Softball 2024

[sevelev711]

No thread yet for what should be one of our best sports this school year. Panther softball lost arguably their best player to the portal, but brought back basically everyone else. Last year we got off to an incredibly shaky start against not that impressive competition, which doomed us from an at-large perspective despite the almost unbeaten conference slate. This year, we're off to a 7-2 start, and we just now picked up a win against #24 Auburn on their home field. I think the big question mark was if our number 2 pitcher Wischnowski could take the leap in the offseason that she needed to, and I think that holding #24 to two runs over seven innings gives a pretty good answer on that.

[BCPanther]

3rd ranked win in program history. Might as well get them again tomorrow.

[in_the_stands]

It would have been cool to have had both Wells and Dodge back, the last two MVC players of the year, but the portal is what it is. I'm worried that someone will come after Pupillo.

OTOH, the MVC coaches still picked us first.

[sevelev711]

The nice thing about baseball/softball is that a team is less reliant on one good player than almost any other team sport.

[in_the_stands]

ESPN+ is listing today's game at UAB (Wed Feb 28) at 4:30. Hope so!

ETA - game canceled, UNI Twitter page claims inclement weather. The Thursday game with Alabama is still on at this time, but an SEC network subscription is required.

[sevelev711]

Last big non-con tournament, lost to RV Nebraska, beat RV South Alabama. We took on SA last week as well, where we split the pair. We have a game against St Francis before two games against number 20 Arkansas.

[in_the_stands]

I watched the coaches presser from last Monday on YouTube. I couldn't hear the question, but I think coach Jacobs said that Heyer ran afoul of the new rules on pitching motion and was called for several illegal pitches. I'm guessing he was referring to the second South Alabama game that we lost 11-3 and Heyer was lifted in the 2nd inning. Wondering if that was the issue vs. Nebraska; she was lifted in the 2nd again, which left McDermott for pinata duty.

ETA - Heyer went 6 in the win over St Francis. Curious to see if she gets the Sunday start vs Arkansas.

[in_the_stands]

Amazing W vs Belmont, with Heyer throwing 165 pitches in 10 innings! Also had a play like the one vs the Trees in the tournament last spring where the ball hits foul but then rolls fair due to spin, but the ump doesn't call it foul, so it's live. Worked in our favor this time.

ETA - there's a video clip of this play on the UNI softball Twitter feed.

[Panther AC]

In a 3-1 victory, we scored all three runs in the top of the 10th inning without a hit, on four consecutive walks, a passed ball and squeeze bunt!

[Panther'73]

Also won today 8-4 with Anna pitching a complete game. Won this series

[in_the_stands]

It will be interesting to see if the game one pitchers are back for Sunday. Theirs was pretty tough also.

['70 Grad]

Didn't realize that we did not play them last year. So, no full round-robin in softball either? Their pitcher came back solid for game #3.

[in_the_stands]

Didn't realize that we did not play them last year. So, no full round-robin in softball either? Their pitcher came back solid for game #3.

She sure did. I wouldn't be surprised if she's the MVC Pitcher of the Week. Hopefully Heyer leaving after 2 isn't due to anything serious

[sevelev711]

Last year, we had a very mediocre non-conference schedule and a fantastic conference slate and we were on the outside looking in for NCAA tournament selection. This season's flipped, we had a pretty darn good and non-conference season, but our conference play was not even good enough to win the regular season title. We are the two seed taking on the one seed tomorrow, Southern Illinois. While being the one seed, they've certainly looked vulnerable. Hoping we can lock in and take it.

[in_the_stands]

I hope we can at least play a clean game. Last years semifinal loss to the freaking Trees was the weirdest softball game I ever watched in my life.

I didn't realize Smithson was a catcher until yesterday's game. To my eyes she looked much better than Jemilo. I sometimes have a hard time figuring out who's catching and playing the corner outfield spots. Also, not quite sure how we're able to use two DP's - I presume one is a "flex" player. Would be nice if the announcers could dig into that, and perhaps ease up on the clever banter, especially with Laura Leonard having played softball.