2019 Softball
- Thread starter LinusPF
- Start date
I'm not saying Looper's teams weren't bad. I'm saying they at least tried and appeared to give their all. This year's team is different to me. They give up. The play you describe, the runner scored because the SS gave up on the play and didn't even go out for the relay throw.
@crankermo does your daughter still play for Iowa? I admittedly don’t keep up on softball like baseball. I always liked reading your thoughts.
No she had to medically retire due to another surgery that would cause her to miss the entire year.
Things seemed to be going well this year, right up to the bye weekend. Don't know what changed after that, other than that was about when Owens moved to SS over Hamilton.
Which brings me to why, when there is a competent SS already in the program, you move her to 2nd. Now we're on our 3rd SS this season. It might be there's a good reason, I just don't know it.
Which brings me to why, when there is a competent SS already in the program, you move her to 2nd. Now we're on our 3rd SS this season. It might be there's a good reason, I just don't know it.
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Agree about the SS position. Bogar was good. Lea was sometimes spectacular at 2nd..and honestly she's a pretty bad outfielder. Put her back at 2nd (maybe her recurring injury makes 2nd tough??). It's understandable Syd took over for Ashley however. Ashley had her chance and couldn't hit the ball. (Course now Syd isn't either..sort of just moving the deck chairs on the Titanic huh?)
Trying not to judge Gillispie too harshly yet. It's year 1. But...
1) The effort from players seems to have dropped.
2) Doocy has taken a little step backward. (Looper was a good pitching coach)
3) UCF is having their best season in years - minus Gillispie
4) None of her UCF players followed her to Iowa. I know - FL in the Spring vs IA in the Spring is a tough sell...but I thought at least one may come.
5) No meaningful transfers. Nowadays when there's a hole in your lineup (ex #2 pitcher) you find someone looking to transfer and you fill it that way. Iowa is a P5 school (big budget) with a softball tradition. Go get'em! Only transfer we did get wasn't even playing softball last year.
I think some of the early-season success is explained by an easier-than-normal non-conference schedule. This stretch we're going through now is as bad as any stretch in the Looper era I believe. Nine straight games scoring less than 2 runs, including a whooping by 8-17 W. Ill in the home opener. Three shutouts in the last four games.
Trying not to judge Gillispie too harshly yet. It's year 1. But...
1) The effort from players seems to have dropped.
2) Doocy has taken a little step backward. (Looper was a good pitching coach)
3) UCF is having their best season in years - minus Gillispie
4) None of her UCF players followed her to Iowa. I know - FL in the Spring vs IA in the Spring is a tough sell...but I thought at least one may come.
5) No meaningful transfers. Nowadays when there's a hole in your lineup (ex #2 pitcher) you find someone looking to transfer and you fill it that way. Iowa is a P5 school (big budget) with a softball tradition. Go get'em! Only transfer we did get wasn't even playing softball last year.
I think some of the early-season success is explained by an easier-than-normal non-conference schedule. This stretch we're going through now is as bad as any stretch in the Looper era I believe. Nine straight games scoring less than 2 runs, including a whooping by 8-17 W. Ill in the home opener. Three shutouts in the last four games.
No. I didn't. I happen to agree with your point. I was just doing a little clarifying. But thanks.
yep. The schedule was the easiest in years.
As far as SS. Cecil made some excellent plays last fall. I was thoroughly surprised when she wasn't playing more this spring. Maybe an injury?
The 2 DMACC recruits are having great years. Ruther was named national player of the week last week.
http://www.dmaccbears.com/sports/sball/2018-19/bios/ruther_mia_6eil
http://www.dmaccbears.com/sports/sball/2018-19/bios/guy_avery_vjow
http://www.dmaccbears.com/sports/sball/2018-19/bios/ruther_mia_6eil
http://www.dmaccbears.com/sports/sball/2018-19/bios/guy_avery_vjow
Guy and Ruther year and a half record is 75-6 including one Final Four and current top 5 national ranking. They will bring a lot to the program. Rumors of other possibilities as well.
Be careful about projecting Juco College players, production when they transfer into D1 schools. I am not saying that Guy and Ruther will not help this team as I know Avery very well and i have heard Great things about Ruther, but they are also facing quite a drop in talent level in the Juco ranks so they are putting up big numbers. Only a handful of CC are competitive to their level, DMACC and Kirkwood in our area. They usually struggle when they get to the playoffs and face quality competitive teams, even though they put up gaudy numbers in the regular season. It will take sometime for them to adjust to the speed of these games and the quality pitching they will face day in and day out. I will give coach G a pass for the next couple years until she gets recruited her players. She definitely put time in on the recruiting trail in iowa and surrounding states. I think she will turn this program around, maybe not to the Blevin years but who knows.
Hawks are swept by Wisconsin. Badgers look good this year and really ran aggressively on the bases. Sunday's game was much cleaner for Iowa as we got a fair amount of hits and hit the ball hard a few times right at them.
On the broadcast the announcers said Coach G said things will start to turn around in year 3. Hoping we can win some B1G games and make the tournament.
Go Hawks
On the broadcast the announcers said Coach G said things will start to turn around in year 3. Hoping we can win some B1G games and make the tournament.
Go Hawks
As a general sports fan I would be a little frustrated if my coach publicly indicated that they expected things to change in year 3 while 1/2 way through year one. That may be an internal projection but not to say publicly. It didn't go well in Minnesota when PJ called it 'year zero' and would bother me if I was a Soph-Senior in the program.
I Don’t disagree that numbers from JUCO may not translate exactly.
But both Kirkwood and DMACC have excelled at the National level. Between the two there are at least 10 alums playing right now at the D1 level on winning teams.
DMACC alone has 3 Final Four finishes in the last 5 years and Kirkwood has top ten finishes.
Just from the names and numbers of the power 5 good programs that are recruiting those two program’s players is encouraging for Hawk softball fans. Interesting but If Iowa signs some recruits then to some people they are questionable contributors. But if an SEC, Big 12, ACC or other Big Ten school comes in and signs the same player then the complaints start that Iowa lost another player!
Iowa just needs more to go with what they have- I am glad that process has started- and don’t care what level or where they get em!
But both Kirkwood and DMACC have excelled at the National level. Between the two there are at least 10 alums playing right now at the D1 level on winning teams.
DMACC alone has 3 Final Four finishes in the last 5 years and Kirkwood has top ten finishes.
Just from the names and numbers of the power 5 good programs that are recruiting those two program’s players is encouraging for Hawk softball fans. Interesting but If Iowa signs some recruits then to some people they are questionable contributors. But if an SEC, Big 12, ACC or other Big Ten school comes in and signs the same player then the complaints start that Iowa lost another player!
Iowa just needs more to go with what they have- I am glad that process has started- and don’t care what level or where they get em!
Women played much better last night. Doocy pitched well against a good hitting team. Hit the ball MUCH harder than previous home games. Had bad luck with very good fielding plays by ISU and also a bad case of at 'ems.
Best progress I saw all night was in the field where they threw behind the lead runner to keep person at first from advancing an extra base. One person in scoring position instead of 2. Looper's teams never seemed to have been coached the importance of that.
I am not nearly as discouraged as in previous games.
Best progress I saw all night was in the field where they threw behind the lead runner to keep person at first from advancing an extra base. One person in scoring position instead of 2. Looper's teams never seemed to have been coached the importance of that.
I am not nearly as discouraged as in previous games.
A two-hit shutout does nothing to encourage me.
With Illinois, Nebraska and Ohio St. our last three home series, time to consider Iowa not winning at home this season.
Time to consider Iowa has gone backward in Gillispie's first season.
Looper did a couple of things on her way out that impacted this season. That being said fundamental issues haven’t improved
As I recall, Lute Olson's first basketball team lost 7 or 8 in a row which matched some record existing at that time. Kirk lost the first dozen plus games he coached at Iowa. I think it is grossly unfair to make any meaningful judgement on the current coaching staff and results which might be forthcoming. This is a "lean" year, but hey, anyone paying attention knew this team was going to have some challenges! I just hope the players attitude allows them to hang in there until the worm turns!
Both coaches had tough first years. Not sure KF lost his first dozen. However there were some indications in both cases of progress. Some have questioned the progress this year, the fundamentals, handling the 1st and 3rd play and the effort at times. Saying ‘3rd year we should see progress’ wasn’t a good thing. Looper played some scholarship games at the end making it difficult. I thinking Gillespie can get it done it has been a bumpy start.
She needs time to recruit. And from what I have seen she is doing that. Much more then Looper. I have seen her at lots of events and even some HS softball games. I didnt attend the state tourney last year but hear she was there. Thats a Plus.
Yikes! Tough day in every facet of the game. Illinois' pitcher is from Indianola. Another Iowa player who got away.
Go Hawks
Go Hawks
Why dont you go kiss Loopers butt some more? It will take a couple years to clean up the mess that worthless joke of a coach left.
Not sure what's going on but the Hawks are leading game 2 by 7-2, following a grand slam to dead center by Schulte. Lehman the starting pitcher. Figured I better post before I wake up from the dream
Dropped a tough one 12-11. Some generous score keeping to have only 2 errors on each team.
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