Why Tennessee should have won

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I was talking with a coach for a team in the Big Ten yesterday and we both concurred that if Tennessee had won, it would have been like when Michigan won it, colleges in this part of the country start giving more priority and funding to their softball programs. Do you think its a coincidence that Michigan, OSU, and Northwestern, to name a few in our conference are getting new softball stadiums after U of M finaly brought the title east of the Missisippi?

 

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No coincedence If Abbott had an offspeed she might be unhittable but you can't throw the same speed for three days to Zona.

 

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I was pulling for Abbott all the way. ?She has come along way and I was hoping she would be a National Champ. ?With that being said, Arizona made the adjustments to win that game and Tennessee DID NOT. ?They couldn't hit that changeup from Mowatt and Tennessee was out coached.

The second game, Arizona's strategy was all over the TV. ?Interrupt Abbott's rythme and stay on top of the riseball putting the ball in play. ?They did succeed with their strategy in game two. ?In game three they worked it well including the homer. ?

Where was Tennessee's adjustments? ? Someone need to say this: ??The offense let the pitcher down! ?

I total agree with the comment about Abbott needing a change up but I think the bottom line was Tennessee was out coached.

JMHO

 

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If Abbott had a change-up, what would the score have been... 1-0? Same result. The Vols have to hit period.

 

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I give Arizona credit, but at some point you have to put the ball in play. The Tenn offense did let Abbott down and left way too many runners stranded in scoring position. They had lots of chances and couldn't capitalize.

 

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As far as the coaching goes --I was waiting on a tenn batter to be sitting on the change ---not even offering at anything else ---IF you were setting 100% change , you could drive it hard even if the pitch was off the plate alittle or low or high, my Oh' my did she make look silly ----Why were they not setting on the change ????? ?MD

 

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Mike Candrea is a softball genius!!! ?His teams are always prepared and can make the necessary adjustments at the plate. ?The girl that hit the home run, knew it was going to be a rise, and kept her hands above the ball, and drove it. ?That doesn't just happen by telling them before they go up to the plate, its taught and worked on in practice. ?Not a better teacher of the game anywhere. ?Congratulations Arizona!!! [smiley=beer.gif] [smiley=beer.gif]Back 2 Back!!!

 

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You gotta love the perfectly thrown change up!! ;D Iknow I do!! :

 

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Goes to show how effective the change is regardless of gender, age, or ability.

 

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My dd was taught to throw her change up the way Mowett throws hers. Unfortunately, for it to work, all your mechanics have to be dead on or the ball is to high or rolling across the ground. But when its done perfect it is the single most effective change up I've seen. (fortunately my dd has a couple other change ups since she is only 11 and it is really hard to be perfect all the time)

 

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Had nothing to do with not having a change up, TN could not put down a bunt when they needed to, a bunt here or there would have won them the title!

 

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I would say to Tig because they were being kept off balance at the plate ;D ;D How else do you get out of that many bases loaded jams with 0 or 1 out. If any of our DD's team left that many on base in a weekend coaches/parents would be going nuts.

 

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For the past 3 years in a row now the World Series has been a east-west match up. I think it's a very good thing that the eastern teams are getting capable of getting to the finals but they have a long way to go to catching up in titles.

 

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was it me or did the strike zone really shrink in game 3? better for a change up thrower and worse for a rise ball pitcher.

 

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Also looked to me that all the (ahem) questionable calls went against Tennessee.

 

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Wave10u said it all. No clutch hitting for Tennessee. How many times can a team leave the bases loaded or runners on 2nd and 3rd and not score!?

 

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Its just like the millitary, you analyze, adapt, overcome. Arizona said in their interviews they watched the game footage and analyzed, then to the cages to adapt their hitting to Abbott's pitching style, finally they applied the lessons learned on the field and overcame. Simple huh? All said and done, Arizona - National Champions. Still, I agree with hockeybuckeye that it would have been beneficial to softball in general in our neck of the woods if Tennessee had won.

 

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Tennessee's 3, 4, and 5 batters really bombed on this one.

 

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I agree with Tenn not having the clutch hitting but in game 2 I have to give a lot of blame to the coaches, for not having the batters sit on everything but a change up instead of sitting on it. I have no doubt they would have gotten some big hits had they done so. I started counting the pitches to each batter after the 4th inning and in most all cases to the right handed hitter at least 50 % were change ups. I saw the same thing in travel ball last year at ASA Nationals, where the pitcher pitched 50% changeups.

Many good observations by everyone, and I agree also the umpires strike zone was much smaller and I actually thought it changed at various times. However, regardless part of the game is to make adjustments as the game progresses and Tennessee did not do that.

Anyway it was great to have a couple of weeks of college softball with a lot of highs, lows and surprises on many teams.

I am looking forward to next year.

 

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I am sure that Ralph and Karen Weekly are not blaming the umpires strike zone for their lost, they are way to classy for that, Tenn. didn't come though at cunch time, they had runners on base almost every inning and couldn't get the big hit.

Arizona knows how to win those big games, by the time a wildcat is a sophmore she is a seasoned veteran that has went deep into the tourament and knows how to handle the pressure of a big game,

Congrats to Mike Candrea and all the wildcats