Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Not that it matters but in the interest of accuracy, the Batbusters are not playing in the Sparkler tournament. The are playing in the Independence Day tournament also in Colorado. The Hotshots, Mercado, Lady Dukes and Texas Blaze are in the Sparkler tournament. Townsen Thomas is on the Blaze but in a couple games I have seen of the Blaze this summer I have not seen Thomas. I believe she was injured some time ago...leg I think....not sure...so that may explain why she apparently isn't with them.

 

Mercado played Hotshots yesterday in Colorado. Hotshots led 6-4 (thanks to Cassidy...I'll get to that) going into the bottom of the 6th in a tournament time limit game. Mercado had a kid going to Arizona hit a two run bomb to tie it up. Then, a couple hitters later (Alyssa played a part...I'll get to that) hit a three run walk off bomb for Mercado to win 9-6. I can't remember who hit the three run walk off. So the two teams are 1-1 against each other this June. I'll get Alyssa out of the way first. She went 2-3 and singled in the 6th in between the two home runs so she was one of the three walk off runs. Both of her hits were identical...hard grounders in the 5-6 hole that Mia dove for and knocked down but had no play. Now for the Hotshots. Ava was DP. Did not pitch or play first. This was their second game of the day. I can't find any video or box score of the first game other than I know they won 10-2 and it is my strong guess Ava pitched in that game explaining why only DP in the second. Anyway, Ariel caught the entire game but had one of those days. She struck out all three times. Once after a strong 10 pitch at bat when called out on a third strike that was clearly outside. On one she also chased one outside. She was 1-3 in the previous game against Mercado. As I said before, she is quite small for a catcher but she seems to block pitches in the dirt well and has a good arm so that really is just a comment and not concern. She can also play infield. Now to the better stuff. Ava went 2-2 with a walk. Hard ground ball single just to the right of second and a scorched grounder just to the left of second that went to the fence in about a second for a clean double. The double produced two rbis. Cassidy was working on a tough day until her 6th inning heroics. She grounded to the pitcher. She struck out chasing an outside pitch and struck out another time. She came up in the 6th with one on and tied 4-4 and lined a rope deep over center for two runs and a 6-4 lead. She knew it was a no doubter the second she hit it with a major arm pump and another before getting to first after a tough day before that. She has slapped 100% in the two games and I don't like it. I have seen her slap and hit away before. I don't know why she doesn't just hit straight up. She has good gap power or more and if she can hit a bomb like yesterday while slapping, imagine if she would stop that. Lastly is Mia. She hit a rope no more than 15' high her first at bat far over the left center fence for a solo shot. Just crushed it. She had a bloop single to right and a ground out to second. She did make a throwing error from short to first. Did so last game although last game was a tough play behind second and a debatable error. This one was an error. Last note.....Hotshots have a kid named Isabella Torres who looked really good yesterday with a home run and a scorched double to right. She is going to......FSU. Edit: Regarding Ariel, Hotshot's games are hard to find. So, while she has struggled some in the two games I have seen, I'm guessing she has been very productive in the games I haven't seen as they moved her from fifth to cleanup yesterday.

 

I got hit for saying o was concerned but I just don't see how you can get through a season with 2 freshmen pitchers, no matter how good they may be

 

Kirsti Merritt is one of my favs too! I've known her since she was 9 when she came to play in Clermont with the team both my daughters played on. They played together for years and then against her for several years after she left to play for the Gainesville Gold. I was not at all surprised by how successful she would become as a college player, she was just so talented. She has a couple of young kids now, I doubt that she would get into coaching anytime soon.

 

Speaking of favorite players, does anyone know what Hannah Adams is doing with her life. I wish her well. She is my favorite.

 

I’m gonna be a millionaire and so can you. AND we can still get some portal players.

 

Gourley had the best change up, she taught that pitch to Ocasio I believe.

 

Looking back at our stat history pitching wise, there was a year where we only used 2 pitchers all season. Usually they end up with 3 pitchers throwing 75+ innings. Ace over 200, 2nd going 150+, and the 3rd between 75-100. At this time, I look for us to land a number 3 and throw both Rothrock and Brown around 190-200 innings each. Not ideal from my perspective, but if both of those players are as special as we all hope, not the end of the world.

 

Ainslie Lee is leaving the Sun for a better job. She was the only one that appeared to be interested in softball. And while we're at it, since ESPN is firing everyone in sight....we can only hope that includes Beth Mowins.

 

Mowins is the Sarah Longley of ESPN/

 

Beth Mowins is not going anywhere. Regardless of how this board feels, she has a following.

 

Some here, probably most here, don't believe me when I say that Taylor Shumaker is the best prospect since Amanda. I can understand that because it is a rather bold statement but one I stand behind. I have watched hundreds or more of elite level travel players over the past 5-6 years and I haven't seen anything, anywhere, as impressive as Taylor. As I said before, perfect body on a kid who runs with the wind and hits for high average and outstanding power. I am way behind in watching Batbusters' games. They played a tournament in OKC with some of the games played in the OU stadium. Their next to last game in that tournament on 6/24 was at OU against Nebraska Gold (Bahl's old team). Taylor's firs ab was a shot caught against the center field fence. Her next ab was a bomb well over the center field fence for a solo shot. Her last ab was a ripped triple down the right field line (she is a lefty) driving in two runs. Moving on to their next game on 6/27, the first game in the current Colorado tournament, she walked her first ab. Her second ab was a two run bomb over the center field fence. Her third ab was a solo bomb opposite field to left center. I am serious when I say these are just very typical games for her. Anything less is atypical. I could post video clips proving everything I say but this site won't let me. The clips are generally in the 9mb range and when I try to post them I get a "too large" message. I've tried to reduce them in size but have failed and don't know how they would look anyway if way reduced in size.

 

I follow her ….. right to the mute button

 

She sounds to me like Skylar Wallace. Correct me if I'm wrong I haven't see her but that enough reason for excitement.

 

You could post to YouTube and then give a link?

How are you able to watch these games -- sounds interesting.

 

I have said before, crossing my fingers as I don't want to jinx her, she absolutely reminds me in everything she does of Skylar. You'd think you were watching the same person.

 

Yep. I've been trying to think of an alternative place where I could just post a link. I've never uploaded to Youtube. I think there are other ways I'll have to research. Every Mercado game and every Batbusters game is on Athletes Go Live. $10 per month. Though rare, in the past I have seen the Batbusters stream a practice session. All of the other teams I am currently interested in as we have kids coming in from them, Lady Dukes, Hotshots-Nelson, Beverly Bandits, Thunderbolts Premiere - Rocky are also members of AGL but none of their games are available unless playing Mercado or the Batbusters or some other team that is broadcasting their game. It ticks me off as there is nothing hard about it...witness Mercado and Batbusters never missing a game. AGL even sells the perfect camera to hang on the backstop. All it takes is a team member or parent to hang it and turn it on (and to realign it when a foul slams into the backstop) but most teams don't do it.

 

For years on other boards, and now here, I have posted details of games I have watched. Kept waiting for someone to ask "how in the hell are you watching all of these games?" Nobody did until now. This is how I have watched a ton of our kids play many games before they ever hit campus. The list is long....Mia, Keagan, Katie, Avery, Emily, Lexie, Lefty, Reagan, Olivia, Alyssa, Taylor, Kendra and a bunch I am forgetting off the top of my head. Plus I get to see a lot of great players headed elsewhere before they hit campus. That list is too long but has some people like McKenzie Clark at Clemson and Jenna Laird at Mizzou and many more. And, yes, I have seen Erickson play....for a couple years with the Batbusters. She's good.