Gopher Softball 2022

[ecoperson]

Even a normal Pease would be big

Season	ERA	W	L	APP	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	2B	3B	HR	BF	BAVG	WP	HBP	BK	SFA	SHA
2020	2.12	4	2	15	9	2	0	0	59.1	46	21	18	10	62	6	0	4	239	.208	3	4	0	0	4
2021	1.75	12	3	23	19	5	1	3	116.0	92	35	29	19	108	18	2	9	457	.219	3	11	0	2	5
2022	4.26	10	8	25	15	5	1	2	108.1	131	81	66	47	105	23	2	18	501	.296	11	4	0	3	5

Ding, ding, ding! Pease's health is a major piece of the story. She is almost at the same number of innings as last year! Her walk and wild pitch rates are much higher so she is having control issues and therefore throwing far more pitches. She is giving up a heap more homeruns so she is not hitting her spots. I am afraid that her arm is going to fall off.

As our workhorse, Pease is struggling. We do not have sufficient experience behind her to weather this.

The entire team knows what is going on. They are clutching the bats as little tighter and not playing loose. You can see it in some of the errors on defense as well.

We have to hope that this is one season blip because there is little that can be done mid-season to correct it. If I were Ritter, I would start mixing in young talent across the roster to give them some experience to carry us into the future.

 

[ClassOf98Gopher]

Ding, ding, ding! Pease's health is a major piece of the story. She is almost at the same number of innings as last year! Her walk and wild pitch rates are much higher so she is having control issues and therefore throwing far more pitches. She is giving up a heap more homeruns so she is not hitting her spots. I am afraid that her arm is going to fall off.

As our workhorse, Pease is struggling. We do not have sufficient experience behind her to weather this.

The entire team knows what is going on. They are clutching the bats as little tighter and not playing loose. You can see it in some of the errors on defense as well.

We have to hope that this is one season blip because there is little that can be done mid-season to correct it. If I were Ritter, I would start mixing in young talent across the roster to give them some experience to carry us into the future.

I agree with all of this except the last sentence.

I think they need to go out and try to win games. There are only 12 regular season games left going into the tournament. Win as many as possible.

 

[Panthadad2]

I haven't had time this year to keep up with Gopher softball as much as usual, and wow, it looks like they've fallen off a cliff. When's the last time a Gopher team got swept 3 games in BG10 play? As far as the conference, when's the last time you saw both the Gophs and Michigan sit mid-pack in the satndings half-way through conference play? Weird year.

 

[MRJ]

The handwriting is on the wall for this team; they're simply not very good and are in all likelihood going to miss the NCAAs for the first time in almost a decade. It is what it is. They've shown what they are and what they have and right now, it isn't good enough.

I agree it's time to start looking ahead and planning for the future because this year, the die is pretty much cast.

 

[ClassOf98Gopher]

The handwriting is on the wall for this team; they're simply not very good and are in all likelihood going to miss the NCAAs for the first time in almost a decade. It is what it is. They've shown what they are and what they have and right now, it isn't good enough.

I agree it's time to start looking ahead and planning for the future because this year, the die is pretty much cast.

The issue in recruiting “for the future” is all about the psychological impression people around that nation have for the Gophers program.

I don’t see anything better for the future of the program than get the maximum amount of wins they are capable to get over the remainder of the season. I don’t see anything worse for the future of the program than getting the maximum amount of losses over the end of the season.

It is not a professional sport where we improve our draft position with losses. We are not a 200 RPI team where it doesn’t matter at all. We are a 41 RPI team with winnable games ahead of us. It’s not like we are playing SEC teams… we are playing Maryland, maybe Wisconsin, and St Thomas and then into the B1G tournament. There are winnable games there.

 

[ecoperson]

The issue in recruiting “for the future” is all about the psychological impression people around that nation have for the Gophers program.

I don’t see anything better for the future of the program than get the maximum amount of wins they are capable to get over the remainder of the season. I don’t see anything worse for the future of the program than getting the maximum amount of losses over the end of the season.

It is not a professional sport where we improve our draft position with losses. We are not a 200 RPI team where it doesn’t matter at all. We are a 41 RPI team with winnable games ahead of us. It’s not like we are playing SEC teams… we are playing Maryland, maybe Wisconsin, and St Thomas and then into the B1G tournament. There are winnable games there.

They aren't going to win the games this year unless they mix in some fresh faces in there. We've complained all season that there are many starters who keep getting at bats who are not getting it done. Time to give someone else a chance.

They aren't going to win many games in the future if other coaches use our lack of player development as a recruiting ploy against us. If the starters aren't getting it done, why keep rolling them out there.

I am not saying to wave the white flag but, if we are behind by several runs, it is time to see what the other players can do in an at bat or two.

 

[Hrothgar]

What I feel is missing most is a really strong drive to win by the Gophers. Game after game I keep waiting for a huge explosive performance, but what materializes is a 10-4 lead v. Texas; 8-2 v. lowly Iowa; 8-1 v Nebr, all of which they lost with the same blasé attitude. The program must've foreseen the upcoming pitching needs, but no top starter has appeared. Barring a super recruiting year, what's to improve it for 2023?

 

[GopherAlum03]

The issue in recruiting “for the future” is all about the psychological impression people around that nation have for the Gophers program.

I don’t see anything better for the future of the program than get the maximum amount of wins they are capable to get over the remainder of the season. I don’t see anything worse for the future of the program than getting the maximum amount of losses over the end of the season.

It is not a professional sport where we improve our draft position with losses. We are not a 200 RPI team where it doesn’t matter at all. We are a 41 RPI team with winnable games ahead of us. It’s not like we are playing SEC teams… we are playing Maryland, maybe Wisconsin, and St Thomas and then into the B1G tournament. There are winnable games there.

“win as many games as possible”. Let’s be honest here, the current personnel isn’t winning as many games as possible, unless you’re implying that the players that aren’t getting an opportunity to play/contribute are far worse than what’s on the field now.
I say we sit Espalin, Dowell and Dray. They’re gone in a month anyway.

1. Jensen LF
2. DenHartog CF
3. Evans RF
4. Kinch C
5. Strelow SS
6. Hansen 1B
7. Valencia DH
8. Chavez 2B
9. Costa 3B

First player off the bench- Denson
Sit the super seniors a couple of games and let’s see who rises to the challenge. They may just surprise us.

 

[4EverAGopher]

I am wondering about the Postponed DH with Wisconsin. Looking at the present RPI Rankings, Wisconsin sits around #34 and Minnesota #40 something. What exactly will be gained or lost by both teams making this up?

 

[Chase the Rise]

“win as many games as possible”. Let’s be honest here, the current personnel isn’t winning as many games as possible, unless you’re implying that the players that aren’t getting an opportunity to play/contribute are far worse than what’s on the field now.
I say we sit Espalin, Dowell and Dray. They’re gone in a month anyway.

1. Jensen LF
2. DenHartog CF
3. Evans RF
4. Kinch C
5. Strelow SS
6. Hansen 1B
7. Valencia DH
8. Chavez 2B
9. Costa 3B

First player off the bench- Denson
Sit the super seniors a couple of games and let’s see who rises to the challenge. They may just surprise us.

Although the current group might not be winning as many games as we would like them to be, thinking that starting the SA's that aren't getting playing time might be better isn't a good take. The coaches see what these SA's do day in and day out, in practice, in scrimmages, all the time. There is a reason the ones that are on the field are there....they are better. In a case like Hansen, she's hurt, thinking she can be an every day starter wouldn't let her get through the remainder of the season. If there was a surprise for someone to rise to the challenge....it should have happened all year in practice. They are playing the best players, the team is hamstrung by an injured #1 pitcher, and relying to heavily on a freshman #2 pitcher, and having no real #3 or #4 to help them. It's unfortunate, but if there is ever a time when the squad needs our support it's now.

 

[4EverAGopher]

Although the current group might not be winning as many games as we would like them to be, thinking that starting the SA's that aren't getting playing time might be better isn't a good take. The coaches see what these SA's do day in and day out, in practice, in scrimmages, all the time. There is a reason the ones that are on the field are there....they are better. In a case like Hansen, she's hurt, thinking she can be an every day starter wouldn't let her get through the remainder of the season. If there was a surprise for someone to rise to the challenge....it should have happened all year in practice. They are playing the best players, the team is hamstrung by an injured #1 pitcher, and relying to heavily on a freshman #2 pitcher, and having no real #3 or #4 to help them. It's unfortunate, but if there is ever a time when the squad needs our support it's now.

I think most of us understand the present pitching situation with the Gopher Softball Program. However, if this is 100% the case about our starting lineup, then I personally feel the program is in a much poorer place than I expected....now and for the near future.

 

[rwlarson]

I think most of us understand the present pitching situation with the Gopher Softball Program. However, if this is 100% the case about our starting lineup, then I personally feel the program is in a much poorer place than I expected....now and for the near future.

I don’t remember a season where we had enough talent across the roster that I felt our pinch hitters or #3 or #4 pitcher could reliably come through — so to me this season is no different than any of the Allister teams, with one big exception: our #1 and #2 pitchers have performed collectively far below any of the teams since Allister became coach. Some years we were even able to compensate for an unreliable #2 with an All-America #1.

All those teams had about 5-6 very good Div I players, then 2-3 more who either were deficient offensively or defensively, but who still started, and the rest were just not that good and rarely played, even in a pinch-hit role. That’s exactly what we have now.

I just don’t see how benching any of the quality players we have is going to somehow prevent our pitchers from giving up seven runs per game as they have recently. Plus, I have season tickets and we don’t get many home games to watch the talented players we do have.

I’m still hoping that the pitchers can turn it around at least a little over the last dozen games. The offense, despite the two shutouts against last weekend, has been entertaining to watch for the most part.

 

[Hrothgar]

I don’t remember a season where we had enough talent across the roster that I felt our pinch hitters or #3 or #4 pitcher could reliably come through — so to me this season is no different than any of the Allister teams, with one big exception: our #1 and #2 pitchers have performed collectively far below any of the teams since Allister became coach. Some years we were even able to compensate for an unreliable #2 with an All-America #1.

All those teams had about 5-6 very good Div I players, then 2-3 more who either were deficient offensively or defensively, but who still started, and the rest were just not that good and rarely played, even in a pinch-hit role. That’s exactly what we have now.

I just don’t see how benching any of the quality players we have is going to somehow prevent our pitchers from giving up seven runs per game as they have recently. Plus, I have season tickets and we don’t get many home games to watch the talented players we do have.

I’m still hoping that the pitchers can turn it around at least a little over the last dozen games. The offense, despite the two shutouts against last weekend, has been entertaining to watch for the most part.

I would agree with your pitching assessment. Groenewegen seldom had good backup pitching. I remember one year she was quoted kinda offhand about the tension of having to pitch almost every game. Exceptions were: 2014 Moulton/Groenewegen; 2017 Groenewegen/Fiser; 2021 Fiser/Pease (but with limited Gopher run production). Also agree about limited Gopher top-flight D1 hitting. To me the biggest scandal (for lack of a better word) of 2017 was the Gophers, having won 52 games, unable to scrape together a single run in 2 games in the NCAA v. Alabama to back up Groenewegen's marvelous pitching. It was disappointing she was the only Gopher player, who seemed capable of rising to the occasion at that high a level.

 

[dlw4gophers]

Schedule change Friday. Game starts at two instead of four. Bummer for me. I have a commitment with my granddaughter from 2:3O to 3:30. I have season tickets in chairbacks. If anyone can go let me know and I will forward you two tickets

 

[GopherAlum03]

Although the current group might not be winning as many games as we would like them to be, thinking that starting the SA's that aren't getting playing time might be better isn't a good take. The coaches see what these SA's do day in and day out, in practice, in scrimmages, all the time. There is a reason the ones that are on the field are there....they are better. In a case like Hansen, she's hurt, thinking she can be an every day starter wouldn't let her get through the remainder of the season. If there was a surprise for someone to rise to the challenge....it should have happened all year in practice. They are playing the best players, the team is hamstrung by an injured #1 pitcher, and relying to heavily on a freshman #2 pitcher, and having no real #3 or #4 to help them. It's unfortunate, but if there is ever a time when the squad needs our support it's now.

I disagree 1000%. The current group has 200 strikeouts with 58 of them coming from the three players I mentioned earlier. Their batting averages minus Espalin, are sub .250 which would garner being benched at literally any other program in the country at any level. Take the final game against Nebraska for example. We sit Dray, sub through the lineup and we score our first runs of the series!

It’s time to let the younger players shine. We’ve seen some positives when they’re inserted into the lineup. Hansen a grand slam with a .367 average which is better than 3/4 of the team. Costa did well at 3B earlier in the season and Valencia is 2-3 with a bomb, Denson is a speed demon and deserves more playing time.

We all know that some girls are gameday performers. You can’t judge a player based off of a coach throwing meatballs in practice. I’ve seen plenty of “practice All-Americans” who can’t hit water if they fell out of a boat come gameday.

The current group is not getting it done. Period.

 

[Hrothgar]

I disagree 1000%. The current group has 200 strikeouts with 58 of them coming from the three players I mentioned earlier. Their batting averages minus Espalin, are sub .250 which would garner being benched at literally any other program in the country at any level. Take the final game against Nebraska for example. We sit Dray, sub through the lineup and we score our first runs of the series!

It’s time to let the younger players shine. We’ve seen some positives when they’re inserted into the lineup. Hansen a grand slam with a .367 average which is better than 3/4 of the team. Costa did well at 3B earlier in the season and Valencia is 2-3 with a bomb, Denson is a speed demon and deserves more playing time.

We all know that some girls are gameday performers. You can’t judge a player based off of a coach throwing meatballs in practice. I’ve seen plenty of “practice All-Americans” who can’t hit water if they fell out of a boat come gameday.

The current group is not getting it done. Period.

Your comments make good sense, especially those about the strikeouts, many of which are looking. However, this team has scored enough runs to win around 30 games by now. The true problem is pitching. When you build leads of 6, 7, or 8 runs and still have no, or very little, chance of winning, something is seriously wrong. It's a mystery how a coaching staff headed by a renowned pitching mentor has, over a 3-year period, had the opportunity to see the upcoming pitching needs and not brought in a strong nr 1 starter. Pease was very good in 2021, but if Fiser hadn't come back for another year, even last year would've seen a collapse. I think the pitching problem is more than just unfortunate injuries (none of which btw has ever been described to my knowledge). Really good recruiting brings in really good talent, regardless of where you're located. I don't see that talent in the circle. If I'm wrong, tell me. I'm only describing what I see on the field.

 

[4EverAGopher]

We all know that some girls are gameday performers. You can’t judge a player based off of a coach throwing meatballs in practice. I’ve seen plenty of “practice All-Americans” who can’t hit water if they fell out of a boat come gameday.

The current group is not getting it done. Period.

Amen to that!!

 

[4EverAGopher]

Is it possible for MN to transfer in up to 4 really good pitchers in the Portal to try and recapture the needs of this program? I ask because to me their talent has already been proven on the field which IMO (and has been brought up by a poster or two) is a much more accurate read on their talent than their HS days.

Many of us feel we know more than the coaches. That's why we have these forums. But in all honesty, the one thing we all do know for sure is......that the "right head coach" in any sport, will do wonders for that program.

 

[ClassOf98Gopher]

Is it possible for MN to transfer in up to 4 really good pitchers in the Portal to try and recapture the needs of this program?

It all depends on their scholarship balance!

No strong pitcher will come here without that full scholarship and no potential pitcher will come here without a partial.

There are too many other universities that will offer them that money… meaning scholarships and they would never choose to go to Minnesota and pay full freight if they could go somewhere else for half or zero.

You can’t have 6 full scholarships dedicated to pitchers on a team with 13 scholarships total. Scholarships are THE thing in recruiting… Uber alles.

 

[AZGopher8]

It all depends on their scholarship balance!

No strong pitcher will come here without that full scholarship and no potential pitcher will come here without a partial.

There are too many other universities that will offer them that money… meaning scholarships and they would never choose to go to Minnesota and pay full freight if they could go somewhere else for half or zero.

You can’t have 6 full scholarships dedicated to pitchers on a team with 13 scholarships total. Scholarships are THE thing in recruiting… Uber alles.

True!

 

[NextYear_76]

Would be nice to find a pitcher that can also hit for average and maybe play another position. Sara G hit and played some first

 

[GrudgeGuy]

If Nebraska wins the BIG TEN regular season the rest of the conference is in trouble come selection Sunday. Their losses are terrible and they make everyone else who finishes behind them look bad.

 

[GrudgeGuy]

It all depends on their scholarship balance!

No strong pitcher will come here without that full scholarship and no potential pitcher will come here without a partial.

There are too many other universities that will offer them that money… meaning scholarships and they would never choose to go to Minnesota and pay full freight if they could go somewhere else for half or zero.

You can’t have 6 full scholarships dedicated to pitchers on a team with 13 scholarships total. Scholarships are THE thing in recruiting… Uber alles.

Find some NIL money…don’t need scholarships any longer.

 

[rwlarson]

If Nebraska wins the BIG TEN regular season the rest of the conference is in trouble come selection Sunday. Their losses are terrible and they make everyone else who finishes behind them look bad.

In the eyes of the NCAA, Nebraska is the 4th-best team in the B1G right now. Nebraska’s bad losses do cost other B1G teams that play Nebraska a minimal amount of RPI points, so there’s that, but the NCAA pretty much ignores conference standings in tournament seeding, as many conferences play unbalanced schedules. Florida State last year is an excellent example. Clemson won the ACC, yet Florida State received (and deserved) a Top 8 seed, while Clemson didn’t get (and didn’t deserve) a Top 16 seed. A team like Northwestern, which had a lot of impressive non-conference wins, won’t be hurt at all if they finish second to Nebraska in the B1G.

 

[dlw4gophers]

In the eyes of the NCAA, Nebraska is the 4th-best team in the B1G right now. Nebraska’s bad losses do cost other B1G teams that play Nebraska a minimal amount of RPI points, so there’s that, but the NCAA pretty much ignores conference standings in tournament seeding, as many conferences play unbalanced schedules. Florida State last year is an excellent example. Clemson won the ACC, yet Florida State received (and deserved) a Top 8 seed, while Clemson didn’t get (and didn’t deserve) a Top 16 seed. A team like Northwestern, which had a lot of impressive non-conference wins, won’t be hurt at all if they finish second to Nebraska in the B1G.

Especially since they don’t play each other

 

[GrudgeGuy]

Especially since they don’t play each other

I don’t disagree with all of the comments and facts that have presented - but 2017 still stings.

 

[Hrothgar]

Sell out crowd v. Maryland today (Sat.), but a lifeless Gophers day at the plate, and, sadly, what looked like Gophers pitchers dumping too many change-ups over the middle of the plate belt-high and begging to be hit, which they were. Never gonna beat any good teams that way. But Gophers' infield defense is really impressive including catcher. A pure delight to watch.

 

[4EverAGopher]

Sell out crowd v. Maryland today (Sat.), but a lifeless Gophers day at the plate, and, sadly, what looked like Gophers pitchers dumping too many change-ups over the middle of the plate belt-high and begging to be hit, which they were. Never gonna beat any good teams that way. But Gophers' infield defense is really impressive including catcher. A pure delight to watch.

How would you rate the opponent's pitcher and the Gopher's inability to hit her pitching? Some of these players have had at least 3 hitting coaches in their college career. I for one feel it sure would be nice, if the answers to their hitting woes were that easy.....even Denhartog's bat was silent.

We shall see what Gopher team shows up today at the plate.

 

[Hrothgar]

How would you rate the opponent's pitcher and the Gopher's inability to hit her pitching? Some of these players have had at least 3 hitting coaches in their college career. I for one feel it sure would be nice, if the answers to their hitting woes were that easy.....even Denhartog's bat was silent.

We shall see what Gopher team shows up today at the plate.

An amateur answer to yr question: The Maryland pitcher threw with great velocity (don't know any measurements). More importantly, her changeups weren't down the middle of the strike zone waiting to be hit. As for the Gophers' hitting, they've had far too many runners LOB. Still, they've scored many runs, enough to have won more like 30+ games than 20. Run production has been good enough and their defense is fine IMO. In the stands, I talked with a former Gopher player before yesterday's (Sat.) game. She summed up the team problem with one word.

 

[junc1929]

How would you rate the opponent's pitcher and the Gopher's inability to hit her pitching? Some of these players have had at least 3 hitting coaches in their college career. I for one feel it sure would be nice, if the answers to their hitting woes were that easy.....even Denhartog's bat was silent.

We shall see what Gopher team shows up today at the plate.

the maryland pitcher was routinely hitting 73 on the gun. and her off speed was spotted well and at about 58. she was throwing a screw ball that jammed a lot of the righties. i think some people made good adjustments on her today. the righties stepped back from the plate a little and the lefties stepped a little closer to reach that pitch. however, the decision to leave valencia in for a 3rd inning, and therefore allowing some batters to see her a second time, defies all logic. absolutely disappointing/unnecessary loss today. i cannot understand that coaching move at all.