College Softball weekly poll, LSU slides to #18

Four Pac teams in the top five. They must be holding on to their players better than they have in the recent past.

I doubt those of you who saw the entire Tennessee series would complain about being #18. As everyone is right now, I do not think LSU could beat Mississippi State.

The series presented LSU with an opponent with decent middle of the road level pitching (Moss is still 5 mph down on her velocity) and though LSU got some hits, they didnt get the significant hits when they needed it.

I thought LSU had a good chance to win the third game, but things fell apart in the end. Allie had a pre-game accident and was agitated.

Tennnessee can hit, and they did. Aubrey Leach, arguably the best led off hitter in the country, was on base each chance she got up to bat. Gregg got her homerun.

LSU was not able to string their hits together when it counted, and suffered some errors defensively.

#18 is a fitting spot for this team

The next game is a mid-week, Tuesday (today), and LSU will play Northwestern State, who boasts a 24-15 overall record.

If I was coach, I'd take this opportunity to sit down some of the starters and give them a much needed rest, whether they want it or not.

Amber Serret has not had a break, and she badly needs the psychological space afforded her by sitting out and just resting her body and mind. Same for Griggs. Let her sit out a game.

The lineup I would throw out there would be radical....

Andrews LF
Antoine RF
Weinberger CF
Doyle SS
Thornhill 3B
Goff 2B
Gorsuch P
Sunseri 1B
Loupe DP
Schlatmann C


Not sure about Doyle at SS but Antoine could probably play there, since she did in High school.

What would it hurt to try? Goff needs a solid 4 at-bat game to give her a little experience.

Any of you see the Arizona/UCLA game? They were talking about Kelly Inouye Perez, the coach for UCLA, and how she sat everyone down and told them their roles for the team would change each week. Jelenicki does not start every game, and the coach shifts the players around.

Players need to forget about all that "I played every game from my freshman year through my senior year". Sit them down once in a while and play the underclassmen.

This is D1 elite level college softball. The coach should have a roster of players where she can go to the second or third string player and expect them to catch fly balls and field ground balls.

No way she starts a lineup like that against a team that isn't from the SWAC or MEAC. If LSU builds a big lead, then maybe take the starters out, but you can't play around against a decent team.

"No way she starts a lineup like that against a team that isn't from the SWAC or MEAC. If LSU builds a big lead, then maybe take the starters out, but you can't play around against a decent team."

What part of the lineup suggestion has you uneasy? Just curious.

If the back up shortstop is Schulte, and she is struggling as Serret is, isnt there someone else who could play that position? Antoine played SS in high school. Doyle may not be mobile enough with the knee problems she has had.. I know she can field what she can reach, but mobility may be an issue.

Been watching softball a long, long time. Of all the teams you see, LSU probably functions an entire season with the lowest number of players that start. Tennessee , Florida, UCLA, and others shift their players around.

One more thing... i sure hope LSU doesnt look past Arkansas. They are a swing away team that can beat just about anybody on a good day. They did beat Alabama this past weekend. Really impressive job their coach has done.

And Missouri has risen, as well. Now, there are no more cream puff SEC teams. I am not sure how many will end up in OKC, maybe just one or two, but the SEC competition has gotten a lot closer.

The backup catcher usually doesn't miss the ball, if there is any area she needed improvement in, from the times we have seen her play before, it would be her throwdown to second base.

The "try something different" idea would have two benefits...one, it would give the starters who need a mental break just that, and second, would give experience to those who eventually will have to step up.

I have never seen Goff play defense. Maybe i missed something.

Thornhill was playing third base in one of the practice clips they showed. Doyle can probably field ground balls as good as anyone else, and she has an arm, too. She is a far better defensive player than everybody knows, because she is over at first base.

Weinberger, Antione, Thymes, Thornhill...they are not going to be dropping balls n the outfield, they can play defense. Weinberger gets on base, she should be in the lineup somewhere.


What bothers me most is that I was really expecting to see the changes that were to be made in offseason, pertaining to batting approach and mechanics. If what we see now is the way it is going to be, it's time to give someone else a try. Batters that hack at pitches 3/4 way through the season are going to continue to do the same.

I wouldn't look at the change in the lineup as a benching of starters, just time off for psychological space and physical rest.

If things go bad early, put the starters back in. I just hope Beth doesnt feel like she is betraying anybody if she sits them down for a game or two.

I agree with LSUGRAD that nothing will change.

BHS, just give it up. New players are not going to be inserted and development of these young players is not just going to miraculously occur.

Here is what we know and I have said it for quite a few years:

The line up is written in stone (sharpie as Le Tenia would say) we do not own an eraser. Once it is decided who the favorites are they are in regardless and production does not matter.

We never, ever try to develop depth. The idea that the back ups could possibly perform worse than many of these starters makes me sick to my stomach thinking of the future. If they are not good enough to beat out some of the every day players then we are in serious trouble for the foreseeable future.

Last but not least, thank God and the Heavens for our two pitchers!!

quote:

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Last but not least, thank God and the Heavens for our two pitchers!!

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What happens next season when Carley and Allie are gone?

What will Beth's excuse be as to why she failed to develop any depth?

I'm curious if Dobson becomes the sacrificial lamb, or do we just continue on with the same woeful performance at the plate.

Doyle is a great infielder but she has had surgery and it may limit her mobility. Thats the only concern i would have with her at SS.

I agree 3b for sure but if Serret is not at SS who would you put there?

I cannot imagine the benching of any of the starters with the exception of Antoine who is a new starter, but that would be crazy, and Beth wouldnt do that.

Next year most likely we will see one of the existing players take over the outfield spot vacated by. Griggs.

No, about Antoine, what i mean is she has sat before so that Weinberger could get a chance to win the position. Its not like with the others that never sit. Antoine has sat many games. She is doing great and she will continue to play ,i am just not sure its set in stone that if she fell way off and started missing balls that she'd still be out there.

Antoine is going to be All-American before she leaves LSU, i think.