Too early to predict WCWS Champion?

[Rocketech1]

Oregon has a great start to the tournament. Cheridan Hawkins

8-0 over BYU, 1 hit, 12 S/O's.
4-3 over NDSU, 3 hits 11 S/O's

Just saying......

 

[texas4life]

Noy sure I think it is really too early to be making calls due to the competition being crazy good this year. But if I had to make a pick for I would go with Auburn. They are crazy hot right now seen them get destroyed in the early innings yet never break and come back and shut teams down. Cliff has done a crazy turn around of this team they are 100% buying in to what he is showing them and I think they will surprise everyone by walking away champs this year.

 

[Perfect Circle]

No, it wasn't too early....Not Like-ing the way my teams have to go against each other early....

 

[cuzmail]

Oregon has a great start to the tournament. Cheridan Hawkins

8-0 over BYU, 1 hit, 12 S/O's.
4-3 over NDSU, 3 hits 11 S/O's

Just saying......

Oregon wasn't tested. They didn't have to play anyone.
Just saying

 

[cuzmail]

Congrats to the PAC12 for placing 3 teams in the Super Regionals.



Yes that was smartarse. Just fueling the PAC12 dominance drama
One of the three got a free pass too!


One conference placed 8.... just sayin'

 

[corlay]

Having a Top 5 pitcher is vastly more important than depth of pitching in the NCAA tournament. It's double elimination in bracket play and best 2 of 3 in championship play so even if your #1 pitcher has a bad day, they can still advance. Look at Arizona St. in 2011. They pitched Dallas Escobedo in every single inning in every game in the tournament. Guess what, they won the WCWS that year without ever once going to their bullpen.

I suppose it depends upon the pitcher and or the offense to support her.

Take the case of Western KY this weekend.
Kramer is their #1. Ok, maybe not a "Top-5"; but pretty freakin' good nonetheless.

Pitches 14 innings on Saturday, in an amazing battle with Wilkinson and Georgia.

Sunday, Game #01 W.KY starts their #2, and when not effective, brings Kramer in, and she lasts .2 innings and gives up 6.
Game #2, Kramer starts, and lasts just 1.2 innings, again getting shelled.
So, obviously, she was pretty gassed after the Saturday marathon game.
An effective #2 would have been pretty handy...

Wilkinson pitched a hell of a lot, too.
But Gray spelled her nicely, pitching the entire Sunday Game #1, for 5 innings.

So, one could argue, having an effective #2 that you can go-to in an elimination game,
is an awfully valuable asset in this tournament.

Now, in contrast, one can point to someone like Cheridan,
who breezed through the regionals, pitching every meaningful inning for her team.

And maybe you say Wilkinson isn't top-5. But perhaps top-10, anyway?

Groenewegen (MINN) looked similarly "gassed" in the final game vs Arizona.
(Holy cow what an awesome game that was! What a battle!)

 

[SoCal_Dad]

Sunday, Game #01 W.KY starts their #2, and when not effective, brings Kramer in, and she lasts .2 innings and gives up 6.
Game #2, Kramer starts, and lasts just 1.2 innings, again getting shelled.

Kramer started both games and was charged with both losses.

 

[corlay]

Kramer started both games and was charged with both losses.

I stand corrected. Thanks.
(Actually, makes my point, even moreso...)

The NCAA box scores didn't list the pitchers in order of appearance correctly, it seems...