Bama Game Thread: WCWS-Alabama vs UCLA

[DanoCanuck]

With all due respect to the ladies I don't normally watch this sport but how can you not be PUMPED watching this performance! WOW! Congrats girls, take us to the national championship!

 

[DanoCanuck]

BTW,,,how do the pitchers rotate in softball? Can they pitch on one days rest? Article on al.com indicates she'll be pitching agai Sunday. Can Montana pitch every other day and be ok?

 

[81usaf92]

BTW,,,how do the pitchers rotate in softball? Can they pitch on one days rest? Article on al.com indicates she'll be pitching agai Sunday. Can Montana pitch every other day and be ok?

From what I’m hearing unless something changes it will most likely be Montana that will pitch game 1 Sunday. Softball arms don’t tire like baseball arms. If we get to the NC series and win Game 1 then you’ll probably see Lexi game 2.

To give you an idea, when we won 2012 Traina pitched in all the games in the WCWS. That’s why she has 40+ wins in a season.

 

[81usaf92]

Thank you. Excellent discussion. I felt that Oklahoma approached game one as if they were entitled. The conduct of the entire team coming out of the dug out to lead cheers, constantly appealing calls and and an overall superior attitude really stuck out. To me it smacked of Georgia's entire football team coming out to the center of the field then getting a good whupping! Can they make it back through the losers bracket? We will see!

Four games in two days is a tough ask, even for the #1 seed. Then, even if you do manage to pull that off, you have to start a best-of-three series against another really good team the very next day. Huge stress on the pitching staff.

Regarding Oklahoma’s overall attitude, I agree. Can’t say how I know, but I know….they and their coach have a reputation in the softball community of being the stereotypical playground bully.

They really do have a good team, but feast on inferior competition during the season, get the big head from a gaudy record, and like to rub opponents’ noses in it. Then, when faced with somebody who doesn’t back down, and gives as good as (or better than) they get, the high and mighty Sooners quickly get whiny and pouty.

If Oklahoma took JMU lightly then they are going to be in bigger trouble today than they were on Thursday. Oklahoma's problem is pitching... plain and simple. For too long people have obsessed over hitting teams. Like Michigan in 2015 and Auburn in 2016. But what always seems to happen is that these hitting teams face a good pitcher and cant figure them out. It often leads to a 1-2 run loss. Oklahoma constantly gets a pass because of Gasso and the Oklahoma dominance in the last 10 years, and it leads to questionable rankings. Im still trying to figure out why UCLA and Bama were ranked lower than Oklahoma when Oklahoma played absolutely no one outside of Georgia and Oklahoma St.

But I promise you, that despite the constant line of "losers of day one only make it to the finals 7%" that the commentators have been saying for the past 2 days, the narrative is going to magically shift when they start to talk about Oklahoma today. Is Oklahoma good enough to win 4 straight? Yes but they are going to have to go through Georgia, Garcia, and Odicci twice to do it. I dont think they have the energy or the pitching to do it even though I have them beating UCLA. UCLA is a better team than Oklahoma but I think Alabama may have taken their soul and confidence. But at any event I just cant see them beating James Madison twice after going through that gauntlet.

To win the WCWS you need dominant pitching and situational hitting. Right now I would say 3 teams have all of those things. Alabama, UCLA, and JMU. Unless something changes in the next 48 hrs then two of those will be playing for the WCWS. Dominant hitting and mediocre pitching, and Dominant pitching and mediocre hitting never wins this thing.

They do have a good team. But I dislike them more than any other college softball program….even SEC rivals.

I know for a fact that the Alabama coaching staff hates Walton and the Gators the most, and I pretty much lean that way too. We have relatively held our own against Oklahoma in the playoffs in the last 10 years, but Florida has been a thorn in our side far more. Plus they have the audacity to have their championships visible to everyone on the field. I mean seriously... Hang a flag or put a sign in the outfield. I was in a London pub watching us spank Florida in the WCWS in 2019 and the Brits around me thought Alabama won the cup with how high I was jumping. I was satisfied at that point, and everything else was icing on the cake.

 

[BamaFossil]

I've been a big fan of Bama softball for years! Coach Murphy has done a fantastic job of growing the sport. I enjoyed every minute of last night's win over UCLA! Now a day off to let the other teams beat themselves up, then one more win and Bama is in the championship series. Huge congratulations to Bama Softball and Roll Tide!!

 

[Saban4Ever]

What a great game last night! Bama is on fire, especially Fouts. So glad the girls get some rest today. Whichever team Bama plays Sunday will be somewhat tired having to play 2 games today, but yet pumped up that they made it to Sunday. I think if Fouts continues being almost perfect, Bama will make it to Monday. It will be interesting who wins today with all the games. I am pulling for James Madison to win their bracket since they are the underdog.... but then of course for Bama to beat them in 2 games for the National Championship. RTR

 

[ALA2262]

Reminiscent of Bama Basketball running UNC's FOUR Olympians off the floor in the 1976 NCAA Tournament.

Roster[edit]

Name [1]	Position	Height	Weight	Age	Team/School	Home Town
Tate Armstrong	G	6'3"	170	20	Duke	Houston, Texas
Quinn Buckner	G	6'3"	203	21	Indiana	Phoenix, Illinois
Kenny Carr	F	6'7"	225	21	North Carolina State	Washington, D.C.
Adrian Dantley	G	6'5"	209	21	Notre Dame	Washington, D.C.
Walter Davis	F	6'5"	190	21	North Carolina	Charlotte, North Carolina
Phil Ford	G	6'2"	170	20	North Carolina	Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Ernie Grunfeld	F	6'6"	225	21	Tennessee	Forest Hills, New York
Phil Hubbard	F	6'7"	194	19	Michigan	Canton, Ohio
Mitch Kupchak	C	6'10"	229	22	North Carolina	Brentwood, New York
Tom LaGarde	C	6'10"	214	21	North Carolina	Detroit, Michigan
Scott May	F	6'7"	218	22	Indiana	Sandusky, Ohio
Steve Sheppard	G	6'6"	209	22	Maryland	New York, New York

1976 United States men's Olympic basketball team - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Al A Bama]

I liked the article on Al.com. You can't spell Fouts without the "OUTS". 21 female bruins faced, 21 female bruins OUTS on a day when you have your 21st Birthday. PERFECT Game on a PERFECT day. Awesome.

 

[81usaf92]

 

[81usaf92]

UCLA rocked the bus before the game.... We rocked it afterwards.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1401302299759288321

 

[81usaf92]

Murphy on the off day