hits.
This team is good, clicking on all cylinders. However they will lose some games in the Big10. Good pitching or unfamiliar pitching will flummox us.
And no one discussing other softball teams uses first names. It is Haeger not Lauren, etc.
March 25th, 2015 at 12:13 PM ^
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