Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Share your news and views about University of Hawaii Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball, and All Other UH Sports
Post Reply
madeinhawaii
*True Sports Fan*
*True Sports Fan*
Posts: 9970
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Kaneohe
Contact:

Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by madeinhawaii »

HONOLULU—University of Hawai`i softball shortstop Jessica Iwata hit a two-run, walk off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift No. 18/19 UH over No. 1/2 California, 3-1. Stephanie Ricketts (13-1) earned the complete game win over the previously unbeaten Golden Bears on the third day of the Chevron Spring Fling Tournament in front of a capacity crowd of 1,200 at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
http://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2012/3/ ... 20332.aspx

The loss to Texas still stings a little.. but not as much as it did the other day...
 


Visit my wife's photography site ... mahalo!
http://artistsinhawaii.com

808
All-American
All-American
Posts: 1658
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2005 9:52 am
Location: Honolulu, HI

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by 808 »

Dramatic win for the Wahine!

Duster
*True Sports Fan*
*True Sports Fan*
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Aiea, Hawaii

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by Duster »

First game I was able to see from start to finish. Gritty pitching by Stephanie. She just did not give in. The dominating performance by Jolene Henderson that nevertheless ended in a loss reminded me of the time when a Hawaii Islanders pitcher (was it Dan Spillner?) pitched a no-hitter and still lost (I think he walked someone who got to third and scored on a wild pitch or passed ball). And when McKinley (I think their pitcher was named Asato) beat Derek Tatsuno of Aiea for the OIA championship in the early 70's.

Sarah was clutch with her BB shot up the middle that tied things up and with the head's up base running to get to third on the CF's errant throw home. And Jessica's bomb made me think of Earl Weaver's preference for HRs over small ball. My neighbors probably wondered what was happening when I yelled "See Ya" when the ball left Jessica's bat.

This team knows how to win close ones. They seem to have that "it" that they had during their CWS run.

madeinhawaii
*True Sports Fan*
*True Sports Fan*
Posts: 9970
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Kaneohe
Contact:

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by madeinhawaii »

I looking forward to see them string another 20+ wins starting yesterday!
 


Visit my wife's photography site ... mahalo!
http://artistsinhawaii.com

madeinhawaii
*True Sports Fan*
*True Sports Fan*
Posts: 9970
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Kaneohe
Contact:

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by madeinhawaii »

Okay.. starting tomorrow, then. I guess they simply ran out of gas after dealing with the #1/2 team in the nation. The adrenaline rush, the exhiliration and the let down when it's all over. They'll bounce back and handle it better the next opportunity they have.
 


Visit my wife's photography site ... mahalo!
http://artistsinhawaii.com

cruiser808
Pom pom fluffer
Pom pom fluffer
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by cruiser808 »

madeinhawaii wrote:Okay.. starting tomorrow, then. I guess they simply ran out of gas after dealing with the #1/2 team in the nation. The adrenaline rush, the exhiliration and the let down when it's all over. They'll bounce back and handle it better the next opportunity they have.
Yeah, that emotional letdown often happens after a team scores a big win. Ricketts didn't seem to be in top form, probably tired after pitching 10 innings the night before, and with Parnaby gone. She kept shaking her pitching arm later in the game. A few fielding errors really cost the Wahine, especially that 5th inning when Iwata lost that high pop up and thought it was going deeper than it did when she was under it all the time. Nice try by Aguirre trying to come in from left field. That could have been the third out and gotten them out of the inning, instead of scoring two runs, and eventually a third. Can't fault Iwata on that, though, as that ball was a mile high and probably in the lights.

What's really troubling, though, is the lack of hitting by the team. The top four % hitters are still doing OK, but the bottom five starting hitters in % are really struggling, even against some of the weaker teams they've played. I hope they can figure out what's wrong and fix it soon.

kapakahi
*True Sports Fan*
*True Sports Fan*
Posts: 6420
Joined: Sat Apr 08, 2006 10:22 pm
Location: formerly SoCal (Long Beach, South Bay & the OC); relocated back to Honolulu

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by kapakahi »

cruiser808 wrote:A few fielding errors really cost the Wahine, especially that 5th inning when Iwata lost that high pop up and thought it was going deeper than it did when she was under it all the time. Nice try by Aguirre trying to come in from left field. That could have been the third out and gotten them out of the inning, instead of scoring two runs, and eventually a third. Can't fault Iwata on that, though, as that ball was a mile high and probably in the lights.
JMHO that the one misplay ended up costing the Wahine the game.

I wondered why Iwata didn't make any attempt to look up or move back for the ball....'cuz it landed just beyond the dirt part of the field.

User avatar
reignjah11
Hall of famer
Hall of famer
Posts: 2182
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 4:03 pm
MLB: Boston Red Sox
NBA: Dallas Mavericks
NFL: New England Patriots

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by reignjah11 »

the problem offensively with this team is that too many of the wahine hitters are going for the long ball hence a lot of strikeouts. especially against the really good pitchers what i would like to see them do more is shorten up their swings (even pepper if they have too) and just look to make good contact. the more balls you put in play the better chances you have of getting on base. softball fields are small also so it doesnt take much to get it pass the infield. thats why you see a lot of these ranked teams play these small but fast women that just put the ball in play and use their speed to cause havoc around the bases.

cruiser808
Pom pom fluffer
Pom pom fluffer
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by cruiser808 »

reignjah11 wrote:the problem offensively with this team is that too many of the wahine hitters are going for the long ball hence a lot of strikeouts. especially against the really good pitchers what i would like to see them do more is shorten up their swings (even pepper if they have too) and just look to make good contact. the more balls you put in play the better chances you have of getting on base. softball fields are small also so it doesnt take much to get it pass the infield. thats why you see a lot of these ranked teams play these small but fast women that just put the ball in play and use their speed to cause havoc around the bases.
Agree 100% with that. Among the starters, Majam, Aguirre, & Pagaduan are especially struggling at the plate. Combined, that trio has only three hits total in the last ten games. They are also the fastest among the starters, so if they can't hit the ball swinging, maybe Coolen could have them try bunting more often and see if they can beat the throw to first base, especially in situations where they have runners on base and 0 or 1 outs. Can't hurt, IMHO.

madeinhawaii
*True Sports Fan*
*True Sports Fan*
Posts: 9970
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Kaneohe
Contact:

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by madeinhawaii »

cruiser808 wrote:
madeinhawaii wrote:Okay.. starting tomorrow, then. I guess they simply ran out of gas after dealing with the #1/2 team in the nation. The adrenaline rush, the exhiliration and the let down when it's all over. They'll bounce back and handle it better the next opportunity they have.
Yeah, that emotional letdown often happens after a team scores a big win. Ricketts didn't seem to be in top form, probably tired after pitching 10 innings the night before, and with Parnaby gone. She kept shaking her pitching arm later in the game. A few fielding errors really cost the Wahine, especially that 5th inning when Iwata lost that high pop up and thought it was going deeper than it did when she was under it all the time. Nice try by Aguirre trying to come in from left field. That could have been the third out and gotten them out of the inning, instead of scoring two runs, and eventually a third. Can't fault Iwata on that, though, as that ball was a mile high and probably in the lights.

What's really troubling, though, is the lack of hitting by the team. The top four % hitters are still doing OK, but the bottom five starting hitters in % are really struggling, even against some of the weaker teams they've played. I hope they can figure out what's wrong and fix it soon.
Yep ... not having Kaia was big. Know when she's coming back?

FYI... for todays game against Winthrop, you can watch it via livestream (first 50 peeps only) at http://www.livestream.com/nawwahinesoftball
 


Visit my wife's photography site ... mahalo!
http://artistsinhawaii.com

cruiser808
Pom pom fluffer
Pom pom fluffer
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:12 pm

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by cruiser808 »

Yep ... not having Kaia was big. Know when she's coming back?

FYI... for todays game against Winthrop, you can watch it via livestream (first 50 peeps only) at http://www.livestream.com/nawwahinesoftball
I saw somewhere that she was supposed to be gone for about a week. I also noticed that the Australian National Team has a series with Japan from March 21-24, and Parnaby is listed on the roster. Of course, with the recent passing of her grandmother, I guess those plans could change. I wish her well.

Thanks for posting the link to that live video. Awesome! :D

kapakahi
*True Sports Fan*
*True Sports Fan*
Posts: 6420
Joined: Sat Apr 08, 2006 10:22 pm
Location: formerly SoCal (Long Beach, South Bay & the OC); relocated back to Honolulu

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by kapakahi »

OC12 broadcasters mentioned that Kaia should back by the March 23rd opener against San Jose State.

User avatar
reignjah11
Hall of famer
Hall of famer
Posts: 2182
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 4:03 pm
MLB: Boston Red Sox
NBA: Dallas Mavericks
NFL: New England Patriots

Re: Wahine SoftBows bring down another top ranked team!

Post by reignjah11 »

cruiser808 wrote:
reignjah11 wrote:the problem offensively with this team is that too many of the wahine hitters are going for the long ball hence a lot of strikeouts. especially against the really good pitchers what i would like to see them do more is shorten up their swings (even pepper if they have too) and just look to make good contact. the more balls you put in play the better chances you have of getting on base. softball fields are small also so it doesnt take much to get it pass the infield. thats why you see a lot of these ranked teams play these small but fast women that just put the ball in play and use their speed to cause havoc around the bases.
Agree 100% with that. Among the starters, Majam, Aguirre, & Pagaduan are especially struggling at the plate. Combined, that trio has only three hits total in the last ten games. They are also the fastest among the starters, so if they can't hit the ball swinging, maybe Coolen could have them try bunting more often and see if they can beat the throw to first base, especially in situations where they have runners on base and 0 or 1 outs. Can't hurt, IMHO.
yup, those 3 are swinging for the fences when they should just look to get on base and set up rbi opportunities. majam's problem i noticed is that pitchers like to pitch away to her because of her open stance. what she should do is cut down on her swing and go with the pitch and drive it out to left field side. of course this is all easier said than done and they're facing some of the top pitchers in the nation but if we want to get back to the wcws which i believe we can, we need to hit!

Post Reply