Softball NCAA Regionals vs Washington 8p EST // 10:30p if Necessary
After a strong showing on the mound yesterday to best Washington, the ladies look to punch a ticket to the Super Regionals tonight in Prime Time.
Regionals are double elimination, so winning the first ends it.
Game one is on ESPN 2. If necessary, game two is streaming only on ESPN 3.
Let's get 'em again, ladies! Go Blue!
Since Washington has 1 stud pitcher who went 5 innings yesterday, would she be able to pitch back to back games today? I know the underhand motion makes it so the pitchers don’t have a 100 pitch 4 day off cycle like men.
Plain (who pitched 6 innings against UM yesterday) will definitely pitch the first game. She's their stud. If they win, they'll have Moore (who pitched the 5 inning shut-out against Seattle yesterday) ready, with the option of bringing Plain back for relief...I imagine. I'm sure UM will start Beaubien in game 1 and, if necessary Storotko in game 2 (with Beaubien ready for relief).
EUTHANIZE THE HUSKIES!
(wow, that's harsh for a sunday)
This will definitely be a doubleheader. Hopefully this ends better than that debacle against James Madison.
Or they'll win game 2 the same way they won game 1, with dominant pitching and a couple of timely hits
(For those who know about college softball)—
tl;dr: basicallly how is softball pitcher recruiting similar to and different from QB recruiting?
It seems having a 3rd ace would be incredibly helpful during playoffs but much less so during regular season. Would require many less starts/innings per ace during the regular season, since it seems that softball pitchers can have huge % usage (due to schedule and ability to pitch on short rest I’m guessing?).
Do any teams succeed at selling a top recruit to join a team with already 2 aces (e.g., michigan this year)? Or does this cause a quasi parity where top pitchers end up on the #20 team because they want to be the ace or one of 2? Or is it the QB thing where every high school senior assumes they are good enough to beat our their more senior teammates for starters’ minutes?
Softball is easier on the pitching arm than baseball. Top pitchers can throw two games in one day (and Plain, I'm sure, is willing, and is already over 200 innings this spring). Monica Abbott, considered one of the best ever to pitch, went over 300 innings each of her four seasons for Tennessee. She had 23 no-hitters as a senior. Since Plain is up for national Player of the Year, I would be surprised if she doesn't pitch almost all of whatever is left of the season for Washington.
Recruiting for girls starts in junior high and girls mature a lot earlier than boys. That doesn't mean there aren't surprises, but players are definitely aware of who is going where. Quarterbacks are notoriously hard to predict. Softball pitchers aren't that tough. Hutch offered Beaubien as a high school freshman. The Covid situation has affected the situation, though. Michigan has Chandler Dennis on the roster, who was a top pitching prospect, but hasn't gotten the work yet. Hopefully, we'll see a lot of her next season.
It would be hard to work in three aces. Pitchers need work to stay sharp. Two is ideal - especially a lefty/righty combo like Beaubien/Storako - with a third, like Schaefer, who can take on some innings without consistent work. I don't know if Beaubien is considering or has decided on whether to use her fifth year. She probably has more interesting academic prospects.
thanks for the informative answer.
let’s go blue!
If the team gets to the Supers, it'll face Oklahoma, obviously. OU beat Wichita 24-7! to advance. Good Lord.
Pam Ward getting paid by the game? Calling the out before the throw is even made? Woof.
Not a great start but hopefully seeing Plain yesterday will help them square her up a bit better today.
Beaubien looked rattled after that HR so hopefully she shook it off in the dugout & comes ready to stuff the zone in the 2nd
They need to make Plain work. She'll keep the ball down for the most part. They don't seem to know the strike zone yet.
Obstruction call seemed pretty off. Catcher’s foot on the baseline, runner was 3 feet outside of that. Seems like a clear path existed?
It's a tough call. I believe by rule, the catcher can't impede the runner if she doesn't have the ball. She clearly collided with the runner while in the process of making the catch.
The problem is the rule, not the call. I think the call was reasonable, given the stupid rule.
eh, it's the way it's been called and complained about all year.
Every UM coach should be contractually required to end interviews with a "Go Blue" said in the same tone as "Fuck you." Great interview Hutch.
Hutch is one of the few coaches in any sport that I care to see an in game interview with. She has no problem telling it like it is & clearly ZFG
holy smokes it was 4-0 Wichita State when I started watching at the gym, by the time my warmup was over it was 4-4 then I tuned it out.
Michigan just can't score. been their problem all year.
This might be going to game 3.
If Plain keeps getting this wide zone & locating her drop ball consistently at the shoe tops then I don't like Michigan's chances in Game 2.
She pitched well last night but made a couple of mistakes to the wrong Michigan hitters & her location tonight has her looking like the National Player of the Year candidate that she is
Just like James Madison two years ago. They were able to eek out one win but they were not going to beat this pitcher twice.
Are we still the home team for the second game, or do we give up that advantage?
Looking at ESPN.com it looks like Michigan will be the visitor this game
Not the answer I wanted to see, but thanks for providing it.
Does anyone know how this is determined?
Annnnnd....
It IS going to be televised on ESPN2!
Announcers are right, given the poll rankings this could have been a Super Regional between the, maybe, 5 vs 12 host teams. 12 is probably a little high, but seriously.
It's tough for Michigan, because in softball (and baseball for that matter) the Big Ten is essentially a mid-major.
Michigan usually plays enough good non-con games to establish themselves as legit. The COVID restrictions killed their SOS ranking.
game is on espn2
That's how you manufacture a run! Well done!
Plain looking human to start.
On the board. Too bad we couldn't get another run in.
Great effort by the OF Lexi Voss, almost had it. Hope she'll be OK.
Tied up, 1-1.
Hopefully our bats stay awake.
Great response after losing the lead. Need to bring these runners in!
Is that Beth Mowins? She’s terrible.
Technically it’s Pam Ward, but yes.
Great AB by Tholl. Huge opportunity here to push a couple runs across.
She's had two of those now. Definitely looks like someone who will be starting next season. That pitch count is going up nicely now.
Walk, bases loaded, no outs!
Wow the girls are really seeing the ball well from Plain now.
Be great to score 2 runs here and chase Plain out of the game.
Im not sure what softball pitch counts tend to look like, but Plain should be pushing 100 by now.
There's activity in the Huskies' bullpen. Let's break this open and chase Plain.
I think hutch just said swing away
2-1 U-M!!
Lou Allan RBI! 3-1 U-M!!!
Great piece of hitting by Allan! Let's keep it rolling!
Nice piece of hitting from Allan, protecting the plate.