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2019 Texas Softball - Connie's overboard, Anchors Aweigh!

TrashMaster G

By TrashMaster G
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Js1
Js1

Great news!   

Machinator
Machinator
pacman
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torre

torre 1286

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Position changes.

 

Following a practice that was open to the public on Monday afternoon, players and coaches from the Texas softball team were asked to speak to the fans and share a fun fact about themselves.

Sophomore infielder Janae Jefferson, for example, told those in attendance that she dislikes chocolate cake. Lauren Burke has a pet horse back home in Oregon and Tuesday DerMargosian proved that she can imitate a dolphin. Senior pitcher Brooke Bolinger announced that she got engagement over the holiday break.

Those tidbits, though, don’t have much to do with the product that Texas will put on the field. But sophomore MK Tedder came through with a relevant nugget of information. One season after she started 59 times at third base, Tedder introduced herself on Monday as an outfielder.

Defensive versatility, it appears, is a must for the Longhorns in Mike White’s first year at the head coach. Newcomer Shannon Rhodes described herself to UT’s fans as a utility player. Kaitlyn Washington identified first as a first baseman instead of an outfielder who earned all-conference honors in 2018.

Last year, Texas ranked 12th among the NCAA’s 296 Division I teams with its .976 fielding percentage. The Longhorns, however, also hit .268 (144th) and scored 3.46 runs per game (227th). White said upon his hire that UT’s offensive numbers had to improve, and he reiterated this week that he wants his best bats in the line-up. As junior Malory Schattle observed, “(Who plays) basically depends on who’s really hitting well that day.”

“I’ve already told them that I’m about offense,” said White, whose Oregon team scored 6.11 runs per game last year. “I want to have a good offense out there to start the game. Later in the game, we may go to ore of a defensive-type line-up. But I want to get ahead.”

Versatile players will give White more options and flexibility as he attempts to stack his batting order. So, that explains why Washington may leave a crowded outfield while Schattle has transitioned from first base to third base. White said that Miranda Elish can possibly play first base when she isn’t pitching, and the team could experiment with catcher Mary Iakopo as an outfielder or corner infielder. Even Kaitlyn Slack, a shoo-in to be UT’s starting shortstop, was spotted practicing in the outfield.

“I think everyone’s having fun with it,” Schattle said. “They’re tying to figure out their perfect fit for the season. The coaches are really working with us well, wherever we end up.”

Texas returned 13 players from last year’s team, and the roster added five freshmen and four transfers from Oregon. White said he will use the non-conference portion of UT’s schedule — a six-week stretch of 32 games that begins with a home contest against Northwestern State on Feb. 8 — to figure out his line-up. Texas opens Big 12 play on March 22.

https://www.hookem.com/story/defensive-versatility-could-put-texas-in-a-position-to-improve-on-offense/

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Js1

Js1 85449

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Another Oregon transfer - Maggie Balint (JR).  She was going to be the ace and has announced her transfer.  It's really too late in the year for her to go anywhere (no one has money this late). Injured last year (only threw in 8 games and less than 60 innings) but her freshman year numbers were outstanding: 21-3 record with a 1.22 ERA and 152 strikeouts and a top 3 finalist for Freshman of the Year.

Rumor is she's going to sit out 2019 and end up at Texas.  Easily would step into the Brooke Bollinger spot to back up Elish.  Texas might have the #1 recruit and the #4 recruit pitching for them in 2020. 

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Js1

Js1 85449

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I would hope the people who've watched softball over the years remember Geri Ann Glasco - her dad was AHC at Georgia, then he was AHC at A&M before moving over as HC at ULL.  She passed away in a car accident.  She was also a Student Assistant Coach for her dad for this upcoming season.

This girl was a baller at 2 UGA and Oregon - 51 career homeruns, 181 career RBI, also pitched A LOT and was a Freshman All-American

 

 

Edited by Js1
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torre

torre 1286

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 A terrible tragedy.     Thoughts and prayers to Coach Gerry Glasco and family (youngest daughter,  namesake).

 

Quote

Glasco, who played for the Ducks in 2015-16 and served as a student assistant in 2017, was driving a Ford Escape on Interstate 10 East in Lafayette, La. when the five-vehicle accident occurred. According to KATC, an 18-wheeler failed to slow down in a construction zone and hit the rear end of a Dodge Ram driven by Kenneth McNeil, starting a chain reaction that drove McNeil’s pickup truck into Glasco’s vehicle, which hit a second 18-wheeler that then hit a third 18-wheeler

https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2019/01/former-oregon-softball-player-geri-ann-glasco-daughter-of-louisiana-coach-dies-in-auto-accident.html

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torre

torre 1286

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LHN Longhorn Extra has an excellent, in-depth interview with Mike White.    Recommended viewing, check listings.

Why did you leave Oregon ?   "Monetary part of it,  support another"

How does the team look ?  "Have ability,  need to gel"

He makes a great quote:   "Reputation is what people think,  character is who you are"

Despite the 2012 Texas-Oregon Super Regional,  I may begin to like this guy.    😊

 

 

  

,

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Js1

Js1 85449

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Do you think its too late for Oregon to fire Lombardi?

The NINTH player has transferred out of Oregon since she arrived - JR 1B Mia Camuso. Career .330 hitter and was Pac-12 All Freshman and WCWS All-Tournament in 2017.

Yes, Oregon has literally lost an entire lineup's worth of players.

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TrashMaster G

TrashMaster G 17581

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On 1/25/2019 at 4:51 PM, Js1 said:

Do you think its too late for Oregon to fire Lombardi?

The NINTH player has transferred out of Oregon since she arrived - JR 1B Mia Camuso. Career .330 hitter and was Pac-12 All Freshman and WCWS All-Tournament in 2017.

Yes, Oregon has literally lost an entire lineup's worth of players.

It all depends on whether or not the AD and admin are comfortable with the culture change.

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texashorn13

texashorn13 228

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1 hour ago, TrashMaster G said:

It all depends on whether or not the AD and admin are comfortable with the culture change.

She's not going anywhere, and in due time she will recruit really well at Oregon.  Her ties to the west coach softball community are strong, and she will get kids from SoCal pretty quickly.

As for the admin, all you have to do is read the article Oregon Live put out right before the Balint transfer, where the AD is interviewed.  He basically gives his middle finger to Coach White (again) and backs the Lombardi hire fully, regardless of the transfers.

Here's what will be interesting to watch, and I hesitate to post this, but it is being rumored that Oregon is strongly considering redshirting the entire team (all 11 of them) this year and forfeiting the entire season.  I don't know if that's possible, but would be interesting.

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Aleemay

Aleemay 304

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Interesting thought about forfeiting the season. IMO, it's a lose-lose situation.

Don't play the season and everyone sits around unhappy and restless. Contracts and agreements between other schools, PAC 12, TV networks, sponsors, etc. get broken leading to financial penalties. Alumni giving, fan support, and funding goes down the drain.

Play the season with 10 position players (majority freshmen) and 2 pitchers and risk player health. Continual losing through the PAC 12 decreases player moral and won't make a good impression with recruiting. 

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Js1

Js1 85449

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Texas starts the year ranked #16!

Who do we face?

#4 OU
#8 Tennessee
#10 LSU
#12 ASU
#15 Kentucky
#19 Baylor
#21 OSU
#23 Minnesota

UH, Texas State, Cal, Tulsa, Wisconsin, and Ole Miss are all receiving votes.

SALTY AF SCHEDULE

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Js1

Js1 85449

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10 minutes ago, perfectchaos007 said:

Top 16 means they expect us to be super regional caliber. Lets prove em right.

Postseason ball at McCombs?

Yes, please. 

Also we are consensus #16 in both coaches and media polls. And #15 College Sports Madness.

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Pato del Muerto

Pato del Muerto 52535

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8 hours ago, Aleemay said:

Interesting thought about forfeiting the season. IMO, it's a lose-lose situation.

Don't play the season and everyone sits around unhappy and restless. Contracts and agreements between other schools, PAC 12, TV networks, sponsors, etc. get broken leading to financial penalties. Alumni giving, fan support, and funding goes down the drain.

Play the season with 10 position players (majority freshmen) and 2 pitchers and risk player health. Continual losing through the PAC 12 decreases player moral and won't make a good impression with recruiting. 

I’m sure UO has plenty of high school varsity caliber players walking around campus. Hold tryouts, maybe even give out one year scholarships. Get 10 bodies and give it the old college try. Would make for a better story than canceling the season. 

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Js1

Js1 85449

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Trying to get a feel for the rest of the league and where I think they finish:

1) OU - Still stacked. They have 2 transfers that are expected to be the co-aces: Shannon Saile (FIU) and G. Juarez (ASU), both juniors.  Sounds like #1 recruit Brooke Vestal is redshirting this year.  Offense is deadly AF: Alo, Aviu, Clifton, Knighten, Mendes and Romero. 
Ceiling - winning it all
Floor - WCWS participant
Likely - Big 12 winner/WCWS Title Game

2) Texas - enough said.  And yes, we too will rely on transfer pitching (Elish and Bollinger) and of course, transfer bats too (Thank you Lomardi for tanking your new program and sending us 5 spectacular girls!!!)
Ceiling - WCWS on the arm of Elish
Floor - NCAA Tournament and hosting
Likely - 2nd in the Big 12/Super Regional

3) OSU - Also a team who is going to rely on transfer pitching - Sam Show (A&M) and Gabby Sprang (Tennessee).  Losing the best player they've ever had in Vanessa Shippy is going to be hard, it's not easy to replace a .471 hitter with a .613 OBP (57 walks).  They still have their power hitters (Madi Sue Montgomery, Sydney Pennington, but lose Jessi Haffner and Whitney Whitehorn) and Show can hit too.
Ceiling - darkhorse WCWS
Floor - NCAA tournament and maybe hosting
Likely - 3rd in the Big 12/NCAA tournament on the road

4) Baylor - Gio Rodoni is redshirting (Sr. RHP) so the work will probably fall on 2 transfers (sensing a trend) - Regan Green (MSU) and Sidney Holman (Abilene Christian/Temple).  They've got some decent players offensively - Kyla Walker, Goose McGlaun, Nicky Dawson (LSU transfer) but this won't be the Baylor of old without Carlee Wallace, Shelby Friudenberg, Jessie Scroggins and Gio Rodoni not pitching
Ceiling - super regional
Floor - NCAA tournament on the road
Likely - 4th in the Big 12/NCAA Tournament on the road

5) Texas Tech - might be the only team in the top 5 of the conference that isn't going to rely solely on transfer pitching.   They return their ace, Erin Edmoundson and have DePaul transfer Missy Zoch.  Jessica Hartwell is back (.400 hitter with 20 bombs) and so is Karli Hamilton (8 homers) while they bring in Trenity Edwards from Mizzou (5 homers as a freshman). 
Ceiling - NCAA tournament
Floor - no tournament
Likely - 5th in the Big 12/NCAA tournament on the road

And sadly, ISU/KU will probably stink to high heaven.  Don't see them being much more than bottom dwellers.  Which sucks for KU and Jennifer McFalls.

I do think the Big 12 can be a 5 bid league, but will probably be 4 (OU, Texas, OSU, Baylor).  Tech will need to win some games to solidify their chances  - 31-28 last year but some legit opportunities for some higher RPI games - Nebraska, Auburn, Oregon, Washington, ASU, Kentucky and of course Texas/Baylor/OU/OSU.

 

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Js1

Js1 85449

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Top 16 will host. 

I think we can easily ride Elish to a top 16. She’s that good. Don’t discount what White will also do with Bollinger and the young gals. He was basically handed fresh out of the box clay to mold them. Elish will have zero learning curve with Mike’s instruction. 

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Js1

Js1 85449

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I missed that All-Big 12 OF for Baylor Kyla Walker is redshirting due to hip surgery.

Texas gets Baylor 2 at home, 1 on the road.  OU at home.  OSU on the road.

It's a favorable schedule, I think, to getting a top 16 seed. 

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FloridaHorn

FloridaHorn 4769

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“I’ve already told them that I’m about offense,” said White

 

 

This reminds me of when my daughter was going through the recruiting process. As we sat in the office of a very high profile coach, my daughter asked about playing time as a freshman. The coach took only a second and said, "Make no mistake about it, the best 9 hitters will play, regardless of position."

 

Big time coaches understand that this game has changed with the rubber going back 3 feet, and the teams that can hit, and hit for power, win way more than they lose.

Edited by FloridaHorn
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Huckleberry

Huckleberry 33045

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Ironically, in the first game of the first season I've had hope for the team in a while I'll actually be cheering for the opponent. One of the Northwestern State players is a family friend who was incredibly helpful to my oldest daughter when she was struggling medically her freshman year of high school. Just a great kid, although I suppose the best possible result will be a close win for Texas as she has a ridiculous 3-for-3 game with multiple defensive gems. Ha.

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