Gopher softball 2021

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What a wild finish. Carlie leads off with a great walk. Fouled off about 5 pitches. Kinch gets her third hit of the game and then Jensen drows a walk on a full count. Pertain is Partain and she single in the tying run. Then while she is standing on first the RF make a bad throw that glanced off of Partains foot and the winning run scores. Props to #26 for a great relief performance and picking up the win. Let’s do better in the field tomorrow.
 

AZGopher8 said:
I agree. I cannot understand how you let a batter with such a low season average hit with runners in scoring position when you can pinch hit at least once a game and re-enter the player one time. You have several options on the bench just waiting for that opportunity. As you said, you don't know how it will turn out, but a coach should be able to tell if a player is "on" or if a particular pitcher is the type that a player on the bench hits better than the option scheduled to bat.

This is the part of the game that has been frustrating for me this year. I like this team and the players. I just want to see them use all the strengths they have on this team.
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I agree completely. The Gophers had 2 fresshmen pinchhitters on the bench who hit decisive homers at Northwestern. Why were they not pinchhitting tonight too? Even in the bottom of the sixth for number 22 (Denzon?)
 

Without any fanfare the player who saved tonight's game was Dueck. Her pitching stabilized the mood & the nerves of the whole team. It would have been a runaway loss without her.
 


You know things are going well when a team commits five errors and still finds a way to win.

With that said, that game was just plain wacky. Will need less wacky from here on out for the rest of the weekend.
 



rowdaboat said:
What did the RF think she was accomplishing with that throw?
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Let’s hope nobody outside the states of Minnesota and Nebraska (besides me) was watching that game. It couldn’t have looked good.

But... a win is a win and I sure like the idea of Kinch getting dialed back in; we will need that in the days and weeks ahead..
 

Hrothgar said:
Without any fanfare the player who saved tonight's game was Dueck. Her pitching stabilized the mood & the nerves of the whole team. It would have been a runaway loss without her.
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The K looking against Edwards was a huge out. Edwards is one of the better hitters in the big 10 and I believe had walked 23 consecutive PAs before this game (crazy stat).
 
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Kinch continues to swing a hot bat this weekend with a double down the line. Then the Gophers allow Brandt to hit, she strikes out but the ball is in the dirt and she is thrown out at first. Macy Gill pinch running for Kinch takes 3rd on the throw to first and the Cornhuskers gift the Gophers a run on the errant throw to 3rd.

Gotta be honest, I really wanted to see Costa bat for Brandt. I still think you have to get your hitters in the game with runners in scoring position.
 





It was a game for those annoyed by yesterday's mistake fest. The lone Husker error allowed the first and only run Minnesota needed.
 

Tucker said:
Carlie delivering a few key goods today!

And then Kinch making things very tough for the Huskers!

4 pitches, 3 outs Dueck! Go Gophs!!
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Carlie did get the key double to open the scoring for the Gophers plating two, however if I am the Huskers I would have been very upset as she should have struck out looking a few pitches prior to the double. Everyone watching and in the stadium knew she should have been rung up, except for the ump apparently. That was the at bat that completely changed the game. It took the life out of the Huskers.

Carlie does play outstanding defense at short. No doubt about that. And because she is so valuable there she should be in the lineup. But, every opportunity to pinch hit with runners in scoring position I would. You get one chance a game to do it and then re-enter her.

Evans has an absolutely beautiful, fluid swing. Cox looks good and aggressive at the plate. Costa can hit. I want to see more of these young players, especially with runners in scoring position.

Kinch is locked in and having a great weekend series! Freshman of the week in the B1G?

Fiser looked good today. Dueck looking very solid in her appearances.
 



Tucker said:
Pease is my hero.

Not only does she not give up many runs. She throws strikes, doesn’t nibble, and works fast. Kind of like heaven, I think :)

I hope she can keep it up!
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In essence, she pitches from ahead in the count.
 


Congrats to Autumn Pease on the no-hitter!!

Amber was very good as well today.

This team seems to have found itself. They clearly have gained a lot of confidence since the beginning of the year and are now playing very good softball for the most part. They did just enough offensively in game one today before really taking care of business in game two.

The best part was that both Autumn and Amber were able to get a few innings of rest before tomorrow.
 

Fiser today had good command. IMO the times she's had trouble this year are when she's too often fallen behind in the counts and been forced to come in over the plate. None of these teams can touch her if she's ahead in ball/strike counts and hitting the corners.
 



Watching replay of second game now. Recently, Gophers playing much better except for yesterday's game. Still one cannot help but wonder what their record would be if they were also playing non-conference teams, up to this point in the season.
 

Ignatius L Hoops said:

Run ruled
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Maybe I'm being too picky, too sensitive, or too politically correct, but I don't think this was the best possible wording from the announcer, especially given that the game was being played in Minneapolis at this time. He said: "Three runs in the 4th, three runs in the 5th, three runs in the 6th, and the Gophers put their foot down on the neck of the Cornhuskers." Ouch.
 

let'sbeclear said:
Maybe I'm being too picky, too sensitive, or too politically correct, but I don't think this was the best possible wording from the announcer, especially given that the game was being played in Minneapolis at this time. He said: "Three runs in the 4th, three runs in the 5th, three runs in the 6th, and the Gophers put their foot down on the neck of the Cornhuskers." Ouch.
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Yeah, we heard that, too, and flinched. It was a horrible thing to say in any context. Inexcusably insensitive in the current setting. Still can't believe he said that.
 

The game 2 lineup card/batting order has been by far my favorite utilized so far this season. I like Kinch at 4, with the way she had been hitting this series. I like DenHartog at 2 and Kemmetmueller at 3 in the order.

As you know from earlier posts, I am optimistic on Evans’ swing to generate powerful contact. And I like Denson at eighth much more than at 5th in the order.

If it were me, I would try to pinch hit with Cox, Hansen, and Costa for batters 7 and 8 in the lineup whenever those two starters need to tag out so as to keep an inning going with runners on base.

I think that is how the Gophers win 3 games against Michigan.
 

ClassOf98Gopher said:
The game 2 lineup card/batting order has been by far my favorite utilized so far this season. I like Kinch at 4, with the way she had been hitting this series. I like DenHartog at 2 and Kemmetmueller at 3 in the order.

As you know from earlier posts, I am optimistic on Evans’ swing to generate powerful contact. And I like Denson at eighth much more than at 5th in the order.

If it were me, I would try to pinch hit with Cox, Hansen, and Costa for batters 7 and 8 in the lineup whenever those two starters need to tag out so as to keep an inning going with runners on base.

I think that is how the Gophers win 3 games against Michigan.
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Your comments are very good, especially with a hot-hitting Kinch at 4. I can't really see that Denson adds anything offensively; her hitting is weak & her speed on the bases does no good if she never gets to first. Jensen fills Denson's role already anyway. Hansen's approach at the plate seems way too passive, except in the Illinois series; having her batting 4th feels like a letdown every time. 8th? Maybe. Going with Cox, Costa, and Evans seems a better bet.
'
 


Btw what ever happened to Dray nr 20? Did she disappear?
 


Tough loss today. Pitchers didn't have it.

Home plate umpire jobbed Kinch in the seventh, but Nebraska just plain played a better game.

Iowa next week.
 

MRJ said:
Tough loss today. Pitchers didn't have it.

Home plate umpire jobbed Kinch in the seventh, but Nebraska just plain played a better game.

Iowa next week.
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And Michigan/Northwestern next week.

If Northwestern does not get at least one win against Michigan in Michigan, the Gophers could be in some real trouble in getting that Big Ten title that would be so sweet for these 5th year seniors to achieve.
 

Free advice to the coaches for the stretch run:

1 Partain - 4
2 DenHartog - 8
3 Kemmetmueller - 5
4 Kinch - 2
5 Hansen - DH
6 Strelow - 3
7 Evans - 9
8 Brandt - 6
9 Jensen - 7

They need to put a lot of runs on the board the last 16 games of the season.
 

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