Wahine Softball: WAC season and tournament thoughts
Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 12:44 pm
Wahine WAC Offensive MVP 2010, Jessica Iwata
Tough one for me to think about, but how can anyone not justify this? This freshman has been quietly under the radar to her fellow teammate and the LOCK for 2010 WAC Freshman of the Year, Kelly Majam, but while other capable WAC pitchers have done not too bad of a job pitching around Majam, Iwata has made them pay. Again, I may get some "flack" for this choice, but it is a hard one to chose and it may sound contradictory, but while I believe Majam and Iwata will be nominees for WAC Freshman of the Year this year, Majam SHOULD earn the WAC Freshman of the Year award based on her overall play in the outfield and at the plate. Both girls have quite the arm, but Majam still has YET to have an error marked against her so far.
Wahine WAC Defensive MVP 2010, Katie Grimes.
No, this is not just senior night nostalgia speaking here, well, a little, but the ever-so stoic and the steady form that has been Katie Grimes over the course of her entire UH career has not changed and with a new pitcher in Kaia Parnaby to work with, she(Grimes) has not waivered. Having to make all the calls for her pitchers, Grimes is part "B" of the pitching success of this team. With a runner on 3rd, 2 outs, and a successfully fielded grounder making it's way back to home, you know you can trust in Grimes.
Wahine WAC Most Improved Player, Stephanie Ricketts.
It sounds funny at first, but those that have followed the team from last season and all the way through this season knew that Ricketts had to be the "one" come WAC play. With a well-documented and discussed slow start at the beginning of the non-conference season, many were high on the true freshman Kaia Parnaby, and rightfully so. Parnaby was headed in one direction but at the same time, we didn't know where Ricketts would head in the other, but Ricketts started finding her way. The Ricketts of old showed herself in games against Stanford and UW and just dominated WAC play and as the WAC season moved on, you could see her repetoir develop further or at least return to what it was from last season with her inside pitches, screwballs, and just plain ole HEAT down the middle.
Wahine WAC MVP, Kelly Majam.
Ok I had to mention her name. But again, who wants to argue the overall addition to the outfield and the batting order she has made. A complete hitter, outfielder, and pinch runner all in one. She has strolled through to the UH all time home run leader record and has quietly, by national recognition's sake ( ) to lead (tied) the nation in home runs. She has been softball's "Colt Brennan" and through numerous news appearances and interviews, she might as well have drawn more of the public to the RWSS all by herself starting with the SJSU series. Her name being called up to the plate draws cheers from those that probably can't even think of another name in the Wahine lineup, but hopefully they'll catch on. Her walk out song "The Professional" couldn't have been more perfect as if it was performed specifically for her. Game face and all, Coolen and UH marketing couldn't have created a better athlete even if they could.
The "AUWE" Award goes to all those freakin' youth softball parents that have no control over their kids. Not ALL of the youth softball kids were out of control, but man… For me, it all started back in the LaTech series in that Friday night game, where you had about 8 kids throwing softballs at each other against the front row fence on the 3rd base side and as one "parent" comes by, we think that they are gonna tell them to sit down because people can't see, nope!!! They tell them to stand there so they can be on TV.
(Sheesh, this kind of complaint sounds like something my parents would say, but I guess it's a sign I am getting older…)
Keys to WAC Tournament.
-Just hit it baby!!!
-***Kaia Parnaby.
The tournament is in Las Cruces and as the Fresno State Softball Blogsp… ERRR.. I mean, the WAC Softball Blogspot has said OVER AND OVER AGAIN, it's at altitude and suits the Wahine perfectly. Well, tough ____!
Now the reason I singled out Parnaby specifically really has nothing to do with her only. It's more on how Coolen will decide to use her in this double elmination format. It wasn't too odd to me that Coolen didn't pull Parnaby in the second game of the series, but if the series was tied 1-1 and Parnaby was in the same situation in the third game, then yes, I can see her being pulled. With the Wahine earning a 1st round bye in the WAC tournament, I don't know if Parnaby will start any of the games, but if she does, expect a very short leash on her if things get the slightest bit out of control. I expect Coolen to put the WAC tournament completely on Ricketts' shoulders.
Kaia Parnaby is young. A true freshman and I think she deserves a ton of credit for what she has done for us this season. Bob Coolen will not feed her to the "wolves", and I do NOT mean Nevada, but he wanted to push her to see what she was made of and what that assessment is, is something I am NOT qualified to assume. Yes we lost that game 9-7, but in the long run, as Jessica Iwata mentioned, should only help them overall.
Overall, I am pleased to see that the Wahine really look like a complete team at this time. Their fielding has improved and their outfield, which hasn't really been tested all year, proved to be a formidable trio that can cover good ground and can make the throws needed.
Tough one for me to think about, but how can anyone not justify this? This freshman has been quietly under the radar to her fellow teammate and the LOCK for 2010 WAC Freshman of the Year, Kelly Majam, but while other capable WAC pitchers have done not too bad of a job pitching around Majam, Iwata has made them pay. Again, I may get some "flack" for this choice, but it is a hard one to chose and it may sound contradictory, but while I believe Majam and Iwata will be nominees for WAC Freshman of the Year this year, Majam SHOULD earn the WAC Freshman of the Year award based on her overall play in the outfield and at the plate. Both girls have quite the arm, but Majam still has YET to have an error marked against her so far.
Wahine WAC Defensive MVP 2010, Katie Grimes.
No, this is not just senior night nostalgia speaking here, well, a little, but the ever-so stoic and the steady form that has been Katie Grimes over the course of her entire UH career has not changed and with a new pitcher in Kaia Parnaby to work with, she(Grimes) has not waivered. Having to make all the calls for her pitchers, Grimes is part "B" of the pitching success of this team. With a runner on 3rd, 2 outs, and a successfully fielded grounder making it's way back to home, you know you can trust in Grimes.
Wahine WAC Most Improved Player, Stephanie Ricketts.
It sounds funny at first, but those that have followed the team from last season and all the way through this season knew that Ricketts had to be the "one" come WAC play. With a well-documented and discussed slow start at the beginning of the non-conference season, many were high on the true freshman Kaia Parnaby, and rightfully so. Parnaby was headed in one direction but at the same time, we didn't know where Ricketts would head in the other, but Ricketts started finding her way. The Ricketts of old showed herself in games against Stanford and UW and just dominated WAC play and as the WAC season moved on, you could see her repetoir develop further or at least return to what it was from last season with her inside pitches, screwballs, and just plain ole HEAT down the middle.
Wahine WAC MVP, Kelly Majam.
Ok I had to mention her name. But again, who wants to argue the overall addition to the outfield and the batting order she has made. A complete hitter, outfielder, and pinch runner all in one. She has strolled through to the UH all time home run leader record and has quietly, by national recognition's sake ( ) to lead (tied) the nation in home runs. She has been softball's "Colt Brennan" and through numerous news appearances and interviews, she might as well have drawn more of the public to the RWSS all by herself starting with the SJSU series. Her name being called up to the plate draws cheers from those that probably can't even think of another name in the Wahine lineup, but hopefully they'll catch on. Her walk out song "The Professional" couldn't have been more perfect as if it was performed specifically for her. Game face and all, Coolen and UH marketing couldn't have created a better athlete even if they could.
The "AUWE" Award goes to all those freakin' youth softball parents that have no control over their kids. Not ALL of the youth softball kids were out of control, but man… For me, it all started back in the LaTech series in that Friday night game, where you had about 8 kids throwing softballs at each other against the front row fence on the 3rd base side and as one "parent" comes by, we think that they are gonna tell them to sit down because people can't see, nope!!! They tell them to stand there so they can be on TV.
(Sheesh, this kind of complaint sounds like something my parents would say, but I guess it's a sign I am getting older…)
Keys to WAC Tournament.
-Just hit it baby!!!
-***Kaia Parnaby.
The tournament is in Las Cruces and as the Fresno State Softball Blogsp… ERRR.. I mean, the WAC Softball Blogspot has said OVER AND OVER AGAIN, it's at altitude and suits the Wahine perfectly. Well, tough ____!
Now the reason I singled out Parnaby specifically really has nothing to do with her only. It's more on how Coolen will decide to use her in this double elmination format. It wasn't too odd to me that Coolen didn't pull Parnaby in the second game of the series, but if the series was tied 1-1 and Parnaby was in the same situation in the third game, then yes, I can see her being pulled. With the Wahine earning a 1st round bye in the WAC tournament, I don't know if Parnaby will start any of the games, but if she does, expect a very short leash on her if things get the slightest bit out of control. I expect Coolen to put the WAC tournament completely on Ricketts' shoulders.
Kaia Parnaby is young. A true freshman and I think she deserves a ton of credit for what she has done for us this season. Bob Coolen will not feed her to the "wolves", and I do NOT mean Nevada, but he wanted to push her to see what she was made of and what that assessment is, is something I am NOT qualified to assume. Yes we lost that game 9-7, but in the long run, as Jessica Iwata mentioned, should only help them overall.
Overall, I am pleased to see that the Wahine really look like a complete team at this time. Their fielding has improved and their outfield, which hasn't really been tested all year, proved to be a formidable trio that can cover good ground and can make the throws needed.