Bama vs Auburn Softball Series

[Krymsonman]

Top of 7th, BAMA gets a single, followed by a 2-0 dinger by Heivilien. That's followed by a double. Can a miracle happen?

 

[Krymsonman]

Correct. One infield single. One beating out a bunt. We have not had a hit out of the infield. Against a team that’s 7-14 in the SEC.

Yeah, forgot about the bunt. I think it went about 5.5 feet.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Barn choking. Will it be enough?

 

[Krymsonman]

Another double to right center. Thought they would catch it, but - off the glove. Now 4-3 Auburn, 1 out, runner on second.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Cahalan strikes out on three pitches.

Now two outs, runner on 2nd. We need a run to tie.

 

[Krymsonman]

And........she's swings at a ball over her head. Two down.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Game over on a strikeout. Took 5 pitches this time.

 

[Krymsonman]

And......she swings at a ball in the dirt for strike three. Ball game. Barn wins 4-3.

BAMA is assured their FIRST EVER losing record in the SEC. Why we weren't doing what we did in the 7th inning all game, I'll never know. All I know is we watch lots of good pitches to hit go by, and swing at lots of bad pitches. When we do hit it - I'll just say I think we lead the SEC in pop up outs. This is just a shell of the BAMA softball I love.

Also, I don't know if we even have a chance of hosting a regional, but if we lose another game to Auburn, I think any chance we have would be gone. Even if we do host, we would certainly not be the 1 seed.

 

[Krymsonman]

Game over on a strikeout. Took 5 pitches this time.

What gets me the most is the number of good pitches we watch and bad pitches we swing at. A good hitting coach could correct that.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Below is a link to SEC softball stats as of May 2. Don't know if it includes results from last night's game, but the picture is so grim that I don't think it matters.

The first half of the .pdf covers stats for All Games. Stats for All Games aren't horrendous. We've done OK against lesser competition. The problem has been that when we're up against good teams, to call it a struggle would be charitable.

For a true picture of the depth of the problem, scroll down to stats for only SEC games -- they start on page 29.

2024 Softball Stats (PDF) - Southeastern Conference (secsports.com)

Page 30 gives stats for various aspects of hitting against only SEC opponents. We're dead last in batting average and dead last in on-base percentage. Most of the other stats -- slugging percentage, runs scored, RBIs, etc. -- are almost as bloody.

We are average to just slightly below in home runs. Our best category is second place in triples. But that's only 4 and doesn't come within light years of bailing out the rest.

SEC-only pitching stats begin on page 32. We're average to bottom third of the conference in most categories. I realize that part of the issue is the lack of offensive support, and fielding is dismal (see below). But numbers are numbers, and they're sobering.

Team SEC-only fielding stats are on page 34. We're dead last in team fielding percentage. Given that we're last in fielding percentage, it's not surprising that we lead the league in errors. And it's not all that close.

I kind of knew this year was going to be tough. My main beef is that the team isn't getting better. If anything, we're deteriorating as the season progresses.

I don't know enough about the game to tell whether the swoon is psychological, knowing the season is pretty much shot and losing mental focus. Or the rest of the conference has figured out how best to attack our myriad weaknesses. Or substandard coaching. Or lack of talent.

If not for Montana Fouts, I think last year would have shown similar results.

One way or another, this simply cannot continue.

 

[TideATL70]

Nice program analysis BasketCase. The addition of Braud has been a success IN REGARDS to team chemistry, effort, etc BUT has not helped with the hitting, errors that seem to plague us every series. I fully expect her to return to the ESPN booth after the season no matter what. Murph is very stubborn and I think it could get messy if GB wants to make a change. I see no way he'd be willing to wait until 2028 to see if Murph can turn it around.

We simply don't have the talent to be a top ten program anymore. And, I think the 2021-22 mass exodus is being used VERY successfully against us on the recruiting trail. The only "rumor" that's been confirmed publicly is that favorites were being played and it caused a very divided locker room. I think that scares alot of recruits off.

GB has basketball in a good place, as well as the hiring of CNS' replacement, so I think he'll really look hard at the all of the other sports and the directions they are going.

Murph, I think, really needs to win these next two AND make a little postseason noise.

 

[bamadwain]

Just think if we didn't have Beaver this year, this team would be battling Ole Miss for the bottom

 

[Krymsonman]

Below is a link to SEC softball stats as of May 2. Don't know if it includes results from last night's game, but the picture is so grim that I don't think it matters.

The first half of the .pdf covers stats for All Games. Stats for All Games aren't horrendous. We've done OK against lesser competition. The problem has been that when we're up against good teams, to call it a struggle would be charitable.

For a true picture of the depth of the problem, scroll down to stats for only SEC games -- they start on page 29.

2024 Softball Stats (PDF) - Southeastern Conference (secsports.com)

Page 30 gives stats for various aspects of hitting against only SEC opponents. We're dead last in batting average and dead last in on-base percentage. Most of the other stats -- slugging percentage, runs scored, RBIs, etc. -- are almost as bloody.

We are average to just slightly below in home runs. Our best category is second place in triples. But that's only 4 and doesn't come within light years of bailing out the rest.

SEC-only pitching stats begin on page 32. We're average to bottom third of the conference in most categories. I realize that part of the issue is the lack of offensive support, and fielding is dismal (see below). But numbers are numbers, and they're sobering.

Team SEC-only fielding stats are on page 34. We're dead last in team fielding percentage. Given that we're last in fielding percentage, it's not surprising that we lead the league in errors. And it's not all that close.

I kind of knew this year was going to be tough. My main beef is that the team isn't getting better. If anything, we're deteriorating as the season progresses.

I don't know enough about the game to tell whether the swoon is psychological, knowing the season is pretty much shot and losing mental focus. Or the rest of the conference has figured out how best to attack our myriad weaknesses. Or substandard coaching. Or lack of talent.

If not for Montana Fouts, I think last year would have shown similar results.

One way or another, this simply cannot continue.

Great analysis Basket. We're not Montana Fouts level this year but we haven't been terrible either. But throw in all of the errors, and the mental errors that don't show up in the box score, plus the lack of any consistency at the plate, means one thing - bad team. We're not a bad team vs directional schools etc, but we're a bad team in the SEC.

 

[Krymsonman]

Just think if we didn't have Beaver this year, this team would be battling Ole Miss for the bottom

No, we would have already won that battle.

 

[Krymsonman]

GAME 2 is on. We get a single, two soft pop ups, and a hard line out. No score. Auburn has a lead off walk, moved to second on a bunt. Briski settles in and gets 2 consecutive K's. No score after one inning.

 

[Krymsonman]

BAMA goes 1-2-3 in the top of the second. In Auburn's half BAMA turns a nice DP. Still no score after 2.

 

[Krymsonman]

We get a bloop single in the top of the inning but do nothing with it. Auburn gets a single in the bottom half but Briski stay tough. Still no score after 3. We need some hits.

 

[Krymsonman]

BAMA goes 1-2-3 - again - in the top of the inning. Auburn gets a lead off single. They move up to second on a hard shot off of Briski. She did get the out at first. Briski then got another K, and the runner was thrown out trying to steal 3rd. Still no score after 4 complete. We need to help Briski out!

 

[Krymsonman]

BAMA gets a walk in the inning, and then she's doubled off first on a routine fly to right field. Don't know what she was looking at to keep drifting towards second base. No runs by BAMA to help Briski out.

Auburn goes 1-2-3, two ground outs and a K. Briski is doing a great job, but getting no help. Still no score after 5 complete.

 

[Krymsonman]

BAMA gets a 2 out single from Jenna Johnson. (Jenna is about the only player making consistent contact lately). That's followed by a K. No runs for BAMA for yet another inning.

Auburn gets a one out single. Briski gets an out, then Auburn gets a single up the middle. Runners at 1st and 3rd, 2 outs. Auburn's big dinger hitter coming up. And we intentionally walk her. Bases loaded, 2 outs. BAMA changing pitchers - going to Beaver. And Beaver gets a 3 pitch K. Still no score after 6 complete.