A Sea Of Red

I got my first look at softball team Friday. Pitching seems to be our downfall. I talked with someone within the program and was told we started season with 5 pitchers and now are down to 2. Does anyone know what happened to other 3 ?

LU should have won 2 of the 3 games against Campbell.

ballcoach15 wrote:I got my first look at softball team Friday. Pitching seems to be our downfall. I talked with someone within the program and was told we started season with 5 pitchers and now are down to 2. Does anyone know what happened to other 3 ?

LU should have won 2 of the 3 games against Campbell.

If you actually talked to someone within the program, they would know. Ask them

Purple Haize, you sound a bit testy. To answer the question; two pitchers are out with knee injuries and the third pitcher left school.

I did a bit of research and I think I figured out which is which. I'll PM you sofla and see if Im right

sofla wrote:Purple Haize, you sound a bit testy. To answer the question; two pitchers are out with knee injuries and the third pitcher left school.

It was a stupid question. If he actually did speak to people in the program why not ask them? Unless he actually didn't talk to people in the program.

I'm only testy with him. Not the program

I think he should have the title of Captain Obvious...he's on a level even beyond me

BJWilliams wrote:I think he should have the title of Captain Obvious...he's on a level even beyond me

no and every thread is not about you

Tis true...my apologies

The person I talked with is within the athletic dept. I should have been more specific. Before I could ask further questions of him, our conversation got interrupted.

With all of the terrible weather the team has had to deal with this year is there an indoor facility used by softball?

sofla wrote:With all of the terrible weather the team has had to deal with this year is there an indoor facility used by softball?

First you get a new field and stadium. Now you want an indoor practice facility? Who do you think you are? Football?

Purple Haize wrote:

sofla wrote:With all of the terrible weather the team has had to deal with this year is there an indoor facility used by softball?

First you get a new field and stadium. Now you want an indoor practice facility? Who do you think you are? Football?

In a word, yes. If the goal is to be very competitive, win the Big South and consistently play in the World Series Tournament then there has to be somewhere for this team to have quality practices when there is in climate weather. Great coaches and some very good players and getting some exceptional players but they need to be able to keep working even when frequent bad weather rolls in.

the real issue is: shouldn't we be concerned over the results so far?

http://www.liberty.edu/flames/index.cfm ... 3&TeamID=2

4-24, and thats INCLUDING the fact that they managed 2 wins outta the last 3 games

0-5 in conference?

multiple losses by 7, 8, 9 runs, one by 12

two losses (to ranked opponents) by 15 and 22 runs

what the heck is going on?

PAmedic wrote:the real issue is: shouldn't we be concerned over the results so far?

http://www.liberty.edu/flames/index.cfm ... 3&TeamID=2

4-24, and thats INCLUDING the fact that they managed 2 wins outta the last 3 games

0-5 in conference?

multiple losses by 7, 8, 9 runs, one by 12

two losses (to ranked opponents) by 15 and 22 runs

what the heck is going on?

this would be a good time for me to acknowledge that I was one of the ones whining that Wetmore should retire and I stand by that

just didnt see this start coming with the rep Coach Richardson has

PAmedic wrote:this would be a good time for me to acknowledge that I was one of the ones whining that Wetmore should retire and I stand by that

just didnt see this start coming with the rep Coach Richardson has

Has there always been a history of pitching woes?

Considering that from the very first tournament this team had to play without its best and probably next best pitcher, the record is not surprising. Additionally, one of the team's best hitters from last year is no longer at Liberty. I can assure you that those involved in softball at the youth, high school and college levels have an increased interest and respect for Liberty Softball thanks to these coaches and what has been done already and will be done in the future.

Im not all that shocked either all things being considered. The young lady sofla is referencing (if Im right here) was second in on base percentage as well. I figured there would be some pretty significant growing pains for both the players and Coach Richardson. We are seeing some good things and I still think that much of the rest of the season is going to be about evaluating for the next couple seasons. We have five juniors and 7 sophomores on the roster this year and a couple folks will be coming off injuries.

She's tearing it down to build it back up; purging the roster to get players that fit her philosophy in there. Ugly this year but should get better.

sofla wrote:Considering that from the very first tournament this team had to play without its best and probably next best pitcher, the record is not surprising. Additionally, one of the team's best hitters from last year is no longer at Liberty. I can assure you that those involved in softball at the youth, high school and college levels have an increased interest and respect for Liberty Softball thanks to these coaches and what has been done already and will be done in the future.

clearly you follow the team much more closely than most:

do you attribute the exodus of those several players to the new regime (ie; differing philosophies than the last staff)

round peg/square hole scenario?

SJ beat me to it.

thats what I was wondering.

They have only lost one real impact player and she just didn't return to Liberty this semester for reasons unrelated to softball. These coaches aren't purging but to the contrary are open to looking at all who are interested, as seen with their first camp where they had over 100 prospects. With that being said, the quality of talent now interested in playing softball at Liberty has gone way up since Dot came into the picture and that will make the team much more compeative in the future. Five seniors will leave and there are more signees than that coming next year. Some of those signees are really good players and are probably going to play a lot next year. The subsequent recruiting classes are even better.

sounds good.

gotta break some eggs to make an omelette right?

Softball starts and ends with pitching at the college level. You have to have a dominant pitcher or you will not win many games. LU has lost several games this season that they could have won if a domnant pitcher had been on the mound. From what I have seen and what I have read, the hitting has been OK at times. To be a good team you have to win those 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 type games.
With the new stadium, Coach Richardson will get the recruits necessary to win in Big South and beyond. She did not inherit a good team. It's gonna take a couple years. I feel good about the future of LU softball.

ballcoach15 wrote:Softball starts and ends with pitching at the college (Every) level. You have to have a dominant pitcher or you will not win many games.

+1

When Katrina Johnson left in 2011 that set the program back.

Regardless of what the record will end up being, these young lady's lives will never be the same after spending the season with Coach Richardson, Pinto, and Cassady. Spend 10 minutes with her and you will understand what I mean.

Looking at the bio's of the 2014 recruits, it looks like help is on the way.