Gopher Softball 2018

[Panthadad2]

Ok so MN gets the 5th ranked team while mich or nd get to play nobodies. This sux

I think MN has an easier road to the WCWS than MI/ND though. The winner in their round gets Oregon.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Gophers on defense. Some of the highlights.

1st inning
Jensen with a good catch. Had to go back on a ball with runners on first and second.
Little good fortune with a line drive to Parlich to end the inning. (Dwyer hit the ball hard a couple of times against Texas and ended up with double plays. One turn deserves another.)

2nd inning
Lead off hitter singles to left field. Parlich follows up with a very good play to get the lead runner on the sac bunt. Parlich with a sterling play, charging the ball and throwing the runner out at first for the second out. Runner advances to 2nd on the play.

3rd inning
Smith, with a runner on first, with her first strikeout for the second out of the inning.

4th inning
Smith strikes out the lead off hitter with a good drop. Surrenders a hard hit double and then strikes out the next hitter on a little inside rise after setting her up with a low and away drop. Strands the runner on second by striking out the side.

5th inning
Smith gives up a lead off single. Next hitter flares one to left for a single. Runners on first and second, no outs. Now has to face the 2, 3 and 4 hitters. Fly to right, Houlihan tries to throw out the lead runner on the tag. Both runners end up advancing. Smith gets their #3 hitter to fly out to shallow left. Runner on third can't advance. Gophers intentionally walk the bases full to face a weak hitting #5 hitter. Throws her 5 straight drops and gets a swinging strikeout. Trachsel's decision to walk the #4 hitter turns out to be golden.

6th inning
Smith gives up a double in a 11 pitch battle against the Longhorn's hottest hitter. Grounder to short for the first out and the runner moves to third. Smith gets a swinging strikeout. Smith ends the inning on a swinging strikeout on an outside drop ball in spite of getting pinched by the home plate ump on the second pitch and the count going to 3-0. Came back with 3 straight drops. Smith now at 123 pitches.

7th inning
Smith has to face the #1, 2 and 3 hitters to start the 7th. Lead off hitter drops a bunt down and reaches first. Gophers with some extremely good fortune get von Spreken to line into a double play off the glove of Smith right to Arneson. Next hitter grounds a single up the middle. Last out pops up to short.

135 pitches, 10 hits, 1 intentional base on balls, no runs, 9 left on base. Once again, give credit where credit is due. Trachsel made the decision to send Smith out to the circle. Made the decision to walk the bases full in the 5th. Turned out brilliant. Smith just kept grinding and grinding. Too lazy to see what her highest pitch count in a game was prior to this one. Really well played game defensively. Houlihan probably wants to throw that ball to second instead of third. Other then that, as clean as can be.

(I am not going to mention the second run.....)

 

[Panthadad2]

It worked to the Gophers advantage against Texas; but, add me to the chorus of those who wonder why NCAA tournament games only employ three umps.

If you're referring to Houlihan's controversial score on the tag of Dwyer at 2nd, I think the tag at 2nd was a bad call in the first place which caused needless controversy at home plate. Dwyer looked like she easily beat the tag but the outfield umpire was in bad position to make the call. I can't prove it though...can't find a video of that play. This probably just proves your point.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

If you're referring to Houlihan's controversial score on the tag of Dwyer at 2nd, I think the tag at 2nd was a bad call in the first place which caused needless controversy at home plate. Dwyer looked like she easily beat the tag but the outfield umpire was in bad position to make the call. I can't prove it though...can't find a video of that play. This probably just proves your point.

http://www.espn.com/watch/player?bucketId=5060&id=3371886

 

[rugger14]

I am excited for tonight! Ski-U-Mah! That big inning against Boise seemed to be the catalyst they needed to get motivated. I hope they can maintain the energy and score a few runs early to set the tone.

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[Ignatius L Hoops]

http://www.espn.com/watch/player?bucketId=5060&id=3371886

Beat me to it: they sync up the tag and the score on split screen at about the 41:50 mark. Of course I'm assuming the syncing is correct. In any event the home plate ump was up the thrid base line watching the play at second.

 

[Hrothgar]

http://www.espn.com/watch/player?bucketId=5060&id=3371886

I agree. Dwyer seemed clearly safe at second. The announcers stated right away that the ump was out of position, and it showed. In general, NCAA umpiring is pretty poor. In 2017 umpires robbed more than one team of wins, as was perfectly obvious.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Whether the Gophers are successful or not tonight, Trachsel absolutely managed the situation to give them their best shot. She threw Fiser all of the Boise State game, obviously could not have used Brandt after the hit by pitch. Kept Smith out of that game and got everything she could out of her in the Texas match up. Now has Fiser ready to face the Huskies. My opinion is that she handled it really well.

 

[dlw4gophers]

Tonight is ESPN3 again. I am in Florida with no decent way to stream. That sucks

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Hutchins really pi$$ed off about not getting a sac bunt down. So huge this time of year to get that bunt down.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Tonight is ESPN3 again. I am in Florida with no decent way to stream. That sucks

You can't get it on watchespn?

 

[Sparlimb]

I agree. Dwyer seemed clearly safe at second. The announcers stated right away that the ump was out of position, and it showed. In general, NCAA umpiring is pretty poor. In 2017 umpires robbed more than one team of wins, as was perfectly obvious.

I think she was out. I umpired softball for a long time. When the ball beats the runner to the base the normal call is out.

 

[Panthadad2]

.

 

[gophersfan]

Gophers/Washington now to air on ESPN2.

 

[MennoSota]

[emoji106]

Gophers/Washington now to air on ESPN2.

Great, now to bring my earbuds and watch/listen during the kids piano recital...[emoji41][emoji446][emoji443]

 

[rugger14]

[emoji106]Great, now to bring my earbuds and watch/listen during the kids piano recital...[emoji41][emoji446][emoji443]

We have pictures for summer ball right during the game! [emoji34]

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[MennoSota]

We have pictures for summer ball right during the game! [emoji34]

Sent from my LG-H820 using Tapatalk

May I suggest photoshop...

 

[Dr.Don]

Gophers/Washington now to air on ESPN2.

Thank you. Just turned it on.

 

[GringaGopher]

Thank you. Just turned it on.

In trouble in the 5th. We need Lindeman to step up and be a factor on offense.

 

[MRJ]

In trouble in the 5th. We need Lindeman to step up and be a factor on offense.

We now find out what the team is made of. Down 4-2 on the road against a top-5 Washington team is a tough assignment.

 

[Panthadad2]

Plain really getting the outside river from the ump...and riding it over and over.

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[#2Gopher]

Hats off to the ladies. Always tough to lose but have done well the last three seasons and believe the team will get better. Furthermore did well yesterday in the slop and didn't give up.

 

[MennoSota]

On a happy note, it was the best piano recital ever (with my earbuds and the Gophers playing).
On a sad note, the Gophers fall in the first round for the second year in a row.
Congratulations to the Gopher Softball team on a great regular season. We'll get em' next year!

 

[dlw4gophers]

5-2 Wash. Best SS I have seen all year. Took about 3 hits away from us tonight. Somehow we have to get over this regional slump and get to a super regional. I hope this freshman class coming in next year is special.

 

[Panthadad2]

Good transition year. I hope the Gophers play an even more challenging non-conference schedule next season to maybe sniff a home regional. Neutral site tournaments like the Mary Nutter would be ideal. History shows its darn near impossible to win a regional as a visiting team.

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[MRJ]

Now that's it's all over, a couple of thoughts on the 2018 campaign.

1. It was a very good year overall for the team. Never bad to win 40-plus games (which they did for the 5th straight season). Also never bad to bring home some hard-ware, which they have obviously done regularly when it comes to conference competition.

2. Still a long ways to go before they're truly going to be respected on the national stage. We all know what they need to do and so do they. But as of now, they're not getting it done in the NCAAs. The NCAA openly disrespected this program last season. And while I can't necessarily point to that as a factor for this season, the NCAA softball bosses have shown what they really think of Minnesota when push comes to shove. IMO, that's what coach Trachsel and the ladies face.

In other words, they'll have to go on the road and upset somebody on their home field to gain even some level of national respect. I don't think it's a coincidence that when the Gophers won the Regional in 2014, they did so at Cowles. And knocked off Auburn to do it. As a result, I figure the NCAA will do everything in it's power to stop that from happening again. It is what it is, and the ladies eventually will have to break through away from home.

3. The question is whether this group, minus the five seniors from this team plus the group coming in next year, can take that next step. There's been plenty of on-field success for the team (233-59 overall the past five years, 94-17 in conference, 4 Big Ten Tournament titles and 1 Big 10 regular season title). But at some point, you'd like to see them take that next step. Going to be extremely tough for reasons articulated in my second point, but that's the mountain to climb.

4. Congrats to this senior class on a fantastic career in maroon and gold! Never failed to finish either first or second in the Big 10, won three conference tourneys, one conference regular season title and I think advanced to the regional finals in each of their four years.

5. Anxious to see if this program can take the next step sometime within the next few seasons. There are still plenty of really good players on the roster and it looks like next year's class will add a few more. Plus, all the pitchers figure to return.

All and all, the team continues to be very enjoyable to watch. Hopefully, they can add some more joy in coming seasons.

 

[Panthadad2]

5-2 Wash. Best SS I have seen all year. Took about 3 hits away from us tonight. Somehow we have to get over this regional slump and get to a super regional. I hope this freshman class coming in next year is special.

I was thinking the same thing about Sis Bates. The difference in SS play alone was worth several hits.

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[Hrothgar]

Now that's it's all over, a couple of thoughts on the 2018 campaign.

1. It was a very good year overall for the team. Never bad to win 40-plus games (which they did for the 5th straight season). Also never bad to bring home some hard-ware, which they have obviously done regularly when it comes to conference competition.

2. Still a long ways to go before they're truly going to be respected on the national stage. We all know what they need to do and so do they. But as of now, they're not getting it done in the NCAAs. The NCAA openly disrespected this program last season. And while I can't necessarily point to that as a factor for this season, the NCAA softball bosses have shown what they really think of Minnesota when push comes to shove. IMO, that's what coach Trachsel and the ladies face.

In other words, they'll have to go on the road and upset somebody on their home field to gain even some level of national respect. I don't think it's a coincidence that when the Gophers won the Regional in 2014, they did so at Cowles. And knocked off Auburn to do it. As a result, I figure the NCAA will do everything in it's power to stop that from happening again. It is what it is, and the ladies eventually will have to break through away from home.

3. The question is whether this group, minus the five seniors from this team plus the group coming in next year, can take that next step. There's been plenty of on-field success for the team (233-59 overall the past five years, 94-17 in conference, 4 Big Ten Tournament titles and 1 Big 10 regular season title). But at some point, you'd like to see them take that next step. Going to be extremely tough for reasons articulated in my second point, but that's the mountain to climb.

4. Congrats to this senior class on a fantastic career in maroon and gold! Never failed to finish either first or second in the Big 10, won three conference tourneys, one conference regular season title and I think advanced to the regional finals in each of their four years.

5. Anxious to see if this program can take the next step sometime within the next few seasons. There are still plenty of really good players on the roster and it looks like next year's class will add a few more. Plus, all the pitchers figure to return.

All and all, the team continues to be very enjoyable to watch. Hopefully, they can add some more joy in coming seasons.

MRJ: I agree with your assessment, especially #3. Well said. What I'd like to hear from some folks is what the Gophers need to add in terms of talent to "take that next step." Any ideas? What do they need to add to beat the Washingtons, Alabamas, and Florida States?

 

[Rickman55]

Now that's it's all over, a couple of thoughts on the 2018 campaign.

1. It was a very good year overall for the team. Never bad to win 40-plus games (which they did for the 5th straight season). Also never bad to bring home some hard-ware, which they have obviously done regularly when it comes to conference competition.

2. Still a long ways to go before they're truly going to be respected on the national stage. We all know what they need to do and so do they. But as of now, they're not getting it done in the NCAAs. The NCAA openly disrespected this program last season. And while I can't necessarily point to that as a factor for this season, the NCAA softball bosses have shown what they really think of Minnesota when push comes to shove. IMO, that's what coach Trachsel and the ladies face.

In other words, they'll have to go on the road and upset somebody on their home field to gain even some level of national respect. I don't think it's a coincidence that when the Gophers won the Regional in 2014, they did so at Cowles. And knocked off Auburn to do it. As a result, I figure the NCAA will do everything in it's power to stop that from happening again. It is what it is, and the ladies eventually will have to break through away from home.

3. The question is whether this group, minus the five seniors from this team plus the group coming in next year, can take that next step. There's been plenty of on-field success for the team (233-59 overall the past five years, 94-17 in conference, 4 Big Ten Tournament titles and 1 Big 10 regular season title). But at some point, you'd like to see them take that next step. Going to be extremely tough for reasons articulated in my second point, but that's the mountain to climb.

4. Congrats to this senior class on a fantastic career in maroon and gold! Never failed to finish either first or second in the Big 10, won three conference tourneys, one conference regular season title and I think advanced to the regional finals in each of their four years.

5. Anxious to see if this program can take the next step sometime within the next few seasons. There are still plenty of really good players on the roster and it looks like next year's class will add a few more. Plus, all the pitchers figure to return.

All and all, the team continues to be very enjoyable to watch. Hopefully, they can add some more joy in coming seasons.

I would like you explain more about the NCAA and why they would stop us from hosting and winning a regional? What does the NCAA have against MN?

 

[rowdaboat]

MRJ: I agree with your assessment, especially #3. Well said. What I'd like to hear from some folks is what the Gophers need to add in terms of talent to "take that next step." Any ideas? What do they need to add to beat the Washingtons, Alabamas, and Florida States?

Can we join the SEC?