I love softball. It is one of the most brutal sports--mental mistakes and errors kill. (I think boxing is very similar--one mistake and the game is over.)
#18 Oklahoma beat UNT 7-3. It wasn't quite the blow out that it appears. What beat North Texas was not Oklahoma, it was their failure to execute. Three errors and seven walks doomed them. Oklahoma got 3 runs in the first inning from fundamental fielding errors. In the fifth, Oklahoma got another 4 runs from two walks, a single and a double.
UNT almost got out of the fifth--the bases were loaded with no outs, and the pitcher got two batters out. And then, pitching to the #8 batter, there is a passball. The pitcher then walks the batter, and the #9 batter doubles, clearing the bases.
It was 7-2. The game was over--Oklahoma didn't use their big dog pitcher, but they didn't need to.
Oklahoma split the game between two freshmen. It is always fun to watch a freshman pitch, because they don't quite "get it" yet.
Allie Allen (from California) had a great rise ball, and was pretty quick. But, she didn't work the corners enough, and her fastball didn't move. So, two of her fastballs two ended up in the ditch behind the outfield.
The second pitcher (Kirsten Allen) was throwing around 65 mph. She had a fair riseball. She walked the leadoff batter. Then, it was obvious she is not accustomed to having good fielders behind her. She ended up giving up a run because she couldn't field her position.
Fielding for a pitcher in college is much different than fielding in HS--namely, the pitcher only handles ground balls directly back to her. Otherwise, she is not to touch anything. So, something for her to learn.
So, a lot of fun. T.J. Hubbard (UNT's coach) seems to have a clue what the game is about.
#18 Oklahoma beat UNT 7-3. It wasn't quite the blow out that it appears. What beat North Texas was not Oklahoma, it was their failure to execute. Three errors and seven walks doomed them. Oklahoma got 3 runs in the first inning from fundamental fielding errors. In the fifth, Oklahoma got another 4 runs from two walks, a single and a double.
UNT almost got out of the fifth--the bases were loaded with no outs, and the pitcher got two batters out. And then, pitching to the #8 batter, there is a passball. The pitcher then walks the batter, and the #9 batter doubles, clearing the bases.
It was 7-2. The game was over--Oklahoma didn't use their big dog pitcher, but they didn't need to.
Oklahoma split the game between two freshmen. It is always fun to watch a freshman pitch, because they don't quite "get it" yet.
Allie Allen (from California) had a great rise ball, and was pretty quick. But, she didn't work the corners enough, and her fastball didn't move. So, two of her fastballs two ended up in the ditch behind the outfield.
The second pitcher (Kirsten Allen) was throwing around 65 mph. She had a fair riseball. She walked the leadoff batter. Then, it was obvious she is not accustomed to having good fielders behind her. She ended up giving up a run because she couldn't field her position.
Fielding for a pitcher in college is much different than fielding in HS--namely, the pitcher only handles ground balls directly back to her. Otherwise, she is not to touch anything. So, something for her to learn.
So, a lot of fun. T.J. Hubbard (UNT's coach) seems to have a clue what the game is about.
