(02-10-2023 01:42 PM)JMU83 Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 01:12 PM)jmutoml757 Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 12:37 PM)#YEEHAWDUKES Wrote:  This is a game that we would’ve won by run rule in the past. Disappointing start to the season.

I know it’s only the first game, but it counts. The other team did better. It’s early in the year for mighty Chattanooga too. (Maybe they are a juggernaut in softball; I don’t know). We had some great years, but that’s long in the past. Could it be we are simply a mediocre, middle of the road softball team and program now. I know that’s not a popular take that will bring hate… but, am I wrong?

Sent you a PM

I am excited about some of our commits that will be FR next season. That said, I don’t want our fan base to be to softball what VT is to football!!! I just threw up a little typing that-

It's not how you start, it's how you finish. Give it some time. The pitching isn't the problem today.

Here are our three weekend opponents' recent histories. Not a very good tournament, all three finished in the bottom half of college softball last year and between 15 seasons, only 3 winning seasons.

Chattanooga (160 RPI):
2022: 30-27 (9-9)
2021: 13-25 (8-8)
2020: 7-14
2019: 37-17 (11-7) / Made it to the Oxford Regional, 0-2
2018: 26-30 (9-7)

Indiana State (182 RPI):
2022: 25-27 (11-15)
2021: 20-28 (12-15)
2020: 11-12
2019: 19-35 (5-21)
2018: 26-28 (12-14)

CofC (261 RPI):
2022: 15-37 (7-10) / 1-2 against us, lost a combined 20 - 8
2021: 6-35 (0-18) / 0-6 against us, lost a combined 59 - 5 with 4 shutouts
2020: 10-10
2019: 26-30 (9-12) / 0-4 against us, lost a combined 41-1 with 3 shutouts
2018: 31-27 (8-13) / 1-5 against us, lost a combined 26-5 with 2 shutouts

The recruiting just doesn't seem to be there. We started a D3 transfer today.

Very disappointing since the WCWS. Given the facilities and pedigree, results like today are a head turner. Canary in the coal mine?

(02-10-2023 02:20 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  The recruiting just doesn't seem to be there. We started a D3 transfer today.

Very disappointing since the WCWS. Given the facilities and pedigree, results like today are a head turner. Canary in the coal mine?

I just don’t get it. We have some very well-rated and well-regarded recruits. Either it’s the old Mickey Matthews “stars get you fired” and we’re whiffing on what should be good recruits or the coaching isn’t there.

I don’t know what to make of it because in practice this staff has shown they can coach. By recruits’ accolades, we should have a more talented team. It could still be how youthful this team is. At this point it could be a lot things but you’re right, something is off.

(02-10-2023 02:20 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  The recruiting just doesn't seem to be there. We started a D3 transfer today.

Very disappointing since the WCWS. Given the facilities and pedigree, results like today are a head turner. Canary in the coal mine?

Is the sports admin asleep at the wheel? Or is there an early alarm bell ringing?

oh boy. not a good start.

it's way early for sure. but the question we are all thinking needs to be asked if this season is mediocre.

was it all Mickey? Before Dean, we were good, but not great. Since Mickey's recruits have left, we've been good, not great.

Yep - 2 losses to two teams that were not that good last year.

Wasn’t there some stud pitcher that was initially a Georgia recruit that switched to us? She was a VA high school player. Perhaps attending Lee down in southern VA?

I thought she would of been a Freshman this year.

(02-10-2023 04:04 PM)Dukester Wrote:  Yep - 2 losses to two teams that were not that good last year.

Wasn’t there some stud pitcher that was initially a Georgia recruit that switched to us? She was a VA high school player. Perhaps attending Lee down in southern VA?

I thought she would of been a Freshman this year.

Berry (P) and Mathis (2B) were supposed to be the big recruits this year. You are thinking of Kirsten Fleet is a 2023 grad! It gets confusing since a lot of the Olympics allow you to commit earlier in your career than say football or basketball. One reason why we got DeLauter, got him to commit when he was like 5’10” then had a growth spurt.

https://www.whsv.com/2022/06/13/jmu-soft...utType=amp

(02-10-2023 11:40 AM)olddawg Wrote:  Berry is in now in the 5th. Humprey started and gave up 3 earned runs in 4 innings. She gave up 6 hits, 0 walks, had 2 wild pitches and struck out 9.
Berry got out of the jam she herself created. Gave up 1 hit, 3 walks and 1 earned run.
Dukes down 4-1 batting in the top of the 6th. Not the start we were hoping for.

Struck out 9 of the 12 but still gave up 3 runs. Admittedly, I have no softball knowledge, but that stat line seems like an outlier.

(02-10-2023 02:34 PM)MarginalDuke Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 02:20 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  The recruiting just doesn't seem to be there. We started a D3 transfer today.

Very disappointing since the WCWS. Given the facilities and pedigree, results like today are a head turner. Canary in the coal mine?

I just don’t get it. We have some very well-rated and well-regarded recruits. Either it’s the old Mickey Matthews “stars get you fired” and we’re whiffing on what should be good recruits or the coaching isn’t there.

I don’t know what to make of it because in practice this staff has shown they can [/b[b]]coach. By recruits’ accolades, we should have a more talented team. It could still be how youthful this team is. At this point it could be a lot things but you’re right, something is off.

I'm sorry but what does this mean?

(02-10-2023 05:26 PM)JMU83 Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 02:34 PM)MarginalDuke Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 02:20 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  The recruiting just doesn't seem to be there. We started a D3 transfer today.

Very disappointing since the WCWS. Given the facilities and pedigree, results like today are a head turner. Canary in the coal mine?

I just don’t get it. We have some very well-rated and well-regarded recruits. Either it’s the old Mickey Matthews “stars get you fired” and we’re whiffing on what should be good recruits or the coaching isn’t there.

I don’t know what to make of it because in practice this staff has shown they can [/b[b]]coach. By recruits’ accolades, we should have a more talented team. It could still be how youthful this team is. At this point it could be a lot things but you’re right, something is off.

I'm sorry but what does this mean?

Are you stating our coaching staff has shown they can coach in practice?
I'm getting old and some things fly over my head.

(02-10-2023 05:26 PM)JMU83 Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 02:34 PM)MarginalDuke Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 02:20 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  The recruiting just doesn't seem to be there. We started a D3 transfer today.

Very disappointing since the WCWS. Given the facilities and pedigree, results like today are a head turner. Canary in the coal mine?

I just don’t get it. We have some very well-rated and well-regarded recruits. Either it’s the old Mickey Matthews “stars get you fired” and we’re whiffing on what should be good recruits or the coaching isn’t there.

I don’t know what to make of it because in practice this staff has shown they can [/b[b]]coach. By recruits’ accolades, we should have a more talented team. It could still be how youthful this team is. At this point it could be a lot things but you’re right, something is off.

I'm sorry but what does this mean?

We know they can coach up players to win games. They won with Mickey's players but you still have to be a good coaching staff to make it to the Supers through Ann Arbor in 2019 and the WCWS in 2021 to take a game from OU. They're probably somewhere between Lou Rowe and Lou Campanelli. All I am saying is that they are competent coaches. Reminds me of Mike Houston. Wins with Matthews' and Withers' players (Mickey Dean is much better than Withers) and once a few recruiting cycles passed by, you could see Withers had brought in the better players than Houston. However, we wouldn't say Houston is a terrible coach though.

(02-10-2023 05:33 PM)MarginalDuke Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 05:26 PM)JMU83 Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 02:34 PM)MarginalDuke Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 02:20 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  The recruiting just doesn't seem to be there. We started a D3 transfer today.

Very disappointing since the WCWS. Given the facilities and pedigree, results like today are a head turner. Canary in the coal mine?

I just don’t get it. We have some very well-rated and well-regarded recruits. Either it’s the old Mickey Matthews “stars get you fired” and we’re whiffing on what should be good recruits or the coaching isn’t there.

I don’t know what to make of it because in practice this staff has shown they can [/b[b]]coach. By recruits’ accolades, we should have a more talented team. It could still be how youthful this team is. At this point it could be a lot things but you’re right, something is off.

I'm sorry but what does this mean?

We know they can coach up players to win games. They won with Mickey's players but you still have to be a good coaching staff to make it to the Supers through Ann Arbor in 2019 and the WCWS in 2021 to take a game from OU. They're probably somewhere between Lou Rowe and Lou Campanelli. All I am saying is that they are competent coaches. Reminds me of Mike Houston. Wins with Matthews' and Withers' players (Mickey Dean is much better than Withers) and once a few recruiting cycles passed by, you could see Withers had brought in the better players than Houston. However, we wouldn't say Houston is a terrible coach though.

I'm trying to be very positive but I see a lot of instances where our coaching staff did not pull a pitcher early enough/stuck with them until opponent hits a bomb. I've seen baserunners get thrown out at 3rd base or home with no outs on the board. I could go on and on. Baseball and softball are 2 sports where strategy or lack thereof can win/lose games.

How do you go from winning a game against Oklahoma in the college World Series to losing to Chattanooga and Indiana State two seasons later

(02-10-2023 06:08 PM)#YEEHAWDUKES Wrote:  How do you go from winning a game against Oklahoma in the college World Series to losing to Chattanooga and Indiana State two seasons later

No Odicci
No Kate
No Sara

(02-10-2023 04:24 PM)MarginalDuke Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 04:04 PM)Dukester Wrote:  Yep - 2 losses to two teams that were not that good last year.

Wasn’t there some stud pitcher that was initially a Georgia recruit that switched to us? She was a VA high school player. Perhaps attending Lee down in southern VA?

I thought she would of been a Freshman this year.

Berry (P) and Mathis (2B) were supposed to be the big recruits this year. You are thinking of Kirsten Fleet is a 2023 grad! It gets confusing since a lot of the Olympics allow you to commit earlier in your career than say football or basketball. One reason why we got DeLauter, got him to commit when he was like 5’10” then had a growth spurt.

https://www.whsv.com/2022/06/13/jmu-soft...utType=amp

Thanks

That’s who I was thinking about.

(02-10-2023 01:12 PM)jmutoml757 Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 12:37 PM)#YEEHAWDUKES Wrote:  This is a game that we would’ve won by run rule in the past. Disappointing start to the season.

I know it’s only the first game, but it counts. The other team did better. It’s early in the year for mighty Chattanooga too. (Maybe they are a juggernaut in softball; I don’t know). We had some great years, but that’s long in the past. Could it be we are simply a mediocre, middle of the road softball team and program now. I know that’s not a popular take that will bring hate… but, am I wrong?

I don’t know whether you’re wrong or right about this year’s team, but the comment/idea the softball’s success is “long in the past” is definitely wrong.

The team is young, it’s coming back from from an emotional and early ending to last year after losing its star catcher to suicide. Give the team (and program) more than one game before writing its obituary.

I just read through this thread. Typical JMU fandom-type comments. Extrapolating the end of the world from an early slow start.

Give the over-analyzing a rest folks. Let’s see what happens as the season progresses.

(02-10-2023 07:12 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  I just read through this thread. Typical JMU fandom-type comments. Extrapolating the end of the world from an early slow start.

Give the over-analyzing a rest folks. Let’s see what happens as the season progresses.

I could agree with your statement except this is a continuation of below avg performance from last season.