Despite the 20 inches of snow, a sign that spring is on the way to Valparaiso! The softball team begins play this weekend in Georgia at the Mercer Invitational with games scheduled Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Therefore, I thought I'd begin this thread for the season and mention that College Sports Madness has just recognized four Crusaders as preseason all-conference picks [McShane & Ranieri as 1st team; Lawson & Weissenhofer as 2nd team] with Kaitlyn Ranieri also named as a preseason selection for Player of the Year.
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I don't see any audio from the first game of the season, but in the bottom of the 5th, the Lady Crusaders are leading 3-2 over Jacksonville St. JSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second, and then the Crusaders countered with a couple of runs in the bottom of the 3rd. Lead-off hitter Calombaris scored on a Raneiri single up the middle, and then Lawson scored on a McShane flyout. Our third run scored on a Calombaris single in the bottom of the 4th. Calombaris and Moreno are our hitters so far, both having 2 hits. Weissenhofer pitched the first 3 innings, giving up 2 hits, 2 runs (both earned), and had 4 walks and 4 strikeouts.
Can't go much further on how things have been because the live stats aren't giving me who replaced Taylor on the mound, or anything pertinent in the pbp about it either. Looks good to start for the ladies and Coach Stake.
Quote from: valporun on February 06, 2015, 01:58:29 PMI don't see any audio from the first game of the season, but in the bottom of the 5th, the Lady Crusaders are leading 3-2 over Jacksonville St. JSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second,
Unfortunately we gave up 2 runs in the top of the 7th and lost 5-4. I tuned in (webbed-in?) just in time to see Jax St score their 2 runs. Four walks by Taylor W did us in. I figured since I saw the women's bb team win I was good luck. I guess not. :-(
http://mercerbears.com/sports/sball/tournament/boxscores/20150206_gfmn.xml (http://mercerbears.com/sports/sball/tournament/boxscores/20150206_gfmn.xml)
The softball team did lose, and the game ended on Sam Stewart's double play to 2nd. I wish I could have watched this to see how well-played it was, but from the stats, we played well. Taylor threw 138 pitches before coming out of the game. I'm guessing to get a little rest before the 5:45 game against the host Mercer Bears. I'm just glad to see that we didn't let JSU's early lead get away from us. I hope the same playing for Game #2, but with the W going to the Lady Crusaders. Good luck in Game 2.
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Softball split their games yesterday. With the 10-2 run rule of IPFW, they won Coach Stakes's first NCAA game, and then played Mercer again, only this time to a 5-4 loss. Currently, the team holds a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 3rd against IPFW. Live stats are available thru the link on valpoathletics.com.
It's interesting to note that Pico is apparently just playing in the field/hitting this year. I don't believe that she has many ABs in her career, as she was one of our main pitchers. I guess that these other pitchers just did better in the offseason since Coach Stake arrived? I know that our FR pitcher was first team all-state in IN, so maybe that has to do with it.
We are now up 5-0 in the 4th.
Within moments, the softball team ups their lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the 4th now. Good to see we culd come out with a couple of wins from this tournament.
I did notice that Pico is playing 3rd this season. I wondered if maybe that was meant as a way to keep our #2 pitcher warmed up for the game she would pitch, or if she was transitioning to a new position altogether. 6-0 in the top of the 5th now.
Pretty impressive offensive numbers so far for the Crusaders. And 3 players earning Conference player of the week through 2 tournaments is outstanding! Taylor Lawson was the College Sports Madness Horizon League POW week one and Calombaris wins POW last weekend from the conference while McShane won POW from College Sports Madness! Lots of offense with the team batting .361 collectively and scoring just under 6 runs per contest. Unfortunately it hasn't turned into wins with the team only 3-6 to date. Lets hope that changes in Colorado.
Flew through Denver on Monday. Lots of snow on the ground. But in CO it melts the next day, right?
BTW, I like the spread of opponents out there.
Quote from: VULB#62 on February 27, 2015, 05:04:02 PM
Flew through Denver on Monday. Lots of snow on the ground. But in CO it melts the next day, right?
BTW, I like the spread of opponents out there.
More snow arrived after Monday. Chance of snow the next several days. Sunny and 41 on Thursday and 48 on Friday should feel warmer than 55 in Valpo!
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-105.09476&lat=40.60020#.VPD6_TYcSUk (http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-105.09476&lat=40.60020#.VPD6_TYcSUk)
Quote from: valporun on February 08, 2015, 12:21:57 PMI did notice that Pico is playing 3rd this season.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-valparaiso-notes-st-0302-20150228-story.html (http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-valparaiso-notes-st-0302-20150228-story.html)
This explains why--pretty brilliant (obvious) coaching move! Money quote: "They're softball players." : )
Nice to have Pico's bat in the line up. But Pico needs to pitch. Opposing teams are batting .390 against us. They need her experience on the mound.
I get your opinion on Pico pitching, but we don't get a chance to be outside for practice for several months. We don't get a chance to pitch in the elements, field on soft dirt or grass, or even swing a bat in the cold to know how to handle being jammed by a fastball on cold aluminum. Experience on the mound in our case doesn't do a whole lot to prove anything when we're not able to be outside to adapt to the elements until a month or more after the season is underway, and then we still have to deal with rain and other weather patterns that hinder getting outside to practice. Baseball has the same issues with weather and getting outside, so there is nothing about experience that helps us besides just getting games in.
I agree that we are at a disadvantage with not being able to get outside when we play in the south. I just think we need help in the circle. We seem to be doing well at the plate and those results should turn into wins. I think our pitching will get better, but I think we could use the help of another pitcher that has enjoyed success in the circle for the last 2 seasons. The more looks you can give hitters the better off you are.
Who else do we have to play 3rd, if Pico is pitching? Also, we haven't played enough games have shown us what Coach Stake is made of. Remember, this is her first head coaching position, so she has some learning to do, and I'm not worried about wins and losses this season, just getting players to their potential, and seeing how Coach Stake manages games, not how we want her to, but how she will.
Pico can play 3rd when she is not in the circle. A lot of teams use pitchers in the field when they aren't pitching. And I would imagine that the team feels different about winning this season. Not questioning coaches decisions. Just saying her absence in the circle seems odd after pitching for 2 years.
That still doesn't answer the question of who will play 3B when Pico is in the circle?
Stewart, Calombaris, McShane, Boyle. You can't be saying Pico is the only one on the team that can play 3rd.
I'm not saying she is the only one who can play 3rd, but if you want her to pitch, someone has to play 3rd in her place.
What in the world has happened to Taylor's pitching ability? She was electric her FR year, was OK last year, and is walking too many batters this year and getting hit. Can we blame this on a boyfriend she obtained after FR year? :)
New pitching coach taking away something from her repertoire?
What pitching coach? We don't have one.
Looks like our girls and Wright State are the only ones willing to brave the elements this weekend. All other Horizon League softball contest have been postponed. Let's hope our cold weather experience's this spring pay dividends this weekend!
I liked hearing from our coach that she believes pitching will be improving shortly (based on the coach show).
Not sure I agree with her. They scored 18 runs this weekend and split again. Would think 9 runs should be enough to do the job.
Our hitters are definitely doing their part. I still wonder what has happened to Taylor since her FR year...
Geez, we are now 8-20, and not doing well in conference either after our 8-0 loss at Oakland today. Our pitchers appear to be getting rocked, and are walking many batters.
I don't think that this is a coaching issue, but do we think that our record would be where it is currently, if Stevens did not have that inappropriate (not illegal, inappropriate) relationship with a player no longer with the program?
In case anyone missed this from yesterday's newspaper report by Brandon Vickery, who does a terrific job covering VU sports:
Beginning with the first interviews she granted as Valparaiso softball coach last summer, Kate Stake made her feelings clear about the importance of quality pitching.
What she didn't see coming was the sudden exit of pitching coach Alex Lagesse over the winter, leaving the position vacant for the 2015 season. It's the first time Stake has ever been part of a team that does not have a pitching coach.
"Alex knows pitching, as evidenced by her playing stats and what I saw from her while working with our pitchers," Stake said. "We were counting on having that experience on our staff, so her departure put us at a disadvantage. At the same time, our pitchers have been throwing since they were young and have the talent to be throwing better than they currently are."
Valparaiso's 6.73 ERA ranks seventh of eight in the Horizon League.
According to Stake, a pitching coach will be hired before next season. She already has several candidates on her radar for the position.
Both baseball and softball lack pitching to get them into the NCAAs. I would say zero chance for both.
Do we know why our former player (Alex Lagesse) left just before the season?
I would counter your assessment on baseball having 0 chance to make the NCAA tourney this year. We are 10-15 (6-4), and played Wright State tough going 1-1 with 1 run deciding both games, and did the same against UIC 1-2. The baseball field is wide open, and we have as good of a chance as any other team.
Perhaps I did underestimate baseball's chances. But, after 25 games to give up the runs we have makes it difficult to see. 30 runs given up in the last three games--13 in a loss to Ball State, 10 in a 11-10 win in 12, and 7 in another loss, 7-6 yesterday. We can't expect to win much if we can't stop anybody.
Softball is in much the same condition. Given up 25 runs in the last three games and stands at 8-20! :(
This team has played in the Horizon League championship for the last 3 years and won twice. The pitching staff is the same as last year with the exception of Montgomery, who has been the most consistent and the lack of Pico in the circle. A pitching coach should have been hired this year! The offense is better, in fact the best in the Horizon League statistically in many categories. The tools are there.
Quote from: valpotx on April 03, 2015, 01:11:05 PMif Stevens did not have that inappropriate (not illegal, inappropriate) relationship with a player no longer with the program?
Ok, I must have missed this piece of scuttlebutt. I think we all knew it must have been something like this, but was this officially (or even unofficially) reported?
Nothing was officially reported in any type of news, since obviously, the school did not want to have to report such a thing publically. I have heard this from 3 solid sources now tied to our softball/baseball programs, so I guess that you can call it conjecture, but these sources wouldn't lie or say such things without solid information (I would hope they wouldn't, at least). Do you truly think that he decided to go to a worse situation in the University of North Dakota on his own? It's called a graceful exit :).
Answer to the question of would we better is absolutely in my opinion. As to an inappropriate relationship, lets remember your speaking about a young ladies reputation as well with your conjecture. And that's exactly what it is, conjecture. How about we move on and let sleeping dogs lye.
I won't say anything more about it or the very specific details I have been given, but look forward to someone giving a separate explanation in the future, that counters what I have been told...
Quote from: vusb1 on April 05, 2015, 01:04:15 PM
Answer to the question of would we better is absolutely in my opinion. As to an inappropriate relationship, lets remember your speaking about a young ladies reputation as well with your conjecture. And that's exactly what it is, conjecture. How about we move on and let sleeping dogs lye.
Agree. I really hope Jordan learned a valuable lesson and pray for him as he continues his profession in the coaching world.
Quote from: valpotx on April 05, 2015, 02:30:19 PM
I won't say anything more about it or the very specific details I have been given, but look forward to someone giving a separate explanation in the future, that counters what I have been told...
I can concur with what tx has stated and have nothing to counter it. That is all.
Geez, we hit a new low today by losing 5-2 to an IPFW team that is now 3-30....at home
Quote from: valpotx on April 08, 2015, 12:59:09 AM
Geez, we hit a new low today by losing 5-2 to an IPFW team that is now 3-30....at home
Yeah, it looks like a free fall.... ???
Drop two more to UIC to get to 8-27 (2-8). Serious, is there anyone that knows what the heck has happened to Taylor's pitching ability? She had 6 walks in 0.2 IP today, and has 74 BBs/93 hits against, in only 65 innings (0-9)...She was the best pitcher in the HL 2 seasons back, was average last season, and is just really bad this season.
Our pitching staff has given up 359 hits, 151 walks, and only 123 k's in 214 innings (37 HRs against, .376 opp BA, and a 7.46 ERA!!).
Great series win in a must win situation this weekend! 10 inning game to take the series and Weissenhofer holds a great hitting team to 4 runs in her start! A lot of contributions from the bench none bigger than Stewarts homerun! Could the old Valpo softball ways be returning? One can only hope that this is the turning point.
Quote from: vusb1 on April 20, 2015, 03:38:02 PM
Great series win in a must win situation this weekend! 10 inning game to take the series and Weissenhofer holds a great hitting team to 4 runs in her start! A lot of contributions from the bench none bigger than Stewarts homerun! Could the old Valpo softball ways be returning? One can only hope that this is the turning point.
Not to be a downer, but she also almost blew a two run lead in the second game by giving up home run in the 7th. Our pitching is just terrible! We are top 3 in many hitting categories and dead last in ERA.
It was good to see the series victory, and I really do hope it is a turning point in our conference season. In watching some of the games, it looked like Taylor is throwing a little bit slower. Are her troubles due to an injury in the last 2 seasons?? She used to throw really hard her FR season, and with really good accuracy, and that just seems gone right now. I do hate harping on one player, but after her FR season, I expected her to dominate all 4 years, so there has to be some explanation.
True...she did give up a home run to tie the game, but then she worked out of a 1 out 2 on jam to extend the game. She gave up a home run in her start too...but Cleveland has 58 home runs. To give up 2 in 9 innings pitched to that team is pretty good for a pitcher that has a tendency to give up the long ball anyway.
But is her speed down? From what I remember, she was one of the harder throwers in the HL, and was just plain nasty her FR year. Was there any injury that you know of? Both Taylor and the lefty from Loyola were fantastic pitchers that year.
All comes down to this weekend. Win 2 out of 3 and they're in. Loose the series and we don't make the Horizon League tourney.
As much as I want them to make it, I doubt they will. let's face it, this team is way down from where they once were. Granted, there are only 2 seniors on the team and that, coupled with a new coach and no pitching coach no doubt have made for a tough year. Still, the type of scores etc show a team WAY down from, say, 2012. In 2012 we won 42 games. In 2013 we won 35 games. Last year we won 24 and this year, so far, we have won 12. That, folks, is a very bad trend.
Key first win today!
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We can definitely do some damage in the tourney with our hitting. If we get a few decent pitching performances, Valpo can win the thing. On the same end, we can get blown out due to our pitching lol.
Why in the world are we playing the #3 seed WSU, when we are the #5 seed??? Shouldn't we be playing the #4 seed first, and #6 seed CSU play #3 seed WSU?
Valpo 7 - WSU 1!
If our pitching does this, we can be one of those teams in the NCAA tourney with a losing record. We are probably the most dangerous 5 seed in the history of 5 seeds, due to our team having the best offense in the HL. If we even get a smidgen of pitching, we are in every game.
0-0 going into the bottom of the 7th.
Weissenhofer coming up pretty big. Bunch of K's.
Quality video stream, for sure! Reasonable commentary, for what little I'm actively listening.
Moderately pro Valpo call?
No outs, bottom of 7th, runners on 2nd and 3rd. Walk-off single through the center of the infield. :( But, it's double elimination.
And Valpo has to play again in 40 minutes! Man! This _is_ a softball tournament!
Quote from: agibson on May 07, 2015, 03:16:25 PM
No outs, bottom of 7th, runners on 2nd and 3rd. Walk-off single through the center of the infield. :( But, it's double elimination.
Have been listening and think the announcing has been first rate. Very tough loss. This time our hitting let us down. :(
Quote from: agibson on May 07, 2015, 03:18:01 PM
And Valpo has to play again in 40 minutes! Man! This _is_ a softball tournament!
Are they playing this at the old Fairgrounds park?
Quote from: Kyle321n on May 07, 2015, 03:33:06 PMAre they playing this at the old Fairgrounds park?
Just about! I never realized how deep that place could flood... Only saw it in action... this year? Last year? Recently. For the first time.
Darn, two 1 run losses. We only lose two Seniors, so hopefully we can get back to normal next season.
Here is a link to the advertisement and job description for the new assistant coach to specialize in pitching: http://www.indeed.com/viewjob?t=Assistant+Softball+Coach&c=Valparaiso+University&l=Valparaiso,+IN&jk=bbbf295d60df49ea&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter (http://www.indeed.com/viewjob?t=Assistant+Softball+Coach&c=Valparaiso+University&l=Valparaiso,+IN&jk=bbbf295d60df49ea&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)
Quote from: valpopal on June 13, 2015, 10:20:59 AM
Here is a link to the advertisement and job description for the new assistant coach to specialize in pitching: http://www.indeed.com/viewjob?t=Assistant+Softball+Coach&c=Valparaiso+University&l=Valparaiso,+IN&jk=bbbf295d60df49ea&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter (http://www.indeed.com/viewjob?t=Assistant+Softball+Coach&c=Valparaiso+University&l=Valparaiso,+IN&jk=bbbf295d60df49ea&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)
And here's the new hire: http://valpoathletics.com/softball/news/2015-16/14745/softball-adds-wright-as-assistant-coach/#.Va1Xo_lViko (http://valpoathletics.com/softball/news/2015-16/14745/softball-adds-wright-as-assistant-coach/#.Va1Xo_lViko)
I found it interesting that we were able to hire her away from Bowling Green, who I would have thought could pay her more. Glad to see Valpo stepping it up to get the coaches they need to win!
Seems like a great fit, and she will hopefully help Taylor regain her form!
Quote from: vu72 on July 20, 2015, 03:21:09 PMI found it interesting that we were able to hire her away from Bowling Green, who I would have thought could pay her more. Glad to see Valpo stepping it up to get the coaches they need to win!
Maybe the fact that Bowling Green has a new head coach coming in had something to do with Coach Wright deciding to come to Valpo.
http://www.bgsufalcons.com/news/2015/7/1/SB_0701151702.aspx (http://www.bgsufalcons.com/news/2015/7/1/SB_0701151702.aspx)
And the fact that Willis, the new HSBC, was the Dayton pitching coach whose staff was 20-2 in the A10. Could be that our new pitching coach was one of the applicants and the combination of losing out and Willis' background was Valpo's good fortune.
Quote from: VULB#62 on July 23, 2015, 08:47:31 AM
And the fact that Willis, the new HSC, was the Dayton pitching coach whose staff was 20-2 in the A10. Could be that our new pitching coach was one of the applicants and the combination of losing out and Willis' background was Valpo's good fortune.
Highly plausible and most likely the scenario!