NCAA SB Final: Louisiana 2, LSU 0

[JMV JustMyView]

Lamb was nails today...got to hand it to blue, called a fair game behind the plste. The outside corner was there all day..

Just an observation, if Lamb could drop some weight, how much more effective could she be? Not to mention having something in the tank later in games...not being critical.

The stamina would be a little better and her fielding particularly bunts would be better. The deal is she has came a long way with her condition in the last year.

[roarman]

90% of the teams across America in that situation 90% of the time send the runner as soon as the ball is hit on the ground. That is exactly how the Cajuns lost to Ole Miss in the deciding game of the regional two years ago. It was definitely the right decision to send her. That is how they are taught, that is how they are trained and once the ball hits the ground, they go.

[JMV JustMyView]

So while we have 45 minutes to wait, can someone please explain why send the runner home? I’m honestly trying to learn something.

Look how close the runner is to 3rd, she wasn’t running on contact. If she was she would have been a lot farther from third.

Look at the picture. Runners on 1st & 3rd, no outs. The SS just caught the ball.

I would have held her on 3rd, or if you insist on sending her, wait till shortstop throws to first. Running now, she is dead at home.

I would have held her at 3rd even on the throw to first. If Bryan, Talley or Keen would have been at 3rd as soon as the ss committed to 1st I would have sent them. Piskos runs well for a catcher but she isnt a burner like some of the faster girls.

[GreatestStory]

90% of the teams across America in that situation 90% of the time send the runner as soon as the ball is hit on the ground. That is exactly how the Cajuns lost to Ole Miss in the deciding game of the regional two years ago. It was definitely the right decision to send her. That is how they are taught, that is how they are trained and once the ball hits the ground, they go.

Thank you. I appreciate your take on the situation.

To me, it didn’t appear she was running from the start.

The runner on first was halfway to second and the runner on third was still 3 feet from 3rd. Maybe the runner on first was stealing second, so she is further down the baseline, but I don’t recall that being the situation.

I’m just not a big fan of getting thrown out at home with zero outs.

[GoneGolfin]

I asked during the game and... well you can go read the smart-azz replies.

I thought it was a legit question based on fundamentals.

You have several choices here ...

1) Send the runner on contact
2) Send the runner if it is hit to the right-side only (past the pitcher)
3) Send the runner, unless it is hit to pitcher or third base
4) Hold the runner until the ball gets through the infield

If you are executing #1, the runner is pushing off of the bag a bit (before the ball is put into play) and takes off immediately on contact. Obviously this was not done as the runner did not have the jump to make it home safely even from a ball to SS. She did not even execute what I would consider to be #3, as she should have gotten a better break than she did. Though she may have been attempting #3 and was late on her read and thus the subsequent break to the plate.

I think she is safe if she executes #1 well ... but you risk getting thrown out at the plate if it is hit cleanly to third base or pitcher.

BTW, she would have been gunned at the plate (where she was positioned at the time the SS fielded the ball) had she waited for the throw to 1B and then broke home.

Brian

[RaginScotsman]

Well, there you go.

[GreatestStory]

Thanks Brian.

I 100% agree with your assessment of the situation and it is representative of how I felt when the play happened.

If the runner on 3rd was planning on going home, she should have been a lot farther from 3rd by the time the shortstop fielded the ball.

The picture I posted obviously shows she had no chance of scoring by the time she decided to go (or was sent).