Softball World Series

[Cajun90]

Although I'm glad UCLA won, the other point to be made is that this was Arizona's game to win. A bungled fly ball that should have been an out and a fly ball that appeared to have been caught then dropped cost them the game. Arizona should never have lost that game.

I disagree on that last ball that was missed by the right fielder. That would have been an incredible catch had she made it. She was fully extended and the ball caught the tip of her glove. As noted though the mis-communication on the ball in left field cost them a win.

[Cajun90]

UCLA tonight against Arizona.....

1....The number of grand slam homeruns
2....The number of home runs their ace PITCHER has hit.
3....Run homer to go with the above.

Add two more solo home runs to the above for a total of five home runs and fifteen total runs. That going into the bottom of the sixth inning.

[HOUCajun]

I've followed softball more closely this year so question for those who know more. Is UCLA the 1st NC to not have a dominant starting pitcher? It seems like past NC's have had pitcher with a sub 1 ERA, UCLA just mashed the ball. Also, it seems the parks are too small for how the game is now being played. The announcers were talking last night about outlawing composite bats which would serve the same function I guess.

Softball is VERY different from baseball in that the proportions of the bases fences etc make the game much faster. In baseball as SS can bobble a ball and still make a play. In softball the runner would be safe by 2 steps.

[VObserver]

While pitching is still very important in softball, it has become less so in recent years. The composite bats account for part of that, but I believe the other part is that more and more girls nationwide are playing fastpitch from an early age, and hitters are catching up with pitching.

[Just1More]

UCLA has several "dominant pitchers". They also have incredible hitters, as does Arizona. Pitching is still the king with fastpitch softball. The issue with softball has gotten to be whether you have unlimited access to a rich set of athletes and whether you are forced to trade off fielding skills and base running speed... with power. UCLA has so much to choose from that many make the incorrect observation that they "option" for power. They have a feeder system and athlete network that allows them to find and recruit girls who can both field AND hit for power. But, make no mistake about it... there isn't a pitcher on that team that isn't a "dominant pitcher".

The game has not changed.

UCLA doesn't have a lot of base running speed... but when you crank the ball like they do... you don't really need it. UL, by contrast, uses base running speed as it's most potent offensive weapon.

[VObserver]

Pitching may still be the king, but no team in the last 10 years has won the WCWS with JUST pitching. There were more runs scored in one game last night than were scored by all the teams in all the games in the WCWS 25 years ago.

The game hasn't changed, but both the equipment and the athletes have.