[ballcoach15]

Schedule hasn't been released yet , but my inside sources tell me:

February 9-11 Clermont, FL Dot Richardson Classic
February 17-19 @ UCLA Tournament
February 23-25 Disney Complex in Orlando

looks as if I will drive to Florida twice within 3 weeks.

[CarolinaBlue]

ballcoach15 the February tournaments you listed are correct except for the California tournament. That tournament is the Mary Nutter Classic which UCLA runs. LU will play UCLA and Oregon for sure. The other 3 games are TBA.

[ballcoach15]

I hope we can beat UCLA and Oregon. I would love to go to the Mary Nutter Classic, but I do not want to fight the LA traffic. A softball parent invited me out there, but I had to decline.

[Dalegarz1]

Interesting interview with DR concerning the progress of the team this Fall. She might be the single most example of an optimistic coach I have encountered. Although, to her credit, she was very open about the disappointment of the 2016 season. Some interesting experimenting going on-Megan Robinson at third (major upgrade) and trying out Amador in the infield. That might be a stretch since her background is playing outfield. Looking forward to UVA and VT later this Fall. Those games will be a nice barometer.

[ballcoach15]

The games Sunday in Troutville may show a lot, + and -. Certainly the infield will be interesting. Robertson looked good at 3B a couple weeks ago. Amador looked good at SS, but she had very few chances. Not enough to give her a grade.

[Dalegarz1]

There are a lot of little nuances playing shortstop that go beyond just fielding and throwing. It concerns me that we don't have someone who has a lot of experience there.

[ballcoach15]

I think we have a one or two, who played SS in high school/travel ball, but they are not D1 SS material.

[olldflame]

The games Sunday in Troutville may show a lot, + and -. Certainly the infield will be interesting. Robertson looked good at 3B a couple weeks ago. Amador looked good at SS, but she had very few chances. Not enough to give her a grade.

The concerns about her lack of experience at the position are justified, but Amador is our most athletically gifted player, and that's a good thing to have at SS

[Dalegarz1]

Amador is an excellent athlete so the move to shortstop may work out-time will tell. On the flip side, taking her out of the outfield may hurt us unless some newcomers are able to take over. Outfield play last Spring was below average.

[ballcoach15]

Outfield defense will be improved. That's a given if the 3 start that I think will start.

[ballcoach15]

At Troutville today LU beat Richard Bland JC 15-0 and lost to VT 9-0. I saw some good things and some not so good.

[Dalegarz1]

Not a good result against VT! Please elaborate Ballcoach about the "not so good things".

[ballcoach15]

I do not want to be too negative, since it's just "fall softball".

Did not swing bats well vs Virginia Tech. Only had 3 hits as I recall. One of Bishop twins had 2 hits. She looks good at the plate.
Hit too many routine ground balls. Of the 21 outs, probably 15 were assists by VT infielders.
Gave up 3 home runs to VT. (Umpire had small strike zone)
Infield had couple mental errors on covering bases.

On positive note, Chase Cassidy struck out the side in only inning she pitched, only threw about 10 or 11 pitches if I recall correctly.
Everyone on staff pitched, and I believe all position players saw action in VT game.

[ballcoach15]

LU plays NCAA Runner-Up Auburn on March 2 and March 3, in the AU tournament. Texas State and Savannah State are also in tournament.

[Dalegarz1]

looking forward to my trip down from NJ at the end of this month and will definitely catch the UVA game on the 28th. Fall ball or not, a 9-0 loss to VT is not acceptable. It would be nice to enter winter conditioning with a win against UVA.

[Purple Haize]

Any excuse to get out of Jersey....

[Dalegarz1]

If our football, MBB and SB don't perform as expected in the immediate future-I'll be out of excuses!

[ballcoach15]

It's time we ruled BSC in every sport.

[Eighty]

Mary Nutter - Some information:
1. $25 a day or $60 pass for the weekend. (Congrats to Mary on having higher prices than Walt)
2. $10 a day for your car. There are NO in and out privileges.
3. Schedule:
Friday: Liberty vs LMU; Liberty vs UC Davis
Saturday: Liberty vs Oregon; Liberty vs St. Marys
Sunday: Liberty vs Cal Poly; Liberty vs UCLA

[ballcoach15]

That is rather high for college softball. I bet concessions are high also. I had planned to go to Clermont and Disney, but since we are at Auburn first weekend in march, I will skip Disney and go to AU.

[BJWilliams]

Official release for the 2017 Schedule...and it's a good one:
http://www.liberty.edu/flames/index.cfm ... 57&TeamID=

[Jonathan Carone]

So who is getting me free tickets to the UT game?

[ballcoach15]

I have a friend who I think is a member of the "Rocky Top" Club or whatever their booster club is called. I will contact him and see if he can get softball tickets.

I hear TN softball fans are the worst fans in any NCAA sport. A father of a VT player told me that.

[adam42381]

I have a friend who I think is a member of the "Rocky Top" Club or whatever their booster club is called. I will contact him and see if he can get softball tickets.

I hear TN softball fans are the worst fans in any NCAA sport. A father of a VT player told me that.

Yeah, I'm sure those 1,500 fans are the worst in the nation in any sport.

[Cider Jim]

The Tennessee football fans are the nicest ones I've ever met. I was there when Marshall played them years ago in Knoxville.