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2017 Softball Season

So this pretty much guarantees that she keeps her job doesn't it?

Are you suggesting that 20 wins would be a magic number?

She has one more year on her contract. A person I know that has some inside information stated that they would let her contract run out. Save the $100,000 payout and a million dollars from a headache.
 
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Are you suggesting that 20 wins would be a magic number?

She has one more year on her contract. A person I know that has some inside information stated that they would let her contract run out. Save the $100,000 payout and a million dollars from a headache.
No I'm not suggesting there is a magic number. I really don't follow softball that closely I just pop in on this thread once in awhile to see what's up. I just noticed they've been winning a few games here and there so I didn't know if that was enough for her to keep her job as I thought it sounded like she was likely out real soon
 
As stated.. they will most likely keep her until the end of her contract and then let her go. I would think that would be the best move by the administration, but you never know. After Gayle was hired in 88 she had the Hawks in the top 5 of the Big ten every year until she left in 2010, a few won the Big ten title. Looper has only been in the top 5 one time since she took the job and that was her second year and with Gayles Recruits. Now we have fallen to the bottom of the B10 and have even been the doormat a year. Winning a few this year is definately a bonus but in no way should there be a magic win number to keep her. or at least I hope not. On a positive note congrats to Crankermo! Nice Dinger by your kid! looking forward to much more of that!
 
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Clinched a B1G tournament bid with the Maryland/Rutgers split yesterday. Let's take a couple from the Cats this weekend and get some momentum going in!
 
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Need the last two to get to 20. Not what they wanted I am sure but would still feel a little better.
 
Nice to get a W on Alumni Day, makes up a little for past pain.

But 5 errors for each team? Yikes.
 
I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised at the way the team ended the year. Lea Thompson is a gamer who I think will only improve. If she were 5 inches taller, she'd be at an elite school. Most other field positions with the exception of 1st will be adequately filled. If a second quality starter is found, I could see this team winning 25 or more games.

The team as a whole hits the ball herder than they have for a few years.

I like the feistness that Coach Looper showed. She is also showing better feel for game day situations. I think she is learning.

Coach Baggetta was out of line Saturday. The umpire made terrible calls, but she pushed it too far. After awhile complaining is counterproductive. She could have easily been tossed.
 
Thompson is one of the better freshman bats we've had come through for a while. But last I checked she had 16 errors, and that's splitting time with Taylor. Speaking of which, Taylor is batting .060, and although I can't seem to locate last years stats, I think that's probably a huge drop.
 
Not a huge drop for Taylor, but a drop. If I remember correctly, she hit around .100 last year. She actually looked better at the plate this year over last. She hit more than one ball out of the infield. Last year, she hit exactly 1 at home. Thompson will be better in the field next year.
 
Just wondering, what do college softball players do in summer? I know there are summer leagues for baseball and mens/womens basketball.
 
If they stay around here and want to.. The Metro sports report set up a all college softball league for players that are coming back from playing college softball anywhere. Its much like the Primetime league for Basketball. There are some D1s, D2s and D3s along with NAIA players so its a mixed bag. They have a few sponsers. I am sure it will be competitive. http://www.metrosportsreport.com/in...t&view=category&layout=blog&id=283&Itemid=473
Really glad to see a positive finish to the season. I hope they can build on it for next year. And truthfully I could careless if Looper stays or goes as long as the team is competitive and shows positive progression. But please stop making HS mistakes in coaching and the game play, that is all i ask.
 
Thanks Drmac, I hadn't heard of this, should be fun. Sure would like to see some Hawkeyes out there. As BumLeer suggested, Thompson should be better defensively next year, but playing a lot is the best way to speed that process.
 
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Does anyone know the tie-breaking procedures for B1G Tournament seeding? Tied Purdue and Indiana, but they both received a better seeding. We won the series against Purdue and have better wins against the top teams than does Indiana. Just curious.
 
It happened in our favor during the Nebraska series earlier this year. Cost them the game.
 
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Someone with more softball knowledge than me please explain why Mullarkey bunted in the first inning. Pratt on 2nd with one out. We bat .217 as a team and there's a good pitcher in the circle, so ya figure we aren't going to have many at-bats with runners in scoring position. We've got arguably our best RBI person up to bat. And she bunts. Missed sign?

B1G commentators (who you can tell aren't really allowed to give strong opinions) even exclaimed that Iowa "took the bat out of her hands".
 
Commonplace with a Looper coached team. As I've said in the past, she sacrificed Meagan Blank on more than one occasion. Her thinking would be "so much more can happen from 3rd base than from 2nd". She has said this on more than once in interviews.
 
Commonplace with a Looper coached team. As I've said in the past, she sacrificed Meagan Blank on more than one occasion. Her thinking would be "so much more can happen from 3rd base than from 2nd". She has said this on more than once in interviews.

Were there 2 outs or are they past that?
 
With the climate happening in Iowa Athletics after the Meyers trial she will definitely be back next year, and if Barta is fired she may be around longer then that. She coaches Iowa like a HS coach, in High School you usually have some talented kids and some average, maybe some not so good so you have to take what you an get and try to move runners. In D1 College if your doing your recruiting right you have talent at all the spots. Maybe not TOP Talent but players none the less. No Way you bunt Malarky there. She is a hitter let her put the ball in play and see what she can do. If not her the next batter and so on. Play small ball when you need to.. say when your down a run late. Not in the first inning. A merciful end to the season i would say. Although they did play better this year then in the past in spite of Loopers short comings.
 
I was disappointed we got suckered to pick off a base stealer while forgetting the runner on third, who then scored. Does not make us look well-coached. :(
 
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I was disappointed we got suckered to pick off a base stealer while forgetting the runner on third, who then scored. Does not make us look well-coached. :(
Humiliating play. Two outs and Shayla pitching well, and we hand them a run. Again - team batting .217. We hardly have runs to give.
 
Humiliating play. Two outs and Shayla pitching well, and we hand them a run. Again - team batting .217. We hardly have runs to give.
My far away impression is that we have a hustling, close knit, good kids team that plays hard but we just don't have enough "players" meanwhile Wisconsin's pitcher-catcher are Iowa kids... huh?
 
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Yeah pretty much Iowa girls catching and pitching at all the Big ten schools cept Iowa. haha. Menz the Wisky pitcher was not even the best pitcher Waukee had, they still have Sarah Schaefer, who I think is better and will be going to Michigan this year. Not to mention Fiser at Minn. Damn think about having those three on your staff right now. Makes me sick. I do Like Doocey she is a gamer and will be a great Hawk.
 
Yep, did get some impact freshmen this year in Doocy & Thompson. Still need more bats.
 
If i were Looper i would look to Kirkwood to get some help with the bats. Maddie Hansen would have been a good pick up for her stick and catching ability. Some pretty good hitters in this years class of HS seniors around the state. she has plenty of time now to catch alot of the games!
 
Will be in OKC around the WCWS championships so i bout a ticket. Got game two tickets, now just to see who will be there. Kinda Hoping Minnesota reps the Big ten and maybe FLorida or FSU. Will Probley be Oregon FLorida though. Pretty excited to go to this event. Sad I cannot take my daughter though since Iowa is just now starting its HS softball.
 
Will be in OKC around the WCWS championships so i bout a ticket. Got game two tickets, now just to see who will be there. Kinda Hoping Minnesota reps the Big ten and maybe FLorida or FSU. Will Probley be Oregon FLorida though. Pretty excited to go to this event. Sad I cannot take my daughter though since Iowa is just now starting its HS softball.
Minnesota had the best record in yhe nation, like 54-3 and didnt even get a seed in the ncaa tourney. They now have to win a road series (i believe) and if they win that, they likely play the #1 team
 
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Yes Minnesota definately got the shaft. Highest win total, fewest losses, and won both the regular season and Big Ten tourney. No way they should not have been seeded. We will see how this shapes up. Plus they put all 13 SEC teams in the tourney.
 
Yes Minnesota definately got the shaft. Highest win total, fewest losses, and won both the regular season and Big Ten tourney. No way they should not have been seeded. We will see how this shapes up. Plus they put all 13 SEC teams in the tourney.
Watched some of the shows that responded to the Selection Show. The Minnesota snub was a pretty hot topic. Best record in the Nation, but had two wins in the Top 25 and ZERO wins in the Top 10. Strength of schedule did them in.
 
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You play whats in front of you for the schedule. You cannot predict how each team will be down the line. Just keep winning which they did. I hate the strength of schedule thing because its all about match ups. You have no idea How all the Big ten teams would do playing head to head vs the SEC or any other Conf Some teams are a tough match up for others and Pitching really carries the day in softall, if you are strong in that you can go along way. We will see how they do vs LA Tech and Bama
. You can project but until they play on the field you don't know. I think it really was unfair to have them ranked Number two in the Nation in the polls if they felt their strength of Schedule was bad. If your ranked ahead of 23 other teams then someones thinking your doing well.
 
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Yes Minnesota definately got the shaft. Highest win total, fewest losses, and won both the regular season and Big Ten tourney. No way they should not have been seeded. We will see how this shapes up. Plus they put all 13 SEC teams in the tourney.
Watching a SEC game they were talking about if all the SEC teams would make it since all the teams were inside the 30 in RPI.
 
You play whats in front of you for the schedule. You cannot predict how each team will be down the line. Just keep winning which they did. I hate the strength of schedule thing because its all about match ups. You have no idea How all the Big ten teams would do playing head to head vs the SEC or any other Conf Some teams are a tough match up for others and Pitching really carries the day in softall, if you are strong in that you can go along way. We will see how they do vs LA Tech and Bama
. You can project but until they play on the field you don't know. I think it really was unfair to have them ranked Number two in the Nation in the polls if they felt their strength of Schedule was bad. If your ranked ahead of 23 other teams then someones thinking your doing well.
I haven't been following it that closely. Did not realize that they were ranked #2 nationally. How the heck could they not be seeded at all? That makes the men's NCAA basketball selection committee look like they totally do everything right!
 
Minny got the biggest snub I've seen regardless of sport. It's an absolute JOKE. Anyone that knows softball knows they're a LEGIT contender to win it all and I hope they do.

This was a HUGE slap in the face to the B1G conference and how others view the level of softball within it. Should be a huge wake up for all parties involved in B1G.
 
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