Just a few thoughts from our time in Norman this week. This is the first time I've been to Norman as a softball "fan". I have been here 3 times previously, as an umpire. Their new stadium is absolutely wonderful!!! I hope that if FSU does move Howser and then the softball stadium, they use OU's Love's Field as a template for FSU's new stadium. I think it seats about 4k, so if FSU doesn't need one that big, just scale it down a bit. Our friends are pretty big OU supporters, so we had great seats, but I really don't think there are any bad seats.
As for the softball:
1) Thursday was a difficult game with not a lot of positives, except for the fact that the girls never gave up or got down. Our seats were about 10 rows up to the left of the umpire, so we could see into the FSU dugout and they were always in the game.
2) I absolutely loved Lonni's "creativity" for last night's game! I never saw the official line-up card, obviously, but based on having both Ashtyn and Makenna pitching, she most likely had Ashtyn as a DP and Makenna as a Flex. This gives Lonni the capability of moving both Ashtyn and Makenna in and out of the circle as often as she wanted/needed to. Lonni is without a doubt one of the top 2 or 3 coaches in the country and we should be very thankful we have her!
3) Since we are here in Norman, I haven't heard anything, but I would be interested to know if Makenna tweeked her injury. Watching her very closely in the two innings of work, I would say last night was the first time all year, she looked like the Makenna Reid of last year! It was so encouraging, BUT when she walked off the field her last inning, she seemed to be in pain. When Gooden came out the next inning, I just got the feeling that Makenna was hurt. I don't think Lonni would have used Gooden last night, unless she had to.
4) Last night, FSU showed just how good they are and how good this program is. Let me tell you, OU is every bit as good as they've been the last few years...in the field and at bat. The only difference is they don't have a legitimate shut-down power K pitcher. Kelly Maxwell is good, but she's not Jordy Bahl or some of the other dominate pitchers they've had in the past.
5) Based on this Super, we have a lot to be excited about, as for the future of FSU softball. No, this year, because of the lack of championship caliber pitching, FSU is not a WCWS contending team. However, we are close...very close. If Makenna comes back and get's back to 23 form, Ashtyn fully recovers from her 23 injury and get's better, and Jazzy comes in and is able to contribute at a high level...FSU will be just fine. Getting one dominate pitcher out of the portal (if available) should be a priority and I'm sure Lonni knows that. There's just too many questions concerning the pitching staff right now.
6) I am worried that we have seen the last of Makenna Reid. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm a bit concerned.
On a personal note, last night you saw a major reason I retired from umpiring a few years before I wanted to. The ridiculous "obstruction" call on Isa is a HUGE reason I left. First, let me say that based on the rule, it absolutely WAS "obstruction". I grew up playing baseball with the rules of Pete Rose running over Ray Fosse in the All-star game. That was how you played the game. There needs to be a "happy medium" between where we were and where we are today. The reason it was obstruction is because if you watch Isa set up, well before the throw, she is in front of the base between the base and the runner. If she set up on the side of the base, it would not have been. The throw took her over to the other side which is where she really got in the way, but because of where she set up originally, that's why it was called. Like I said, if she set up on the side of the bag it wouldn't have mattered that she was in the runner's path. Just a STUPID rule!!!
Anyway, I think this was Lonni's best coaching job since she's been at FSU! It's amazing to me that this coaching staff was able to get the team to the Supers with such mediocre pitching!
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