⚾ 🥎 Alabama Defeats Florida, 3-0, to Complete Series Sweep

[TerryP]

@50+yeartidefan, I mentioned this early on this season and I still believe it'll be the pitching that ends this season for the ladies. Murph has gotten some good innings out of Goodman and Cornell this season and we've seen them ran out of the circle, quickly, on a few occasions.

Florida is a unique cat, but predictable. We've talked about TW over the years and one thing remains a constant with him and the way the game filters down to his girls. If you get under his skin their entire team losses focus and we end up seeing a lot of mistakes. I believe it has a bigger impact on them than their pitching staff struggling.

I do believe this team can make a nice run in the postseason. I also believe we'll see the strongest pitching group, and a longer postseason run, next year when Kilfoyl is in the circle with Fouts.

Right now these ladies are playing far beyond expectations.

 

[Rsedge72]

I am in gainsville, and watched the series live here. Before I saw our lady’s live and in person, I thought they could make a run!!
I’m telling you guys this group is special!! Watch a lot of softball, the chemistry of this team is special. It will come down to the consistency at the plate....
Murph has a pitching rotation that is as potent as I’ve seen in a long time...
Coach CSVP is hitting her stride calling pitches.....
IF our girls keep keep hitting, and Fouts stays healthy, this is a serous contender guys!!!

 

[50+yeartidefan]

@50+yeartidefan, I mentioned this early on this season and I still believe it'll be the pitching that ends this season for the ladies. Murph has gotten some good innings out of Goodman and Cornell this season and we've seen them ran out of the circle, quickly, on a few occasions.

Florida is a unique cat, but predictable. We've talked about TW over the years and one thing remains a constant with him and the way the game filters down to his girls. If you get under his skin their entire team losses focus and we end up seeing a lot of mistakes. I believe it has a bigger impact on them than their pitching staff struggling.

I do believe this team can make a nice run in the postseason. I also believe we'll see the strongest pitching group, and a longer postseason run, next year when Kilfoyl is in the circle with Fouts.

Right now these ladies are playing far beyond expectations.

so you think pitching is weak spot?..... make a run in post season...hope so...sure making a nice run in regular season....

 

[TerryP]

so you think pitching is weak spot?

I do. In baseball terminology I see one Friday starter and two Sunday starters and the Ace is a true frosh.

 

[Rsedge72]

I do. In baseball terminology I see one Friday starter and two Sunday starters and the Ace is a true frosh.

This is one of the top 3-4 pitching staffs in the country, and it’s not really that close to the rest of the field....
Got 2 ligit Friday starters and the deepest staff in the country, no one is the sec has a top 3 like bama....
UCLA, Oklahoma, BAMA...
Top 3 staffs in the country, BAMA may be the best of those 3.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I dont know @TerryP ...
Gave up 2 runs to Florida in3 game sweep
And 4-5 to UGA in3 game sweep....
And pitching out of alot of tough ennings...
That is pretty good pitching...
Big key is gonna be lsu series at end of season...2 weeks i think....
1-2 in conference.......

 

[bamachine]

UCLA is being puffed up by idiots that haven't figured out that the PAC12 is no longer the big dog in the game. They have not been for the last decade but the pollsters are just too damned stubborn to realize this. If Bama keeps up their current play, the only team that I think is better is OU. Damn them and their getting good at all the same sports as Bama.

 

[TerryP]

If Bama keeps up their current play, the only team that I think is better is OU.

When it comes to pitching, which was the point earlier in this thread, there isn't a team that is in the same league as OU. Their two aces are tied for 6th place in ERA this season against a stronger schedule than Bama.

UCLA is being puffed up by idiots that haven't figured out that the PAC12 is no longer the big dog in the game.

As a whole, I'd agree with that statement. However, when it comes to UCLA, Arizona, and Washington we're continuing to see strong programs from the PAC. Last year all three finished in the top 15 in the RPI, this year all three are in the top 10. If we include Arizona State with those three we're now looking at four of the eight teams in last seasons WCWS.

I don't see it as much as the PAC falling off as much as I feel we've seen other conferences step up (namely the SEC in the last decade.)

 

[252BAMA]

I do. In baseball terminology I see one Friday starter and two Sunday starters and the Ace is a true frosh.

Agreed. And I see a lack of confidence in the Ace's eyes.

 

[TerryP]

@JoseyWalesTheOutlaw

As I'm doing the math here ...

Three games up on UT and LSU, 2½ up on Ole Miss. ***

It looks like a share of the regular season title is practically in the books. Six conference games remaining with Bama hosting UK this weekend and then traveling to LSU for the season's final series.

LSU isn't in conference play this weekend and Tennessee is traveling to Ole Miss.




*** I hate using the term "games up/back" because it really doesn't fit with how the SEC renders their standings. In the end it's all about winning percentage to decide title winners. Let's remember there are no tiebreakers for the regular season champ.

With that in mind, a sweep of Kentucky AND Ole Miss losing one this weekend versus UT gives Bama a share of the SEC title.

 

[TerryP]

Agreed. And I see a lack of confidence in the Ace's eyes.

I get fans seeing this squad and thinking they're legit. I also understand how they would feel more resolute in those feelings after the Florida sweep: good pitching all around, the defense did well, and the bats held their own.

But when it comes down to pitching I believe too much is made of the Florida weekend. It has to be weighed against other teams like what happened on the road at UofSC.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I get fans seeing this squad and thinking they're legit. I also understand how they would feel more resolute in those feelings after the Florida sweep: good pitching all around, the defense did well, and the bats held their own.

But when it comes down to pitching I believe too much is made of the Florida weekend. It has to be weighed against other teams like what happened on the road at UofSC.

Going to be interesting and fun post season.....
And the lsu series may be a glimpse into what "will be"....
Roll Tide

 

[TerryP]

Going to be interesting and fun post season.....
And the lsu series may be a glimpse into what "will be"....

You very well could be right on that weekend giving us a glimpse of what we'll see in the postseason.

It's a safe bet that Bama will make one of the top 16 seeds in the tournament. That assures a regional. Can they make it to the top eight? Whew. I don't know. It depends on how much weight the committee puts on the rankings versus RPI. If it's largely RPI dependent we'd see LSU and Florida get one of those eight spots (in spite of Bama's sweep of Florida.)

That said, this is all based on the RPI rankings that were released on the 14th. We'll get another ranking this week.

IF they held the selections today I could easily see Bama hosting Louisiana and South Florida

 

[Rsedge72]

I get fans seeing this squad and thinking they're legit. I also understand how they would feel more resolute in those feelings after the Florida sweep: good pitching all around, the defense did well, and the bats held their own.

But when it comes down to pitching I believe too much is made of the Florida weekend. It has to be weighed against other teams like what happened on the road at UofSC.

I see where your coming from, and pitching staff is very, very young. The bats failed BAMA in games 2 and 3 of that series. Game 3 specifically the pitching was good enough to win.

 

[TerryP]

The bats failed BAMA in games 2 and 3 of that series. Game 3 specifically the pitching was good enough to win.

And that's bringing in another point to watch. UofSC isn't the strongest pitching staff in South Carolina and they held the bats at bay. (I wouldn't want to see USC Upstate in a Bama regional.)

 

[Max]

*** I hate using the term "games up/back" because it really doesn't fit with how the SEC renders their standings. In the end it's all about winning percentage to decide title winners. Let's remember there are no tiebreakers for the regular season champ.

With that in mind, a sweep of Kentucky AND Ole Miss losing one this weekend versus UT gives Bama a share of the SEC title.

Is there a magic number we need to watch?

 

[TerryP]

Is there a magic number we need to watch?

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Well sure @TerryP if we get even a 1-2 vs lsu bama will be fine. But still have ky to contend with. Need a sweep there

 

[TerryP]

Well sure @TerryP if we get even a 1-2 vs lsu bama will be fine. But still have ky to contend with. Need a sweep there

I'm watching how this plays out with one thing in mind, tournament seeding. If the tournament were played this weekend LSU would be looking at getting past Florida before they even consider reaching Saturday/semi-finals. While hte #1 seed would have to go through Tennessee, Bama is in better shape there because the Vols haven't seen any of the three in the circle this season. LSU, and Florida, will be seeing them the second time in a matter of a few weeks.

That's a big difference in my opinion. While I believe a regular season title would weigh heavily into an eighth (or higher) seed in the NCAA's I don't see a possibility they wouldn't put a team in that top eight with a regular and tourney title.—especially a SEC team.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I'm watching how this plays out with one thing in mind, tournament seeding. If the tournament were played this weekend LSU would be looking at getting past Florida before they even consider reaching Saturday/semi-finals. While hte #1 seed would have to go through Tennessee, Bama is in better shape there because the Vols haven't seen any of the three in the circle this season. LSU, and Florida, will be seeing them the second time in a matter of a few weeks.

That's a big difference in my opinion. While I believe a regular season title would weigh heavily into an eighth (or higher) seed in the NCAA's I don't see a possibility they wouldn't put a team in that top eight with a regular and tourney title.—especially a SEC team.

Kinda fun to have some excitement conversations about softball....
watched a couple of uga and Florida games....
Look forward to some more games...