Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

I'm pounding this Dukes' game with clips of our kids as Dukes' games are very hard to find. Keagan with a rbi single up the middle.

 

Mickey is being sent to the dean’s office.

 

Keagan with what looks like an off speed drop to me. I'll have more on that when I summarize the game. They could not touch that pitch all night. Clips of pitching make little sense as clips are limited to one minute and I can't provide much overview.

 

Bri Ellis has quite a response to it.

 

OK. Game went four due to time limit or run rule as Dukes won 14-1. Game was against EC Bullets 18U-Schnute. That has been for many years the Bullets' premier team and always, along with Georgia Impact, the best team in Georgia and one of the best in the South. Layla and JoJo were pulled after two at bats as the Dukes were up 12-0. Keagan hit a third time as they left her in to pitch the third inning. Box score was completely wrong but what I've got is correct. Keagan went three, gave up one hit (an infield chopper) and they only hit one hard ball off her all night...a deep fly to right center that was caught. She struck out 8 in three innings and walked 2. She walked the two in the first. Totally unable to control her rise ball. While it did get better, she changed her scheme to rely on that devastating off speed drop or drop curve, whatever it is. All of her eight strike outs were on that pitch except for one in the third on a rise. I really like she was able to pitch around her control problem with the rise and go to almost exclusively the off speed pitch that made the Bullets look sick all night. Layla had the two run home run I clipped and a ground out to second. JoJo had the single I clipped and a HBP. Keagan grounded out to short, walked and had the rbi single I clipped.

 

Any visible hangover from Keegan injury or is she looking completely healthy?

 

Interesting both in Ellis' response and that this guy, Tim Pannell, posted something to the effect "this is what's wrong with this country. When you aren't playing well you get benched. That's what coaches are for." Yet, Carlee was solid all year. Hit over .300 all year and played solid second base. She hit a slump...I don't remember the exact number. Something like 1-17 but she snapped out of it and got benched on Senior Day. The Pannell name is interesting. I don't know the relationship, or even if there is one, but Taylor Pannell is a good going to be sophomore on Tennessee. I watched Taylor play for years with Keagan and Mia on Tennessee Mojo. And how many of the majority of Auburn's best players hit the portal this year? I'm going to guess Carlee and Ellis know more than Pannell.

 

She seemed healthy in the Indiana high school championship game I watched and in this game. I know she started off slow in the early high school season coming back from the injury but I don't see anything wrong now. Of course, it might be hard to see if she is still dealing with it in some fashion.

 

What injury did she have?

 

Elizabeth Hightower continues softball journey as a pro - The Independent Florida Alligator

Good article on Hightower. Like the part added about the conversation her and walton had. Maybe insight to conversations with lexie and olivia.

 

What's wrong with this country is that Pannell guy. Obviously, Carlee posted something very emotional and very concerning for her and he decided he is the genius who has to jump in and attack her. Even if he is right, and I doubt he is in this situation, STFU!

 

She had some sort of excruciating nerve injury that developing in both of her lower legs last Fall. They initially thought it was shin splints but MRIs showed it wasn't. I think she underwent some type of surgery in December which I assume was some sort of nerve release. At least that's how I understand it. If someone knows better, correct me.

 

Hope it's something that is one and done for her and our sake. She seemed to have a good season though the further it progressed.

 

I don't know if she will be on the main Athletes Unlimited roster for the main season in August. I admit I was surprised when she turned up on the short early auxiliary season. All I know is she pitched one inning in the first week and got hit hard. She pitched .2 inning later than week and although on the team's rosters for the next two weeks never pitched again.

 

Do Ava and Keegan throw kind of similar or completley different stuff? From the limited amount I've watched I'm not real sure.

 

I have watched Keagan for at least four years and know she has developed both a 70 mph rise and at least one, or more, different off speed pitches. I simply haven't seen Ava throw enough to be able to comment. Ava's mom didn't hang a camera and stream all of the games herself the way Keagan's mom did. Keagan's mom is also coaching the Lady Dukes this summer. Partly because of James Lamar's situation but I think she also was an assistant before that on all of Keagan's travel clubs. She is a pretty good pitching coach.

 

A little useless trivia on this Carlee McCondichie matter. The reason I paid a little continuing attention to her career at Auburn is because I met her father. Back when she would have been about to enter Auburn, I attended the USA Junior National team exhibitions against the Georgia Impact and Birmingham Thunderbolts at Gerogia State University before they went on to Columbus to play in the World Cup and then onto California to play in the Junior World Cup. This was the team with Charla, Rylee, Skylar and Julia. Anyway, since I had my chocolate Lab with me, I had to sit behind the left field fence. (Which was great because it was a mid-90's day and unbearable but there was a little shade there but I digress). Anyway, I'm sitting there (and meeting Hannah Adams there but I digress again) and talking to the guy next to me who knows a ton about all of the Impact and Thunderbolt players. He finally told me he was Carlee's dad and that she played on the Bolts and was headed to Auburn. And, thus, I have always been tangentially interested in Carlee's career.

 

The thing that stands out to me the most is that after her career at UF she "doesn't miss softball....just the players." That's not good. I have all the respect in the world for Elizabeth, she gave every last ounce that she had and that her talent allowed, but the last couple years have been tough on her and on all of us. Somebody like her should have enjoyed all of her career. Things have to change.

 

Tough to enjoy when you aren't healthy, and I'm not sure what changes can be made to change that