Softball 2015

valpotx · March 27, 2015, 04:36:04 PM

I liked hearing from our coach that she believes pitching will be improving shortly (based on the coach show).

vusb1 · March 29, 2015, 05:17:21 PM

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.

valpotx · March 29, 2015, 10:22:22 PM

Our hitters are definitely doing their part. I still wonder what has happened to Taylor since her FR year...

valpotx · April 03, 2015, 01:11:05 PM

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?

valpopal · April 03, 2015, 02:36:50 PM

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.

vu72 · April 03, 2015, 09:23:04 PM

Both baseball and softball lack pitching to get them into the NCAAs. I would say zero chance for both.

valpotx · April 04, 2015, 03:16:53 AM

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.

vu72 · April 04, 2015, 06:53:43 AM

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!

vusb1 · April 04, 2015, 07:54:25 AM

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.

FWalum · April 04, 2015, 04:21:30 PM

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?

valpotx · April 05, 2015, 12:15:37 PM

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

.

vusb1 · 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.

valpotx · 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...

bbtds · April 05, 2015, 10:56:42 PM

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.

bbtds · April 05, 2015, 10:59:30 PM

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.

valpotx · 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

vu72 · April 08, 2015, 07:01:09 AM

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....

valpotx · April 11, 2015, 09:16:28 PM

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!!).

vusb1 · 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.

vu72 · April 20, 2015, 04:03:11 PM

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.

valpotx · April 21, 2015, 01:13:26 AM

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.

vusb1 · April 21, 2015, 11:51:50 AM

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.

valpotx · April 22, 2015, 03:35:30 AM

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.

vusb1 · April 30, 2015, 02:06:19 PM

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.

vu72 · April 30, 2015, 04:13:59 PM

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.