⚾ 🥎 NCAA Super Regionals: Bama's season ends dropping GM 3 to Florida

[footballer]

I don't watch much softball. I noticed while watching the 3-0 win against Florida; I am wondering about the thought process behind our batters beginning to take steps forward, close to being out of the batters box if not out, and trying to hit the ball while moving forward. I believe in baseball it is illegal to step out of the box to hit a pitched ball. Do our coaches and players believe it is easier to hit the ball while on the move rather than standing still? I can understand it a little when trying to bunt but when swinging away? I don't get it. Could this be the difference in getting hits and not getting hits? Some of y'all in the know help me out on this.

 

[By Alex Byington Sports]

After getting shut out in the first game of the Gainesville Super Regional, No. 1 seeded Florida needed just one swing to even the series up with 16th-seeded Alabama on Friday.

Decatur Daily—Continue reading...

 

[TerryP]

I don't watch much softball. I noticed while watching the 3-0 win against Florida; I am wondering about the thought process behind our batters beginning to take steps forward, close to being out of the batters box if not out, and trying to hit the ball while moving forward. I believe in baseball it is illegal to step out of the box to hit a pitched ball. Do our coaches and players believe it is easier to hit the ball while on the move rather than standing still? I can understand it a little when trying to bunt but when swinging away? I don't get it. Could this be the difference in getting hits and not getting hits? Some of y'all in the know help me out on this.

It's not swinging away. In softball terms it's normally called "a running slap" and (you probably noticed this, but it may not have registered) it's done with left handed slappers/batters.

A few of the benefits include:

The batter is already in motion and a few steps closer to first base.
Unless the defense is that solid with positional play it'll often draw them out of position.
It's biggest advantage is it makes the defense have to react that much more quickly.

You're right on top of this play by your reference to bunting--it's often considered/called a slap bunt but it's not. One of the biggest differences is if they foul off a slap on their third strike it's still a foul ball.

You have to take what you know about baseball and throw it out the window here mainly due to it being 90 ft to first base in baseball and the extra step or two isn't worth sacrificing solid bat contact. There's more though. If you touch the plate in softball, you're out. In baseball, you're not. The batters box is bigger in softball by a foot (on the front of the box) BUT if a softball player is out of the box and makes contact they're out (same in baseball here.)

*Take note the next time you watch one of the slappers. You'll see left side box. You'll also notice that the majority of them still field right handed, but bat from the left side for the speed advantage.

**The closest comparison I can make to a baseball player doing this (sacrificing solid contact with the barrel due to his speed) is Ichiro. But, take into account I very rarely, if ever, watch MLB anymore.

 

[TerryP]

Unless the bases are loaded tomorrow (less somehow bama comes back in this game) id intentionally walk her all game.

Personally, I don't like the idea of walking the lead-off hitter.

Runyan may not be able to hit worth a crap anymore but she has an excellent eye

She's been pitched around a lot lately--not walked, per se. I've noticed opposing pitchers being very selective in what looks they are giving her.

 

[UA Press Release]

Alabama Softball Falls to Florida, 2-0, to Even Super Regional Series


GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alabama softball fell to Florida Friday night, 2-0, as the Gators evened the Super Regional series to force a winner-take-all game on Saturday.

Alabama (46-17) struggled offensively against Florida (54-8) and senior starter Delanie Gourley (21-4). The Crimson Tide tallied four hits and drew two walks, but was 0-11 with runners on base. Sydney Littlejohn (17-9) held the Gators to just five hits, but one of the five was a two-run home run by Amanda Lorenz, which proved the difference in the two-run game. The home run broke the Tide's scoreless innings streak at 31.1 innings, stretching back to game one of the NCAA Regional.

Alabama got a runner on base in each of the first two innings but could not score as it remained 0-0 heading to the top of the third. A slow-roller down the third-base line with two out in the top of the third was Florida's first hit of the game and Amanda Lorenz put the Gators in the run column in the next at-bat with a two-run home run to take a 2-0 lead.

Florida threatened again in the top of the fourth, putting a runner in scoring position with a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt. With two outs in the half-inning, Janell Wheaton singled to shallow center and the runner tried to score from second but a great throw from Elissa Brown allowed Reagan Dykes to tag her at home to end the top of the fourth as the score remained 2-0.

With two out in the top of the fifth, Justine McLean drew a two-out walk to turn it back to the top of the order and Lorenz followed with a single to right field to put runners at the corners. A fly ball to right would get Alabama out of the jam and Florida was unable to add to its 2-0 lead in the sixth or seventh innings with the Tide looking to overcome a two-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh. A groundout and strikeout quickly put two outs on the board but Rachel Bobo reached on a fielding error to turn it back to the top of the order. A groundout back to the pitcher ended the game as Alabama fell, 2-0, to even the weekend series.

The winner-take-all game three is set for a 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT start on Saturday, May 27 live on ESPN.

 

[bamabigdawg]

Personally, I don't like the idea of walking the lead-off hitter.



She's been pitched around a lot lately--not walked, per se. I've noticed opposing pitchers being very selective in what looks they are giving her.

im not talking about walking her starting off the game when the most she can do is one run of damage. im talking about when there are runners on and shes hitting damn near 700 for the post season and u can just work around her to the rest of the lineup that is basically doing nothing. hell ull see teams in the world series walk batters with the bases loaded in some games if those batters are on fire like Lorenz is right now

 

[TerryP]

@bamabigdawg No issues there, at all!! She's got a hot bat right now, no doubt.

 

[bamabigdawg]

If i was Patrick Murphy id be all over the umps about the way Barnhill is pitching. Almost every pitch she throws is illegal

 

[bama alum]

Right now, Murphy and Prothro have their own worries about pitching.

 

[bamabigdawg]

That 2nd run scoring is the one thing i dont like about softball and a main thing that ive grown to despise about florida. Yes that ball was inside but the girl made no effort to move and if u go back and look she moved her arm out some to make sure she would get hit. They had a girl that graduated last year that was notorious for stepping into pitches. They should at least have to try and get out of the way

 

[PurlJam]

Guess we need to start bunting and hope Barnhill morphs back into Knoblauch.

 

[PurlJam]

Heh.....wasn't a bunt, but good enough. Got one back, down 2 - 1

 

[bama alum]

That 2nd run scoring is the one thing i dont like about softball and a main thing that ive grown to despise about florida. Yes that ball was inside but the girl made no effort to move and if u go back and look she moved her arm out some to make sure she would get hit. They had a girl that graduated last year that was notorious for stepping into pitches. They should at least have to try and get out of the way

I don't want to come off looking like that roetide guy, but the game is only in the second. Osorio already has four walks and has hit a batter. UF's nickle and diming, cheap ball, whatever, is irrelevant if Osorio can't stay sharp.

That K was a great way to end the inning!

 

[bama alum]

So that's a new one for me, I think. Can the home plate umpire call the hit batter back if the batter makes no move whatsoever to get out of the way?

 

[bamabigdawg]

So that's a new one for me, I think. Can the home plate umpire call the hit batter back if the batter makes no move whatsoever to get out of the way?

Yes. As i said the girl florida had that graduated last year was notorious for not moving or moving into the pitch and then smiling at the pitcher while she was running down to first. She got called back a number of times last year. Its up to the ump if he wants to bring her back or not. Hes already warned them a few times this game and most of it is because of them celebrating as they are going to first after not moving out of the way

 

[bama alum]

Thanks. So if blue can discern intention there, can he/she finally figure out Florida's leap and pitch?

 

[bamabigdawg]

Normally they have someone specifically watching the pitcher each time she throws a pitch. Any of the officials can call an illegal pitch. All it would take is PM getting them together and making them more aware of it for them to start calling it. Her right foot comes off the ground and she basically hops forward and comes out of the pitching lane everytime she throws. surprised noone else has said anything about it during the year. There were numerous ppl talking about it after the first game

 

[PurlJam]

Damn girl won't even try to get out of the way.....maybe needs a little chin music.

 

[PurlJam]

All it would take is PM getting them together and making them more aware of it for them to start calling it.

Last chance to do it.

 

[PurlJam]

Well, I got nobody to pull for now. :bamadance: