Gopher Softball 2025

[ClassOf98Gopher]

I ask because I don't know; but, don't the Gophs have two pretty good pitchers coming in next year? I thought one for sure had some big schools after her. Now I don't know if we're talking elite but maybe a step in the right direction. Doesn't help this year lol. I'm still curious who they throw out at SS this year.

Actually, I expected that Natalie Susa was our hope for elite-level pitching with additional hope for other pitchers on staff (Schwartz/Richardson/Hosick and maybe Snippes/Grayson) to develop at close to, or at least closer to, that level.

 

[rwlarson]

I agree in general. For me the thrill left as they failed to continue bringing in elite D1 pitching. I'll still go to games, but elite pitching is the name of the game. Gophers won't excel without it.

Agree 100% that having elite level pitching is a necessity to be a Top 20 team and to compete for a spot in the WCWS. The interesting thing is really none of our recent elite-level pitchers were highly-touted “sure things” when they arrived. So I haven’t given up hope that we can find one or two pitchers from the last two recruiting classes and next year’s class that have the talent to develop into elite-level pitchers.

Yes, it’s a shame Oakland left. She was so fun to watch and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to see her live but even with her being B1G Player of the Year we missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in a decade because we didn’t have enough quality pitching.

How many of us knew Moulton, Groenewegen, Fiser, or Pease would become All America pitchers when they arrived on campus? Fiser was the highest-rated of the bunch, and she was only widely-regarded as a Top 60 prospect. Based on this history with this coach, I remain hopeful that we will see someone step up and fill that ace role within the next two years.

 

[Chase the Rise]

I agree in general. For me the thrill left as they failed to continue bringing in elite D1 pitching. I'll still go to games, but elite pitching is the name of the game. Gophers won't excel without it.

I agree that they have to continue to try and bring in elite pitching, but I think injuries had a lot to do with last year.

Question though...how do we bring in elite pitching? What is elite pitching? How many B10 pitchers are in the top 100 last year based on ERA? The answer is 3...and one wasn't in the B10 last year with Tinsley being at UCLA (1.90). The two others, Miller at Northwestern (1.58) and Nemeth at Penn State (1.77).

Now I know ERA isn't everything, and I also know the game has changed more offensively, but the recruiting and portal has made it more difficult than ever right now to attract and, more importantly, keep that high level talent. With roster increases, and some schools being able to offer every kid 50k plus in NIL incentives (yes that does happen in the SEC and other places) some high level players would rather go sit on a bench and not play because it's their only chance to cash in on any significant money, vs go somewhere like MN, where let's face it, you need a roster of at least half being studs, to be able to compete. IF we don't have those other pieces in place, why would top level pitchers want to come here?

We need high level talent across the board. The recruiting efforts of what we had with Allister, are not the same recruiting surface we have now. Mid-tier teams are going to struggle. Especially at schools where football eats up most of the incoming NIL money. Look at all the high level B10 talent that has transferred out of the B10 in the past two seasons...it's one reason. Money.

 

[PreacherRoe]

Agree 100% that having elite level pitching is a necessity to be a Top 20 team and to compete for a spot in the WCWS. The interesting thing is really none of our recent elite-level pitchers were highly-touted “sure things” when they arrived. So I haven’t given up hope that we can find one or two pitchers from the last two recruiting classes and next year’s class that have the talent to develop into elite-level pitchers.

Yes, it’s a shame Oakland left. She was so fun to watch and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to see her live but even with her being B1G Player of the Year we missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in a decade because we didn’t have enough quality pitching.

How many of us knew Moulton, Groenewegen, Fiser, or Pease would become All America pitchers when they arrived on campus? Fiser was the highest-rated of the bunch, and she was only widely-regarded as a Top 60 prospect. Based on this history with this coach, I remain hopeful that we will see someone step up and fill that ace role within the next two years.

To me, the key word is disarray. Gophers teams seem to beat pretty good teams mostly, but lose to very good ones consistently. And that applies to nearly all Gopher sports programs that I watch these days. If the Gophers varsity programs want to compete at an elite level, I guess they must find the money and pay stellar athletes to come here. And they will come if given the reason to do so. Otherwise Gopher programs should forget the big bucks and go some other direction with the varsity programs. What is that other direction? I don't know. I kinda do know, however, that Gopher softball 2024 amounted to one player carrying the whole team for most of the season. If she could have pitched, too, they probably would've won the Big Ten title. That's what Groenewegen did, used her arm and bat to lead the way. If Gophers want Groenewegens and Oaklands, they need to pay them money, it seems. We all hate to admit that, but it might keep the stellar athletes from going to Duke, etc., and leaving the Gophers being also rans in the confence.