Lessons Learned From College Softball- Anticipate The Pitch

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Nov 12, 2009
365
18
Kansas City
I always love watching college ball. Usually the games are low scoring with tight defense. I guess it's too early in the season to have tight defenses. I watched Tennessee and Texas yesterday I was surprised how many mistakes the catchers were making. I though it would be good to share and learn from them...

#1-Anticipate The Pitch.One important thing every catcher must remember is to anticipate the pitch they call. For softball catchers, NEVER call a rise ball and then set up in stance sitting on your shin and knee. (I would prefer a catcher never be on their knees unless blocking) Be on your feet ready to go up fast! Likewise when calling change ups and drops, be thinking block that ball!

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Apr 1, 2010
1,675
0
Hi, Chaz. Yes, S and I were watching that game and she was shocked to see Akamine let two very catchable balls get by her like that.
 
Dec 7, 2011
2,368
38
Ya Akimine was not looking crisp at all. It was classic the way Ivy looked at her after the first riseball she whiffed catching,... right as they convened at the end of the inning.

I loved this game in another respect. It shows the "top" pitchers struggling due to an umpire with a basketball-sized strikezone. This is GREAT training to show younger pitchers what the best can't do when they are forced to throw down the middle.
 
Dec 7, 2011
2,368
38
So I finally watched the rest of that game.

OK - already bashed Akimine, so I will leave her alone - even though she continued to look lost catching Ivy....

Now it's time to bash the Texas A&M catcher. OMG - she tried twice to catch a line-throw to tag a player at home with a "basket-glove" !?!?!?!?

I thought this kind of "bad" catching was removed in rec league.......
 
Dec 29, 2011
195
16
Mayville, WI
Is there any chance that maybe their pitch calls were screwed up. It looks to me with her setup that low in the zone that she wasn't expecting a riseball. Maybe she called what she thought was one pitch and got a riseball instead.

I also agree, I don't like any catcher having a knee on the ground while receiving any ball that isn't in the dirt!!!
 
Dec 7, 2011
2,368
38
Is there any chance that maybe their pitch calls were screwed up. It looks to me with her setup that low in the zone that she wasn't expecting a riseball. Maybe she called what she thought was one pitch and got a riseball instead.

I also agree, I don't like any catcher having a knee on the ground while receiving any ball that isn't in the dirt!!!

Ya one or even two, grouped together in the same inning I could see. BUT these are the "big dogs" of D1 softball. They would have had a signals issue resolved within an inning. Akimine was fumbling stuff all game long. Hopefully for her playing time this was an isolated event.

And "Go Bandits!" :)
 
Apr 1, 2010
1,675
0
Ya Akimine was not looking crisp at all. It was classic the way Ivy looked at her after the first riseball she whiffed catching,... right as they convened at the end of the inning.

I loved this game in another respect. It shows the "top" pitchers struggling due to an umpire with a basketball-sized strikezone. This is GREAT training to show younger pitchers what the best can't do when they are forced to throw down the middle.

Yes, it was a nasty strike zone--the kind that might have had people hunting down the UIC and/or getting thrown out of the park during a tournament.

I am remembering right? Didn't A&M start another pitcher, but with the way the pitches were being called, they had to bring in Dumezich?
 
Dec 7, 2011
2,368
38
Yes, it was a nasty strike zone--the kind that might have had people hunting down the UIC and/or getting thrown out of the park during a tournament.

I am remembering right? Didn't A&M start another pitcher, but with the way the pitches were being called, they had to bring in Dumezich?

Ya A&M had a freshman in there I believe - that got very flustered by the zone,...and the HR that was hit off her very early in the first inning.
 

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