Gopher softball 2023

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Nipomo 56 said:
Since 2019 it’s been unbalanced results, first with Covid, then the coaching change. I think the team relied too heavily on Fiser and didn’t develop a deeper pitching rotation. Last year was horrible in regards to the pitching. Using only two pitchers and both had control issues. Hopefully coach Ritter will use all four pitchers this season. Success will depend upon the team’s pitching.
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You can only use what is effective. I think 2 is ok if they are both very effective. More is better, if effective. Would like to see more blow outs that allow for more pitching from #3, 4, 5 pitchers. Or if you can bring in situational pitchers too.
 

mngolf said:
You can only use what is effective. I think 2 is ok if they are both very effective. More is better, if effective. Would like to see more blow outs that allow for more pitching from #3, 4, 5 pitchers. Or if you can bring in situational pitchers too.
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Agreed. The key is outstanding pitching, that is, All-Big and All-American caliber pitching. To my knowledge, the U has had 3 such pitchers, the most recent 2 recruited by the same coach. For the Gophers to reestablish themselves as an elite program, they need a stud starting pitcher. I for one really admire Pease. Love watching her pitch well, but on an elite team she'd be the nr 2 starter. Finding that stud nr 1 is a huge task, but great recruiting can get it done. And recruiting is what D1 boils down to. I'm one who wishes BIG champs and WCWS-challenging Gopher teams. You don't get there w/o setting sights high and bringing in great pitching. We've got the fan base and facilities....
 

I enjoy watching Pease as well, not sure why she struggled so much last season. Maybe Schwartz will be our next stud pitcher to continue the tradition of the Sara’s and Fiser. Never hurts to load up on pitching. Managing the pitching staff is key. I think in 2019 to much was put on Fiser and her arm tired by the time we reached the WCWS.
 
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Oklahoma didn't win a single game last season based on pitching....they did it with run production and alot of it! Folks, you have to outscore the other team. You have 9 other players that have to step up and hit the ball. Gone are the days when one pitcher could carry a team through a season and into the World Series. You guys are too old school in your thought process. It's pretty simple outscore the runs you give up. Hire the best hitting coaches you can and focus on hitting and the game gets really simple. Take a look at the Batting average of the Gophers for the last 10 years....anything close to the top teams that made into the finals? You have many more chances to develop hitters then you do multiple top level elite pitchers. Only one game was close for OK last year with a score of 2-1 and that was against Utah. We know what a power house Utah is with pitching right! If you ever want the Gopher to make it into the World Series then you have to focus on scoring and no way around it. Dig back into the stats and you will find run production is dropping over the magical "19" season. OK scored over 9 runs a game.
 

GophersSBfan said:
Oklahoma didn't win a single game last season based on pitching....they did it with run production and alot of it! Folks, you have to outscore the other team. You have 9 other players that have to step up and hit the ball. Gone are the days when one pitcher could carry a team through a season and into the World Series. You guys are too old school in your thought process. It's pretty simple outscore the runs you give up. Hire the best hitting coaches you can and focus on hitting and the game gets really simple. Take a look at the Batting average of the Gophers for the last 10 years....anything close to the top teams that made into the finals? You have many more chances to develop hitters then you do multiple top level elite pitchers. Only one game was close for OK last year with a score of 2-1 and that was against Utah. We know what a power house Utah is with pitching right! If you ever want the Gopher to make it into the World Series then you have to focus on scoring and no way around it. Dig back into the stats and you will find run production is dropping over the magical "19" season. OK scored over 9 runs a game.
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Honestly, I don’t care to read anything about Oklahoma. There is nothing related to their 2022 softball team (and probably they’re 2023 team as well) relevant to the Gophers - or relevant to the 300 other NCAA softball teams for that matter.
 



GophersSBfan said:
Oklahoma didn't win a single game last season based on pitching....they did it with run production and alot of it! Folks, you have to outscore the other team. You have 9 other players that have to step up and hit the ball. Gone are the days when one pitcher could carry a team through a season and into the World Series. You guys are too old school in your thought process. It's pretty simple outscore the runs you give up. Hire the best hitting coaches you can and focus on hitting and the game gets really simple. Take a look at the Batting average of the Gophers for the last 10 years....anything close to the top teams that made into the finals? You have many more chances to develop hitters then you do multiple top level elite pitchers. Only one game was close for OK last year with a score of 2-1 and that was against Utah. We know what a power house Utah is with pitching right! If you ever want the Gopher to make it into the World Series then you have to focus on scoring and no way around it. Dig back into the stats and you will find run production is dropping over the magical "19" season. OK scored over 9 runs a game.
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Even if you score 9 runs per game , you need pitchers that can get outs and not surrender leads the very next inning.
 

Any guesses what Oklahoma's W-L record would have been in 2022 if they'd had Minnesota's pitching or lack of it?
 

TRUTH said:
I will let you finish the research, but they went 59-3 and gave up a total of 65 runs. That adds up to 1.04 a game ..That is pitching if you ask me.
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Strong offense means less stress on pitchers which makes them perform better.
 



ClassOf98Gopher said:
Honestly, I don’t care to read anything about Oklahoma. There is nothing related to their 2022 softball team (and probably they’re 2023 team as well) relevant to the Gophers - or relevant to the 300 other NCAA softball teams for that matter.
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And OK gets the best players there are. They pay all of them $40k to go there. Not competing with that.
 

Western Kentucky beat Alabama last year and went extra innings with Duke in the NCAA tourney. Their #1 pitcher is an East/west thrower that had a low 2 ERA. They are fast so they will put some pressure on the catcher. Going to be a good first game.
 

ClassOf98Gopher said:
I fear my enthusiasm is down quite a bit. In past years I would have jumped on this bait John3298 posted with gusto. Now I’m much more… meh. That ain’t good. Anyway, here’s my guess at the opening weekend batting order :

Batting order / name / (position number)

1 Bradley (7)
2 Oakland (6)
3 DenHartog (8)
4 Cox (DH)
5 Strelow (4)
6 Chavez (5)
7 Krapf (2)
8 Ehlke (3)
9 Gardiner (9)

Pitchers: 1 Pease, 2 Hambrick, 3 Schwartz, 4 Enter

Playing time off the bench in most games: Valencia, Leschber, and Burnett
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Tooting my own horn, the above were reasonably close opening day lineup predictions.
 

Gophers start the season with a 6 inning run rule win over Western Kentucky, 10-2. Pease pitches 5 innings, Schwartz pitches the 6th. Great first game for newcomers Oakland, Krapf and Bradley!
 









Couldn't watch, but were these games just like in the past with the one camera behind home plate?
 




Ugly Texas/NW game combined 14 walks 4 hbp 4 errors for 9-9 in 6th
 

Gopher68 said:
Gophers start the season with a 6 inning run rule win over Western Kentucky, 10-2. Pease pitches 5 innings, Schwartz pitches the 6th. Great first game for newcomers Oakland, Krapf and Bradley!
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Great start to the season. Lots of offense and pitching was good. It was great to see all 4 pitchers and contributions from the freshman and transfers.
 






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